Briarwood Detox Center — Step 5 worksheet
Step 5 worksheet — preparing to say it out loud
Step 5 asks you to admit the inventory you wrote in Step 4 — to yourself, to the power you chose, and out loud to one other person.
Step 4 is written alone. Step 5 is the one that has to be spoken, and the relief people talk about afterwards comes from the speaking, not the writing. Use this to get ready.
Who, and why them
It does not have to be a sponsor, but it does have to be someone who will not use it later and who will not flinch.
Who am I going to tell?
Why them — what makes them safe?
When and where, specifically? Put a date on it.
Who did I consider and rule out, and what does that tell me?
What I am still holding back
Almost everyone keeps one thing off the page. Write it here, in whatever shorthand you need, so that it exists somewhere before you go in.
The thing I have never told anyone:
What I am afraid will happen if I say it:
What has keeping it secret cost me so far?
Afterwards
What do I expect to feel when this is done?
Who will I call the same day?
What will I do if I feel worse rather than better?
Before you put this away
A worksheet is a way to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. It is not the step. Step 5 is worked with a sponsor, a counselor, or someone else who has done it — they will see things in these pages that you cannot see yourself.
Who am I going to show this to, and when?
What did I leave off these pages because I did not want to write it down?
This worksheet is provided free by Briarwood Detox Center for personal reflection. It is not medical advice, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous. Work it with a sponsor or counselor. If you need help right now, call (866) 710-7710. If you have thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 in an emergency.