Admitted? - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

MCake · 09-27-2009, 06:31 PM

This is prolly a silly question, I might be nitpicking but :

Quote:

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.

Why is it "admitted" and not "accepted"?

To me, "admitting" something implies reluctance... second thoughts. Like saying "okay, yeah fine, I was wrong" through gritted teeth, inwardly cursing, and not fully believing it.

Whereas "acceptance" just feels more wholehearted, maybe even more honest. As in taking full ownership of the responsibility?

Ago · 09-27-2009, 07:02 PM

1 a : to allow scope for : permit <admits no possibility of misunderstanding>

b : to concede as true or valid <admitted making a mistake>

I get your question, so was given a dictionary actually to look words up as I read the book and worked the steps

As the smartest guy I knew I was appalled and offended, until I actually started looking words up, turns out I frequently put my own "spin" on words, it was an interesting exercise

dgillz · 09-27-2009, 07:59 PM

My sponsor actually told me to look up the definition of certain words in the BB, and we had conversations of why a certain word was used versus another similar word, or why it was used at all. That was a very important part of my recovery. After all as he is fond of saying "words mean things".

mariechi · 09-27-2009, 08:08 PM

I took a course in neurolinguistic programming several years ago. There were about thirty of us in the class. We were divided into six groups of five. We were given three words: sex, education, welfare. Each of us wrote down five words, for example: education - school, experience, learning, institution, diploma - whatever. It was amazing, but with these three common words if three members of the group had a match on the list, it was an achievement. We all have our inner definitions based on our own backgrounds and experience.

Ago · 09-27-2009, 08:24 PM

My internet took a dump as I was getting my response in, anyway, it goes with Page 30 where it says "We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed."

Bill likes to use synonyms and to concede as true or valid is the same as admitted

MCake · 09-28-2009, 01:05 AM

I've been considering attending AA, so I thought that getting better acquainted with the steps might be a good place to start - from what I can gather so far, they are spelled out in an extremely literal fashion for a reason. I appreciate all your answers, thank you very much

keithj · 09-28-2009, 09:27 AM

I've come to appreciate reading the exact words very carefully. But I didn't start out that way. It came from a deeper understanding over time. I think that book can go as deep as one is willing to take it. My level of resonance has grown.

There is a big difference, Matt, in reading the steps off of page 59 and reading the directions for those steps contained on all the other pages.

brother · 11-12-2009, 11:56 AM

Ago, thanks for reminding me of the dictionary exercise. Kind of humbling to find how imprecise my assumed definitions can be - especially for the small words.

Admit has synonyms related to taking-in and I believe I have to take ownership of my problem before successfully pursuing a solution.

Found · 11-14-2009, 11:55 PM

As well as the synonym issue, there is a before and after thing. Before we embarked on this journey were we perhaps occasionally a little 'reluctant' to shoulder 'responsibility'?

And - why are they written in the past tense? The life after - isn't that what it's above all about?

Spawn · 02-07-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcake79

This is prolly a silly question, I might be nitpicking but :

Why is it "admitted" and not "accepted"?

To me, "admitting" something implies reluctance... second thoughts. Like saying "okay, yeah fine, I was wrong" through gritted teeth, inwardly cursing, and not fully believing it.

Whereas "acceptance" just feels more wholehearted, maybe even more honest. As in taking full ownership of the responsibility?

Acceptance is a longer process,........admitting is kind of like step one of acceptance.

09-27-2009, 07:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
dgillz Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 3,455	My sponsor actually told me to look up the definition of certain words in the BB, and we had conversations of why a certain word was used versus another similar word, or why it was used at all. That was a very important part of my recovery. After all as he is fond of saying "words mean things". __________________ He should be fine...if he survives the detox process that is..... Any quotes from the big book of AA are from the first edition, or are otherwise exempt from copyright infringement under the "fair use doctrine".

09-27-2009, 08:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
mariechi Well, I'm on my way Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: El Paso, Texas Posts: 277 Blog Entries: 1	I took a course in neurolinguistic programming several years ago. There were about thirty of us in the class. We were divided into six groups of five. We were given three words: sex, education, welfare. Each of us wrote down five words, for example: education - school, experience, learning, institution, diploma - whatever. It was amazing, but with these three common words if three members of the group had a match on the list, it was an achievement. We all have our inner definitions based on our own backgrounds and experience. __________________ One foot in front of the other; one step at a time "Anne stopped drinking and never looked back." That's my story. I read it every morning, and I'm sticking to it.

09-28-2009, 01:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
MCake Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2,261 Blog Entries: 8	I've been considering attending AA, so I thought that getting better acquainted with the steps might be a good place to start - from what I can gather so far, they are spelled out in an extremely literal fashion for a reason. I appreciate all your answers, thank you very much __________________ *Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak; sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go. ~ Author Unknown*

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09-27-2009, 07:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ago Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA Posts: 2,173 Blog Entries: 3	1 a : to allow scope for : permit <admits no possibility of misunderstanding> b : to concede as true or valid <admitted making a mistake> I get your question, so was given a dictionary actually to look words up as I read the book and worked the steps As the smartest guy I knew I was appalled and offended, until I actually started looking words up, turns out I frequently put my own "spin" on words, it was an interesting exercise

09-27-2009, 08:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ago Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA Posts: 2,173 Blog Entries: 3	My internet took a dump as I was getting my response in, anyway, it goes with Page 30 where it says "We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed." Bill likes to use synonyms and to concede as true or valid is the same as admitted

09-28-2009, 09:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
keithj Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,658	I've come to appreciate reading the exact words very carefully. But I didn't start out that way. It came from a deeper understanding over time. I think that book can go as deep as one is willing to take it. My level of resonance has grown. There is a big difference, Matt, in reading the steps off of page 59 and reading the directions for those steps contained on all the other pages.

11-12-2009, 11:56 AM	#8 (permalink)
brother its a half an inch of water Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 43 Blog Entries: 8	Ago, thanks for reminding me of the dictionary exercise. Kind of humbling to find how imprecise my assumed definitions can be - especially for the small words. Admit has synonyms related to taking-in and I believe I have to take ownership of my problem before successfully pursuing a solution.

11-14-2009, 11:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
Found Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK Posts: 196	As well as the synonym issue, there is a before and after thing. Before we embarked on this journey were we perhaps occasionally a little 'reluctant' to shoulder 'responsibility'? And - why are they written in the past tense? The life after - isn't that what it's above all about?

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