What is admitted in Step 5 of the 12-step recovery program?

In Step 5 of the 12-step recovery program, individuals are encouraged to admit and share "the exact nature of our wrongs." This step involves a deep level of introspection and honesty, as it requires individuals to acknowledge their mistakes and shortcomings openly. The process typically involves sharing this information with a trusted person, often a sponsor or a mentor. By doing so, individuals can begin to release feelings of guilt and shame that may have been carried for a long time, which can be essential for healing and moving forward in recovery.

Acknowledging the exact nature of one's wrongs fosters accountability and promotes personal growth. It also helps to solidify the insights gained during previous steps, particularly the one where individuals made a moral inventory of themselves. This admission is a critical turning point that facilitates a deeper understanding of the impact of their behaviors on themselves and others, thereby allowing for more meaningful steps towards making amends in later steps of recovery.