Recovery article

Step 8 of AA: Making the List — Who Have You Harmed?

Step 8 asks you to write down every person you've harmed and become willing to make amends to all of them. The willingness matters as much as the list.

Article summary

Step 8 asks you to write down every person you've harmed and become willing to make amends to all of them. The willingness matters as much as the list.

Key topics include Step 8: "Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.", Building the List, Categories of People You May Have Harmed.

What this article covers

  • Step 8: "Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all."
  • Building the List
  • Categories of People You May Have Harmed
  • The Hardest Name on the List

Frequently asked questions

What is Step 8 of Alcoholics Anonymous?

Step 8 of AA is: "Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all." It builds on the harms inventory from Step 4. The step has two equal parts: making the comprehensive list and developing genuine willingness to approach each person on it.

Who goes on a Step 8 list?

Your Step 8 list includes family members, friends, romantic partners, employers, colleagues, people you owed money, people you were dishonest with, and yourself. Start with your Step 4 harms inventory and expand from there. Do not filter based on whether amends seems possible or deserved — that is Step 9's job.

Do you put yourself on your Step 8 list?

Many sponsors recommend including yourself on your Step 8 list. Self-harm — the neglect of your own health, the betrayal of your own values, the years lost to addiction — is real harm and deserves honest acknowledgment.