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Step 5 of AA states, “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”
But what exactly does that mean? What does it look like in your recovery journey?
This resource offers an in-depth guide to the 5th Step of AA:
- What is Step 5 AA?
- Practical tips for how to work AA Step 5
- A free worksheet to guide you through AA Step 5
- Questions to reflect on as you work the 5th Step of AA
- What comes next after the 5th Step of AA
What Is Step 5 in AA?
AA Step 5 is the “confession” step of Alcoholics Anonymous. It requires admitting your wrongs to God, to yourself, and to another person. It is the natural progression from Step 4, where you take inventory of yourself.
AA Step 5 provides the opportunity to confess the dark side of that inventory, so you can leave it in your past. You will then be prepared for Step 6, which is a readiness to let God remove your character defects.
Not sure how to get started? Download our Step 5 AA Worksheet (PDF) to help organize your moral inventory, prepare what to share, and feel more confident in admitting “the exact nature of your wrongs.”
Free Resource: Step 5 AA Worksheet
The Exact Wording of Step 5 (Explained)
There are three key pieces to AA Step 5.
- To God: This is an admission of our moral failings to God, which is accomplished through prayer.
- To Ourselves: After taking a long, hard look at ourselves in Step 4, we now admit to any flaws, failures, or wrongs that the searchlight revealed.
- To Another Human Being: To fully benefit from AA Step 5, it’s not enough to admit our wrongs to ourselves and to God.
- There is power in confession to another person. As AA Step 5 is explained in the Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous), “When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.”
How to Do AA Step 5 (A Practical, Compassionate Walk-Through)
No one likes to admit when they’re wrong, even in minor matters. So the thought of admitting all our failings out loud to someone can be downright frightening. That’s why it’s normal to feel apprehension going into AA Step 5.
What can allay that fear is breaking down this process into manageable mini steps, and understanding that the outcome will be worth the effort.
AA Step 5 actions:
- Prepare
- Pray/Meditate
- Confess to Higher Power
- Honest self-admission
- Share with another person
Here’s a closer look at how to carry out these actions.
Preparing From Step 4 (What to Bring to Your Step 5)
You won’t be coming into Step 5 unprepared. During Step 4, you’ve already identified the things you need to admit. Now, you can bring that inventory to Step 5.
Resources to bring to Step 5:
- Printed inventories
- Patterns you noticed
- Top harms
- Fears/resentments
- Reflection questions and answers
The questions you asked yourself during Step 4 have prepared you for additional AA Step 5 questions. Step 4 was a preview of the questions and answers you’ll be guided through by the Step 5 AA worksheet.
Choosing the Right Person for Step 5
A part of AA Step Five that can be intimidating is selecting “another human being” to listen to your confession. Who should this be? When and how should you meet?
To make this process smoother, follow these guidelines:
- A sponsor, clergy, or therapist are all AA Step 5 examples of people you could choose for this Step. The person must be someone you trust and with whom you can be completely open and honest.
- It can be helpful to choose someone who has experience with the Steps, so they understand the process and how best to help you through it.
- Schedule a specific time and place to have this conversation.
- Choose a calm, quiet, private setting where you won’t be interrupted.
Common Fears—and What Usually Happens Instead
When you approach AA Step 5, you may feel certain fears about revealing your character flaws.
The good news is that the outcomes are typically far different than what people fear.
| Common Fears | Typical Outcomes |
| Judgement | Relief |
| Rejection | Perspective |
| Exposure | Accountability |
Step 5 AA Worksheet: Free Download and Guided Prompts
Your Step 5 AA worksheet offers simple, straightforward sections to guide you through AA Step 5.
Download Your Step 5 Worksheet
What the Worksheet Includes
Section A: Review of Step 4 Moral Inventory
Use these prompts to uncover the key themes from Step 4. These may include fears, patterns of selfishness, past harms, or resentments.
Section B: The “Exact Nature” of My Wrongs
This prompts you to break down each situation more deeply. For each incident, you’ll identify:
- What happened
- Your part/The underlying defect at play
- Who was harmed
- The truth that was avoided
Section C: Admission to a Higher Power
This offers prompts to create an honest statement to your Higher Power.
Section D: Admission to Myself
This section is about recognizing what you need to admit to yourself. AA Step 5 questions to ask yourself include:
- What patterns do I hear?
- Where am I minimizing?
- What am I missing?
Section E: Admission to Another Human Being
This includes prompts to help you choose the best person. It also provides a simple script to follow as you begin your confession conversation with them.
Section F: Reflection After Completing Step 5
Here you’ll find space to pause and reflect on your thoughts and feelings after you’ve shared with another person.
Section G: Preparing for Step 6
This section of the Step 5 AA worksheet helps you begin preparing for Step 6 of the AA 12-step process.
AA Step 5 Questions to Reflect On (With Gentle Guidance)
It’s helpful to begin with a few questions that encourage honest reflection during Step 5 AA. Answering these questions help you complete the Step 5 AA worksheet and prepare you to admit what you’ve done wrong.
- Where did fear drive my choices?
- Where did I justify harm?
- What truth do I least want to say aloud?
- What wrongs have I avoided facing?
- Am I ready to share without reservation?
- Am I open to feedback?
- Am I ready and willing to let go of the past?
- Have I left out or forgotten anything important?
- Is there anything I’m still clinging to?
- Has my view of myself changed during this process?
To fill in any gaps, review Step 4 and revisit your inventory.
Examples: What a Step 5 Share Can Sound Like
Sharing during the 5th Step of AA should be honest and specific. Rather than admitting “I was selfish,” or “I lied to my family,” confessions should go deeper and include motives and “the exact nature of your wrongs.”
These are some AA Step 5 examples that follow this pattern:
- “I lied to my employer about being sick, when I was actually drinking or hung over and neglecting my work responsibilities.”
- “I lashed out in anger at my family, treating them poorly, when I was actually mad at myself for being unable to stop drinking.”
- “I hid my drinking from my friends, misleading them about what was going on in my life, because I felt ashamed of what I was doing and was afraid of judgment and rejection.”
The Step 5 Prayer (and How to Use It)
Part of Step 5 is to admit the exact nature of our wrongs to God. Modern AA traditions allow this to be adapted to what you consider your Higher Power. This admission happens through prayer.
Following is an example of a Step 5 Prayer in AA:
“I confess the exact nature of my wrongs. I admit to….(your specific wrongs). I ask for honesty, courage, and humility to take the next step in recovery.”
To reduce anxiety surrounding this step, it may help to practice breathing exercises that promote calm. One practice is box breathing, used by the U.S. Navy Seals to reduce stress and improve focus.
It follows a four-step pattern:
- Inhale through the nose for a count of four
- Hold your breath for four counts
- Exhale through the mouth for four counts
- Hold your breath for four counts
- (Repeat)
Benefits & “What People Report Feeling After Step 5”
Completing the 5th Step of AA offers multiple benefits. As the Big Book states, “the dammed-up emotions of years break…and miraculously vanish as soon as they are exposed. As the pain subsides, a healing tranquility takes place.”
What does this look like? This new-found tranquility that results from confession and honest admission often provide:
- Relief
- Lighter mood
- Better sleep
- Reduced shame
- Deeper connection
Arriving at this new place of freedom and rest also provides the momentum needed for Steps 6 and 7.
Step 5 in NA (Differences & Similarities)
Step 5 in NA is parallel in meaning to Step 5 in AA. It focuses on the “exact nature of wrongs” and sharing those with someone else. The wording of Step 5 for both AA and NA remains essentially the same.
The primary difference is that the NA philosophy places more focus on individual empowerment rather than a Higher Power.
It emphasizes personal accountability and self-forgiveness, while AA emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and reliance on a Higher Power.
Troubleshooting: If You Feel Stuck or Overwhelmed
Step 5 is not an easy process. It’s common to feel overwhelmed or get stuck as you work through AA Step 5 questions. That’s why it’s not unusual to take a pause during this process.
It’s ok to take your time. You may need to start gathering your inventory and examining your wrongs, then pause to process and prepare for your sharing conversation.
This pause can give you time to be completely honest during your confession rather than rush through it and hold back.
Practicing also helps. Micro-shares with a trusted individual or practice-runs with a therapist can provide mini-steps that prevent overwhelm.
Red Flags
If working through AA Step 5 questions leads to an acute crisis, it’s important to get immediate professional help.
While feeling stuck or emotional is normal, thoughts of self-harm should be addressed right away. Additionally, if pausing for processing or taking mini-steps doesn’t lessen feelings of overwhelm, professional assistance may be necessary.
What Comes After Step 5? (Setting Up Step 6 & 7)
AA Step 5 prepares you for Step 6, which states:
“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
This is not an attempt at perfection. Rather, it is a willingness to give up the defects and negative patterns we have been holding onto and work toward improvement. We are “ready” to move forward.
“Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”
The focus is humility. This change in attitude allows us to shift from a focus on self to a focus on others and God. AA Step 5 insights prepare us for this readiness and cultivate the humility needed to accomplish the next two Steps.
Find Meetings & Get Help (Meetings + Professional Care)
It’s impossible to work the Steps alone. It’s also important to combine AA Step 5 with professional treatment.
Alongside the 12 Steps, several levels of care are available to address the various physical and psychological issues involved with addiction:
- Alcohol detox
- Inpatient and Outpatient rehab
- Dual diagnosis treatment (for co-occurring mental health disorders)
- Alternatives to AA (Celebrate Recovery, SMART Recovery, LifeRing, SOS)
Take these two crucial steps as you discover how to do Step 5 of AA:
FAQs About Step 5 of AA
A sponsor is often a good choice for Step 5, because it can be helpful to choose someone who is familiar with the Steps.
However, you can choose anyone you trust and is willing to help you with this step.
This varies by individual. It should not be rushed, and it’s ok to pause for processing during AA Step 5.
The focus should be on personal progress rather than a specific timeline.
The 12 Steps aren’t precisely linear. Growth is an ongoing process.
If you remember more, you can revisit this Step to speak with someone about those wrongs, continuing to take personal inventory throughout recovery.
It is important to choose a person for Step 5 that you trust to keep everything you share confidential.
Yes. While in-person sharing is preferable, phone or video calls are options when it’s necessary.
Many people who are not religious or don’t believe in God work the 12 Steps. The term “Higher Power” is open to be interpreted by each person as they choose.
The main difference is the two philosophies.
NA emphasizes personal accountability and self-forgiveness, while AA focuses on the importance of spiritual growth and reliance on a Higher Power.
There is no set timeline for completing the 12 Steps. Some people need a break between steps.
Others need to keep the momentum going. Input from trusted advisors and a sponsor can help you decide how best to proceed.
Explore All 12 Steps
For a full view of the AA program, explore each step below:
- Step 1 of AA: Powerlessness – admitting alcohol has control
- Step 2: Higher Power – finding belief in restoration
- Step 3: Surrender – turning will over to a Higher Power
- Step 4: Moral Inventory – fearless self-examination
- Step 6: Readiness – becoming ready for change
- Step 7: Humility – asking for shortcomings to be removed
- Step 8: List of Amends – preparing to repair relationships
- Step 9: Making Amends – direct action to repair harm
- Step 10: Daily Inventory – how to take a daily inventory
- Step 11: Prayer & Meditation – seeking spiritual growth
- Step 12: Service – carrying the message to others
Ready to progress on your journey?
Download the Step 5 Worksheet and start your recovery journey today.
Kerry is a full-time freelance writer and author whose work has received awards both locally and nationally. Based in the St. Louis area, she holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology (BSW) from Evangel University. Kerry is a regular contributor to international journal publications, industry-leading consumer blogs, and Christian ministries. Kerry has authored more than 10 books, encompassing the genres of Christian living, children’s picture books, and freelance writing.
View ProfileSylvie Stacy, MD, MPH, Medical Officer at Rehab.com, is a board-certified addiction medicine specialist with over a decade of experience treating individuals with addictions in diverse clinical settings including residential treatment programs, detox centers, outpatient clinics, and correctional facilities.
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