Some recent threads started me thinking about the various ways people see the program of AA. Some people have the thought that going to meetings will keep them sober, some feel that being active in service work will keep them sober, some feel that working with a sponsor and going to meetings is what it takes, while others feel working the steps is the key.
Because of the differing ways that people stay sober while claiming to utilize the program of AA, I became curious as to why some require the complete application of the program to stay sober while others can do a half hearted program and even at times ridicule the program of AA and still stay sober.
My hypothesis on this is that today's rooms of AA are not just filled with true alcoholics but a large percentage of problem drinkers (those who have not crossed the line into the hopelessness of the inability to live with or without alcohol). Although I feel that problem drinkers do need help and do not feel they should not be welcomed into AA, I do feel that the message of AA can be distorted when one fails to recognize the difference between the alcoholic and the problem drinker. A problem drinker has not lost all ability to stop under their own power whereas the alcoholic has. When a problem drinker carries his message often times it can mean that the true alcoholic may be led to delay trying the spiritual solution that AA offers but rather they are tempted to try those things that may work for the problem drinker, such as just going to meetings, but not working the steps, only working the steps they feel comfortable with, or only working the steps once and then deciding they are done.
My hypothesis was formed through my own experience, observations (both in the rooms of AA and on this board) as well as studying the Big Book, as well as outside literature. Below are some passages from the Big Book that I feel back up my thoughts.
Big Book Page 44:2-3
We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic. If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if, when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic.If that be the case, you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.
This is the basic premise of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. If we have reached the point where human aid is of no avail we have nowhere to turn but to a spiritual solution to our problem. AA is not a self help program. If we were able to help ourselves we would not need AA. From this passage it appears that for those who are truly alcoholic; unable to control their drinking, unable to quit entirely when they honestly want to; the solution has to be a spiritual one. If someone can quit drinking without a spiritual solution then they probably are not an alcoholic of this type. Although an alcoholic may have at one time been a problem drinker, the key difference remains that the alcoholic is unable to quit drinking by his/her own power and is beyond human aid. A problem drinker who has not crossed the line into alcoholism may be able to stop drinking by hanging out with other sober people, by avoiding alcohol, or by determination. The danger comes in when people blur the lines between the problem drinker and the alcoholic. A problem drinker that claims to be an alcoholic who comes into AA and states, "I don't work the steps yet, I am sober" can hinder the true alcoholic in their recovery as it can lead them to once again into the insanity of white knuckling it and then feeling the program failed them because they wind up drinking again.
Big Book Page 44:5-6
To one who feels he is an athiest or agnostic such an experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means disaster especially if he is an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis----not always easy alternatives to face.
Tangible assistance from a Power greater than ourselves seems unavailable to those of us who are without hope. This help seems out of our reach and only available to monks, priests, and gurus. Faced with alcoholic destruction we become willing to attempt to access this Power that the authors declare has solved their problem. For the true alcoholic this is often a matter of life and death. The problem drinker may find it inconcievable or even ridiculous that they need to choose between destruction or a spiritual solution. For they have only glimpsed what true alcoholic destruction is. The true alcoholic has lived the destruction and knows the desperation that comes with it. For them the thought that there might be a solution is an answer to a prayer, even if it means considering a spiritual solution.
Big Book Page 44:9-10
At first some of us tried to avoid the issue, hoping against hope we were not true alcoholics. But after a while we had to face the fact that we must find a spiritual basis of life----or else.
To be a true alcoholic means that to recover we have to abandon our old ways of thinking and methods of dealing with life. Many of us hold tightly to the idea that our lives based on self can be successful if only we try hard enough. We resist, sometimes for years, beginning to build our lives on a spiritual foundation. This is not necessarily true for the problem drinker
Many of us try for years to avoid the spiritual solution hoping that mere fellowship with sober people will help us recover. Sooner or later we realize that our lives run on selfwill are unsuccessful and we begin to seek a solution. Some of us unfortunately return to our old solution and begin once again to drink. Others of us discover a true solution in the spritually based way of life suggested in the Big Book. Alcoholism destroyes all things worthwhile in our lives leaving only feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and guilt. Association with sober people in AA can not bring about a personality change sufficient to overcome alcoholism. The power capable of restoring meaning and purpose to our lives can be found only by adopting a spiritual way of life. The problem drinker might be able to stay sober through these things but the true alcoholic can not.
Big Book Page 44:14
If a mere code of morals, or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago.
I can not think of a truer statement than this one. I tried the self help route and for me all it did was provide me more proof that I am an true alcolic, I passed the problem drinker stage early in my drinking, and I have to have a spiritual solution for me to recover.
I am not posting this thread to start a religious discussion so please lets keep on track with this and stay away from the topic of "AA is it religious" as it has nothing to do with this thread.
I am interested in hearing other's thoughts on the thread topic. The topic of this thread is problem drinker vs true alcoholic and how it applies to the program of AA.