THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
Just as the Twelve Steps guide the individual in their striving for personal growth and spiritual development, so the Twelve Traditions state the group purposes and principles. Group experience indicates that the unity of the Ab-Anon fellowship depends upon adherence to these Traditions.
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one authority-a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants-they do not govern.
3. The relatives of anorexics and bulimics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Ab-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of anorexia or bulimia in a relative or friend.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting another group or Ab-Anon or ABA as a whole.
5. Each Ab-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of anorexics and bulimics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our anorexic and bulimic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of anorexics and bulimics.
6. Our Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity we should always cooperate with Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous.
7. Every Group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Ab-Anon Twelve Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. Our groups, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. The Ab-Anon Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV and films. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all Ab-Anon members.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.