Recovery AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) Acronym List

Have you ever heard acronyms in an AA meeting and wondered what they mean? We have a list for you!

HOW = Honest Open-mindedness; Willingness

ABC = Acceptance Belief Change = Accept Begin Continue

DETACH = Don’t Even Think About Changing Him / Her

HUGS = Hope Unity Gratitude Serenity

PUT = Practice Using Tolerance

AGO = Another Growth Opportunity

LET GO = Leave Everything To God Okay

GOD = Good Orderly Direction = God’s On Duty = Gift Of Desperation = Grow Or Die = Great Out Doors = Group Of Drunks

GIFT = God Is Forever There

CALM = Cause Anger Left Me

STEPS = Solution Through Each Powerful Step

STEP = Something That Enhances Peace

SLIP = Sobriety Loses Its Priority

PAUSE = Pay Attention Use Step Eleven = Patience And Understanding Succeed Everytime

PROGRAM = People Relying On God Relaying A Message

POP = Power Of Prayer

FROG = Fully/Forever Relying On God

WILLING = When I Live Life I Need God

PLOM = Poor Little Old Me

ESH = Experience Strength Hope

HJF = Happy Joyous Free

AAWOL = A A Way Of Life

ART = Always Remain Teachable

ISM = I Sabotage Myself = Incredibly Short Memory = In Side Me

GROWTH = God Reveals Other Ways To Heal

SOBER = Spiritually On Beam Everything’s Right = Son Of a Bitch Everything’s Real

NOW = No Other Way

CHANGED = Choosing Humility Allows New Growth Every Day = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Every Day

ANGER = Any New Grudge Endangers Recovery

TIME = This Is My Education = Things I Must Earn

GIFTS = Getting It From The Steps

WORK = What Our Recovery Knows

DENIAL = Didn’t/Don’t Even Notice I Am Lying = Don’t Even Notice It’s a Lie

HUMBLE = Honest Unassuming Mindful Believing Loving Encouraging

WISDOM = When Into Self Discover Our Motives

SHAME = Should Have Already Mastered Everything

PAID = Pitiful And Incomprehensible Demoralization

HELP = His Ever-Loving Presence = Hope Encouragement Love Patience

LOVE = Leave Out Violent Emotion = Let Others Voluntarily Evolve = Living Our Values Everyday

PROGRESS = Prayers Release Our Gradiences Resentments Envy Selfishness & Self-centeredness

JADE = Justify Argue Defend or Explain

BEST = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today

BIG BOOK = Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge

TUFF = Tolerance Understanding Forgiveness Forgetting

WASP = Worry Anger Self Pity

HOLD = Helping Others Live Daily

HEAL = Helping Every Alcoholic Live

HALT = Hungry Angry Lonely Tired = Have A Laugh Today

AA = All Accepted = Altered Attitudes = Always Available/Aware = Absolute Abstinence = Attitude Adjustment = Answers Available = Avoid Anger = Amazing Adventure = Alcoholics Answer = Acknowledge Acceptance = Accountable Actions

STAR = Start Talking About Recovery

KISS = Keeping It Simple Spiritually = Keep It Serenely Simple = Keep It Simple Surrender

BATH = Behavior Attitude Thinking Habits

HOPE = Hearing Other Peoples/Persons Experience = Hold On Possibilities Exist = Happy Our Program Exists = Hang On Peace Exists = Hold On Pain Ends

ASAP = Always Say A Prayer

ACTION = Any Change To Improve Our/Ones Nature

THINK = Thoughtful Honest Intelligence Nice Kind – Thank Heavens I Now Know

PRIDE = Personal Recovery Involves Deflating Ego = Pretty Ridiculous Individuals Directing Everything

FAITH = Forwarding All Issues To Him/Heaven = Facing All Intuitively Trusting Him = Further/Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him = Found Always In Trusting Him = For All I Trust Him = Facing An Inner Truth Heals = Fear And Insecurity? Trust Him = Forget Answers Instead Trust Him

PUSH = Pray Until Something Happens

ALCOHOLICS = A Life Consisting Of Helping Others Living In Constant/Continuous/Complete Sobriety

NUTS = Not Using The Steps

DEAD = Drinking Ends All Dreams

FREE = Fortunately Recovery Enhances Everything

FEAR = Forget Everything And Run = Forgetting Everything’s All Right = Face Everything And Recover = False Evidence Appearing Real = Frustration Ego Anger Resentment = Frantic Efforts at Avoiding Responsibilities = For Ever Arrive Rejoicing = Fighting Ego Against Reality = Fear/Failure Expressed Allows Relief

SWAT = Surrender Willing Action/Acceptance Trust

CHAOS = Can’t Handle Another Overwhelming Situation = Creating Havoc Around Our Selves

YANA = You Are Not Alone

SOBRIETY = Staying Off Booze Recovery Is Everything To You

NEW = Nothing Else Worked

SPONSOR = Sober Person Offering Newcomers Suggests On Recovery

WHO = Willing Honest Open-mindedness

WOW = Willingness Over Willpower

BUT = Being Unconvinced Totally

PRAYER = Praying Regularly Aids/Allows/Assists Your Expanding/Everyday/Ever growing Recovery

ALE = Alibis Lies Excuses

TRUST = Try Relying Upon Steps & Traditions

AA R US = Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Unity Service

HEARTS = Helping Each Alcoholic Reach Their Sobriety

HEART = Healing Enjoying And Recovering Together

NEW = Nothing Else Worked

HEAR = Hope Experience Acceptance Recovery

STOP = Sobriety Tops Our Priorities

STORM = Surrender Transparency Obedience Revelation Move

ACT = Action Changes Things

HJF = Happy Joyous Free

About the author
Carol L.