1-7
After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This repeated over and over, and unlesss this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.
On the other hand -- and strange as this may seem to those who do not understand -- once a psychic change hs occurred, the very same person who seemed doomed, who had so many problems he despaired of ever solving them, suddenly finds himself easily able to control his desire for alcohol, the only effort necessary being that required to follow a few simple rules.
Men have cried out to me in sincere and despairing appeal: "Doctor, I cannot go on like this! I have everything to live for! I must stop, but I cannot! You must help me!
How many times have we started out to enjoy a few drinks and ended up drunk! We're insane to believe that "this time we will be able to control it." How many times have we vowed, while hungover, never to drink again?
This return to drinking is so common among alcoholics that the authors were able to develop a theory as to why a perfectly sober individual, having a thorough understanding of the severe consequences of drinking alcohol, would drink again (34:9-12).
This endless cycle must be broken or we will die. Much more is needed than intentions or vows to quit drinking. We must experience an entire psychic change. A complete change in the way we view the world around us and our place in it is required, if we are to gain victory over alcohol.
Doctor Silkworth's opinion was that alcoholics are unable to drink normally and that if they are incapable of maintaining total abstinence then there is little hope for their recovery. The doctor saw that an entire psychic change was the solution to this problem, but knew of no way to bring such a change about.
Do we seem doomed? The promise here is that our problem can be removed from us by following a few simple rules. What is this psychic change that will enable us to easily control our desire for alcohol? What are the rules we must follow?
When we realize that we can not stop, even though we honestly want to, we turn to the help of physicians, psychiatrists, and counselors. If we do not respond to their treatment, we may realize that we are beyond human aid.
Definition:
Despair: without hope.
Essential: necessary
Aggregate: total amount of.
Paramount: of primary importance.
13
I do not hold with those who believe that alcoholism is entirely a problem of mental control.
How well has mental control worked at keeping us from taking that first drink? How well does it work to control our drinking once we start?
15
They took a drink a day or so prior to the date, and then the phenomenon of craving at once became paramount to all other interests so that the important appointment was not met.
We can try to identify the phenomenon of craving in our own drinking patterns. Alcoholics cannot always control how much they drink. Non-alcoholics can always control the amount of alcohol they drink.
Source:
The Annotated AA Handbook
A companion to the Big Book
By Frank D.