A Complete AA Acronyms Breakdown

The AA founders believed that recovery meant listening to God, relaying messages, and treading the Twelve Step path. But that doesn’t mean you must subscribe to any particular religion. AA meetings invite each person to define their Higher Power in a way that works for them.

This power, greater than the self, can be faith-based, spiritual, or even refer to the fellowship found in the AA program. The point is not religious “correctness,” but humility and making genuine connections.

Keep reading to learn a few of the key acronyms that make it easy to focus on overcoming alcoholism:

The words “Keep it Simple Stupid,” can be triggering to some, but their use intends to remind people in recovery not to overthink their recovery plan. Sobriety happens when you take small, consistent actions, not when you push to make everything perfect.

When you try complicated strategies or let guilt creep up on you, you create unnecessary stress on yourself. You set yourself up for a situation where no peace exists. KISS encourages you to focus on making one positive action at a time: Stay sober today. Attend a meeting. Follow the steps.

HALT is one one the most important AA acronyms. It reminds members to notice four common states that can cloud judgment: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. If you ignore these basic needs, emotions grow in intensity, and the mind falls back to old, unhealthy coping habits.

Meeting those needs right away by grabbing a quick snack or calling a friend to vent can help make a different choice. It’s a reminder to use whatever tools you have to stop a backslide into a painful cycle of alcoholic ruin. HALT reminds you to take time for self-healing when your own sobriety is at heightened risk.

FEAR is a mental trap that can set you up for a relapse. The mind may focus on pain or worst-case scenarios and start to treat them as facts. AA teaches group members to pause, challenge these thoughts, and share them to disarm them.

Facing these challenges in a meeting or with a sponsor can help derail this false information.

GOD can mean God’s Orderly Direction or Good Orderly Direction for those uncomfortable with faith discussions. These refer to some of the daily actions necessary to stay on track in the program. They can mean checking in with a sponsor, making amends, or practicing service to others.

By taking these steps, God beats confusion with clear direction. Following GOD helps you recover by reminding you of daily, doable tasks.

The Big Book, BB, is AA’s instruction manual, full of stories and practical instructions for sober living forever. it explains the cycle of returning to drinking when faced with an overwhelming situation as incomprehensible demoralization.

But it also offers solutions grounded in spiritual principles, fellowship, and eventually, service to others.

You will read, discuss, and apply the principles of the BB to exchange bad habits for new, healthy habits. The principles you learn in the BB have helped countless people transform their lives and stay sober.

One day at a time might be the most famous Alcoholics Anonymous phrase. It suggests that instead of fixing everything at one time, you take each day as it comes and do your best with it.

You might find something useful to do, tell the truth, or avoid friends who drink. Doing these every day leads to momentum that you cannot achieve through willpower alone.

And, as we like to remind people, it is impossible to live life two days at a time (so stay in the present and make the most of each day!)

The HOW acronym, honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness, help you examine past behaviors without shame and help shape new habits. These qualities will help you reflect on your past actions and consider them without guilt or shame.

It suggests that recovery requires transparency with yourself and others, especially early in your recovery. When you start living authentically and stay open to help, change becomes a reality.

A SLIP begins in the mind when sobriety loses its priority. That can look like skipped AA meetings, neglected prayer, or a return to self-isolation. These choices open the door to destructive habits.

You might believe that you can control your drinking or think back to the good old days with rose-colored glasses. Recognizing a SLIP early provides a chance to reach out to a sponsor or friend for support and protect your progress.

ESH is a sign of unity in AA, and the desire for members to share their experiences, strength, and hope to help each other. Sharing personal ES&H stories can help people move from despair and isolation to connection and accountability. By sharing, the fellowship becomes a lifeline and a power greater than we can achieve alone.

WITK reminds members that learning and planning for recovery requires action. Being willing to make the changes that it takes to recover it necessary before one can progress in the Twelve Steps.

WITK means a total surrender, allowing yourself to make all the changes it will take to experience the spiritual transformation possible with AA.

EGO reminds us that pride can be as dangerous to a person seeking sobriety as despair. When people in AA reject their Higher Power and start believing they can manage addiction alone, they often repeat painful mistakes.

Accepting help in AA from a sponsor, other members, or a Higher Power keeps you grounded.

Post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) describe the ongoing mental and emotional aftermath of addiction. Some symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, or anxiety, can persist for weeks or months in early recovery.

Recognizing PAWS helps you take care of yourself in early recovery, thus avoiding a relapse.

The 90 in 90 phrase encourages AA members to attend ninety AA meetings in their first ninety days of recovery.

It helps jumpstart the recovery pace by building accountability, routine, and support. Committing to daily meetings helps build structure and early stability.

“Progress, not perfection” is a frequent battle cry of folks in Alcoholics Anonymous. It suggests that recovery requires each of us to commit to steady growth, making consistent headway instead of focusing on flawlessness. You will often hear about making progress without perfection as you embark on your recovery journey.