I think the biggest part of this step has to do with ones relationship with there higher power.
For me, when i did my first 4th step it was a page and a half long. I got no relief or anything, just my defects starring me in the face and i hated it. As far my relationship with my HP, i was going well just to give him my drinking problem, if that tells you anything. Fast forward a year and i see how my sponsor is after doing another 4th step. i asked him if i could do one like the one he did and he said just tell me when you want to do it and we can get together. So after waiting around for a few months i was ready. So he gives this long long process in how to go about doing it. write down every person i was ever pissed at then, answer the six questions to each resintment( pocketbook, relationships, sex, ambitions, sercurity and i cant remember the last one) so of course i sit on it for a good few months b/c i got a girlfriend, you know.
ok so finally i do it and when i was doing it, it sucked, i was feeling the way i felt when this stuff was happening. and i was pulling stuff out that i had forgotton about. so the inventory was done then i went on to the fears list and sex inventory and repeated the same questions for both. So, 80 pages later i have all this **** that i just wanted to get out and be done with. did my 5th step 20 in after i got done with it and that is when i felt better, that weight that i had heard about was gone and i began my three month spiritual high. it was amazing. the only thing that kept me going was my relationship with God and that no matter what i write down it will be better when i am done. And it was and still is.
James