Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.  This step is about the process of sharing with another which has a powerful impact.  I believe that secrets can make people emotionally sick.  To keep stuff inside that needs releasing and being pent up with angst, shame and confusion.  Possibly without even knowing that one is holding all this toxic energy and shame. Once this step is taken and we are not withholding , we are delighted.  Its like being able to look the world in the eye again with a head held high.  It can help us be alone but not with lonelyness and shame and fear of being found out.  It is being alone but with peace and ease.  I see this a getting back in touch with part of the real self.  Through life we construct a false self because of having to save face, hide vulnerability and often find dysfunctional self soothing behaviours and  survival strategies which inevitably take us further and further away from who we really are.  No wonder people feel lost and don’t know how to get back or what to get back to.  The process of sharing with another stuff that we have hidden to “Save Face” is about being real. “This is me”  “These are my experiences”. “These are the things I have done.” “These are the character traits that I have developed”.  This allows fears to fall from us and we get in touch with our inner natural child.  Some see this as getting nearer the creator and this helps with the obsessive compulsive problem with substance.  It makes sense because if you are feeding yourself healthy sharing  quality connection thus, intimacy.  The need to feed and sooth from the substance or behaviour of choice can subside.  This process is a real spiritual experience and we can feel really connected and that we are walking hand in hand with life and never have to be alone with shame again.