I am not nor have ever been powerless over alcohol although there were times when it felt that way. Before my most recent quit (20 months ago) I experimented with the idea of being able to moderate after a long time away from alcohol and I always failed. I drank heavily for 15 years...each year my consumption increased and with each drunken episode I pushed my body further. I became willing to accept throwing up and blacking out as normal...I pushed passed my bodies natural on/off switch till it just stopped functioning. So today I know my on/off switch is broken...that does not make me powerless...in fact knowing this makes me more powerful...I have all the information I need to know that I can never drink safely again.