powerlessness assignment - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

sassyrn22 · 04-09-2009, 06:33 AM

Hello everyone. I am working on an assignment my sponsor gave me and need a little help. She wants me to write a list of examples of how I have been mentally powerless and then physically powerless. I started by just writing how I have been powerless then will decided if its mental or physical. How do you define being mentally powerless vs. physically powerless. I have quite a few things written down already but just looking for some clarification. Thanks for the help.

sugErspun · 04-09-2009, 03:17 PM

Physically ~ Once I take a drink I want another one. I cannot control this process. Like someone who is allergic to peanuts has no control over what happens to them if they eat peanuts...

Mentally ~ I made up my mind to not drink many many times, but then I did so anyway even with all the bad end-results I got. The book likens it to someone who has touched a hot stove - they don't need to think about not putting their hand on a hot stove again...somehow the alcoholic doesn't have that kind of thought process when it comes to taking the first drink. It's really the crux of the problem

Have you read the book? It gives many examples of the "mental twist" which is really the expression of powerlessness in the mental sense.

McGowdog · 04-09-2009, 04:57 PM

I couldn't add anything more than what sug suggested already.

In the book from the Drs Opinion, Bill's Story, and There is a Solution up to the squigly writing on page 24, see if you can identify with the powerlessness an alcoholic goes through once the alcohol is in our body. Then from that page onto the end of pg 43, see where you can identify with your powerlessness to drink again even though you have no booze in your body. This is the mental obsession part.

Then go to page 52 and read "We were having trouble with personal relationships..." This is about untreated alcoholism drunk or sober. In AA and doing steps or not. This is why I've been shown to do steps yearly.

You can also use the first 8 pages of Bill's story to ask yourself where you think-drink-or feel like Bill did. Then read 9 through 16 and ask yourself if you're willing to do what Bill did to get sober.

Anyways. Have fun and don't take life too serious. Bug your sponsor a lot. You're helping them too!

**CarolD** · 04-10-2009, 03:53 AM

sassyrn22....

Welcome to SR and our Step Study sub form.

I do hope you will come to our main page...
read and share there too.

sassyrn22 · 04-10-2009, 04:53 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was on the right track with my list...just needed some clarification. I did get the book but haven't read much of it yet. I will def get through a lot of it in the next week. Thanks again!

tammyelle · 04-17-2009, 09:06 PM

i'm coming back after 3 year binge, ithink mentally powerless would mean: that we as alcoholics,can change our ways of thinking really fast. ex: maybe i'm not an alcoholic or maybe just one more drunk than i'll quit. and physically powerless may mean, we can't be around this physically, i'm not sure. this is a hard one.

ehilerio62 · 05-12-2009, 08:12 PM

thank you , reading your comment I'm not the thats going thru this alone. its so hard so far ... I'm just taking it day by day ...and when I feel anxious due to I am keep track of the day's i've not drank is it the correct way or am I punishing myself keep track of my sobierty?

sugErspun · 05-13-2009, 10:17 AM

You mention that you remind yourself of how many days it has been or are you not able to keep track?

The first step has a lot to do with the realization that there is NOTHING I can do to keep myself sober and it's looking pretty dim ahead...

reminding myself of the pain, or patting myself on the back for time away from, or even something like having a video I could watch of myself at my darkest hour...those all may be really motivating things and work at times...but deep down I know that there are going to be times when I drink and have no forethought whatsoever about it...

There will be times that I have no mental defense against the first drink...and I have times in my life that this has happened over and over again.

**CarolD** · 05-14-2009, 12:37 PM

Welcome to SR......

tammyelle ....

ehilerio62.....

Good to see new members

04-09-2009, 06:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
sassyrn22 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: MI Posts: 2	powerlessness assignment Hello everyone. I am working on an assignment my sponsor gave me and need a little help. She wants me to write a list of examples of how I have been mentally powerless and then physically powerless. I started by just writing how I have been powerless then will decided if its mental or physical. How do you define being mentally powerless vs. physically powerless. I have quite a few things written down already but just looking for some clarification. Thanks for the help.

04-09-2009, 03:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
sugErspun Thumper Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,604	Physically ~ Once I take a drink I want another one. I cannot control this process. Like someone who is allergic to peanuts has no control over what happens to them if they eat peanuts... Mentally ~ I made up my mind to not drink many many times, but then I did so anyway even with all the bad end-results I got. The book likens it to someone who has touched a hot stove - they don't need to think about not putting their hand on a hot stove again...somehow the alcoholic doesn't have that kind of thought process when it comes to taking the first drink. It's really the crux of the problem Have you read the book? It gives many examples of the "mental twist" which is really the expression of powerlessness in the mental sense. __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard

04-10-2009, 03:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
CarolD Forum Leader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dallas, Ga. USA Posts: 21,875	sassyrn22.... Welcome to SR and our Step Study sub form. I do hope you will come to our main page... read and share there too. __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery! :

04-17-2009, 09:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
tammyelle Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ottawa Posts: 4	powerless i'm coming back after 3 year binge, ithink mentally powerless would mean: that we as alcoholics,can change our ways of thinking really fast. ex: maybe i'm not an alcoholic or maybe just one more drunk than i'll quit. and physically powerless may mean, we can't be around this physically, i'm not sure. this is a hard one.

05-13-2009, 10:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
sugErspun Thumper Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,604	You mention that you remind yourself of how many days it has been or are you not able to keep track? The first step has a lot to do with the realization that there is NOTHING I can do to keep myself sober and it's looking pretty dim ahead... reminding myself of the pain, or patting myself on the back for time away from, or even something like having a video I could watch of myself at my darkest hour...those all may be really motivating things and work at times...but deep down I know that there are going to be times when I drink and have no forethought whatsoever about it... There will be times that I have no mental defense against the first drink...and I have times in my life that this has happened over and over again. __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard

04-09-2009, 04:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
McGowdog On Double Secret Probation Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southern Colorado Posts: 1,074	I couldn't add anything more than what sug suggested already. In the book from the Drs Opinion, Bill's Story, and There is a Solution up to the squigly writing on page 24, see if you can identify with the powerlessness an alcoholic goes through once the alcohol is in our body. Then from that page onto the end of pg 43, see where you can identify with your powerlessness to drink again even though you have no booze in your body. This is the mental obsession part. Then go to page 52 and read "We were having trouble with personal relationships..." This is about untreated alcoholism drunk or sober. In AA and doing steps or not. This is why I've been shown to do steps yearly. You can also use the first 8 pages of Bill's story to ask yourself where you think-drink-or feel like Bill did. Then read 9 through 16 and ask yourself if you're willing to do what Bill did to get sober. Anyways. Have fun and don't take life too serious. Bug your sponsor a lot. You're helping them too!

04-10-2009, 04:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
sassyrn22 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: MI Posts: 2	Thanks for the replies everyone. I was on the right track with my list...just needed some clarification. I did get the book but haven't read much of it yet. I will def get through a lot of it in the next week. Thanks again!

05-12-2009, 08:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
ehilerio62 Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: new York Posts: 2	thank you , reading your comment I'm not the thats going thru this alone. its so hard so far ... I'm just taking it day by day ...and when I feel anxious due to I am keep track of the day's i've not drank is it the correct way or am I punishing myself keep track of my sobierty?

05-14-2009, 12:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
CarolD Forum Leader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dallas, Ga. USA Posts: 21,875	Welcome to SR...... tammyelle .... ehilerio62..... Good to see new members __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery! :

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