"absolutely free since 1979"

The Twelve Steps of PDAP

1. We admitted that mind-changing chemicals had caused at least part of our lives to become unmanageable.
2. We found it necessary to "Stick With Winners" in order to grow.
3. We realized that a Higher Power, expressed through our love for each other, could help restore us to sanity.
4. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understand Him.
5. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
6. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrong doings.
7. We became willing to allow our Higher Power, through the Love of the group, to help change our ways of life and humbly asked Him to help us change.
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. We made direct amends to such people, whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them, others or ourselves.
10. We have continued to look at ourselves and when wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. We have sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power, that we have chosen to call God, praying only for knowledge of His Will for us and courage to carry that out.
12. We, having had a Spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, tried to carry our love and understanding to others, and to practice these principles in our daily lives.

The Twelve Traditions of PDAP

1. Our Common Welfare should come first. Personal recovery depends on PDAP unity.
2. The primary requirement for membership in PDAP is a desire to seek a solution to substance abuse problems.
3. PDAP has but one primary purpose: to carry the message of love and understanding to the substance abuser and their family.
4. At the group level, the right to anonymity must be respected.
5. The symbol of abstinence from mind changing chemicals shall be the monkey fist. The symbol for parent participation shall be the heart.
6. PDAP is non-sectarian and will not be denied due to race, color, gender, creed, or national origin.
7. PDAP ought never endorse or oppose and cause, finance or lend its name to any enterprise.
8. For the purpose of continuity, PDAP is a structured program administered by a salaried staff operating under the authority of the Board of Trustees.
9. Each affiliate should operate autonomously, except in matters which affect PDAP as a whole.
10. Policies will be established by the Board of Trustees and implemented by a salaried staff.
11. PDAP shall remain forever a non-profit organization, dedicated to self-help through love and understanding
12. The love of the group and help to others is the spiritual foundation of our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

The Promises of PDAP*

• If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through.
• We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
• We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
• We will comprehend the word serenity, and we will know peace.
• No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
• That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
• We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
• Self-seeking will slip away.
• Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
• Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
• We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
• We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not! They are being fulfilled among us - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

From Alcoholics Anonymous, Copyright April 1939, by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.