Originally Posted by
ScaryStory 
Let's not get technical here. I hate these kinds of technicalities cause when I was first getting sober my sponsor would say the same kind of stuff to me. "No, it means this" or "No, it means that". The whole thing made me so confused and I didn't want to talk to anyone cause I thought whatever I would say would be wrong!
I believe your list means your powerless. You are powerless over alcohol cause you do those things on your list.
Keep up the good work.
I went closely over the list in the first post.
I know plenty on non-alcoholics who have had each of those things happen in their lives. I know plenty of alcoholics who haven't had ANY of those things happen. It doesn't seem to be a representation of powerlessness that is being addresses at step 1...at least in my experience or the book I use, which is titled
Alcoholics Anonymous.
If alcoholism has to do with powerlessness - we need to get down to "the common" amongst us:
I am powerless over alcohol because #1 - I cannot stop drinking it once I start. #2 - I will drink, no matter what, unless a miracle happens - EVERY DAY.
If getting technical is going to help someone get clear on the alcoholic vs the non-alcoholic ~ by all means get as technical as possible.