1-7
A certain American business man had ability, good sense, and high character. For years he had floundered from one sanitarium to another. He had consulted the best known American psychiatrists. Then he had gone to Europe, placing himself in the care of a celebrated phsician who prescribed for him. Though experience had made him skeptical, he finished his treatment with unusually good. His physical and mental condition were unusually good. Above all, he beleived he had acquired such a profound knowledge of the inner workings of his mind and its hidden springs, that relapse was unthinkable.
Many believe our alcoholism to be a psychiatric problem and do not recognize the physical aspect. We mistakenly believe that self-knowledge will solve our problem. We seek out counselors, psychologists, and psychicatrists hoping to find an answer. When self-knowledge fails, we begin to lose our self-confidence.
HISTORIC NOTE:
26:1----Rowland H. found the spiritual solution for alcoholism in the Oxford Group, a christian fellowship. He helped Ebby T. find this solution and Ebby, in turn, brought this message to Bill W.
26:4----Dr. Carl Jung treated Rowland H.
16-17
In the doctor's judgement he was utterly hopelss; he could never regain his position in society and he would have to place himself under lock and key, or hire a bodyguard if he expected to live long. That was a great psysician's opinion.
Once again we see that many physicians agree that chronic alcoholics are doomed (xxviii:20)
20
He can go anywhere on this earth where other free men may go without disaster, provided he remains willing to maintain a certain simple attitude.
This simple attitude is described earlier in this chapter (25:8-10). Our spiritual fitness requires maintenance and our willingness is a result of our admission of powerlessness. The moment we think that we have power over alcohol and that we can manage our own lives we cease to be willing to accept spirtual help.
Source:
The Annotated AA Handbook
a companion to the Big Book
Frank D.