We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from
drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts
much like other men. We are equally positive that
once he ta kes any a lcohol whate ver into his system,
something happens, both in the bodily and mental
sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to
stop. The experience of any alcoholic will abundantly confirm
this.

The idea
that somehow, someday he w ill control a nd enjoy his
drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal
drinker. The persistenc e of this illusion is astonishing.
Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.

We lea rned that w e had to fully conce de to our innermost
selves that we were a lcoholics. This is the
first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like
other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed.
We alcoholics are men and women who have lost
the ability to control our d rinking. We know that no
real alcoholic ever recovers control. All of us felt at
times that we we re regaining control, but such intervals--
usually b rief--were ine vitab ly followed by still
less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible
demoralization. We are convinced to a man
that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive
illness. Over any considerable period we get
worse, never better.