Hobochk

Heard in a meeting tonight, powerlessness is an ABSOLUTE term. You either are, or you are not. ARE YOU???

sugarbear1

I am absolutely powerless over alcohol & substances...people & situations. My higher power is in control.

Justfor1

I think that was my problem. I felt so powerless that I believed that I would never be able to be have a sober life. I am powerless after I consumed the first drink though. If I continue to do tomorrow what I did today then I will be sober.

BadCompany

Powerlessness as I understand the term in AA breaks down into two categories. Control and choice.

Loss of control means that when I took a drink I had no control over how much or how long I would drink on that run. I would take that first drink and I could not predict or control the outcome, as the disease progressed, the worse it got until I was facing oblivion every time I took a drink.

Logic would tell a person that if most of the time they ingested a substance things spun out of control that maybe they shouldn't ingest that substance. If I could pull that off all would be fine.

The problem though is that I couldn't stop of my own steam. I tried. I would busy myself. I would hide from it. I swore on everything that is holy to stay sober. I ran every game I could on both of these problems but every time I came up short. I ended up drunk. I had lost control of my drinking and I had lost the ability to chose not to drink.

Boleo

I'm not so sure about that. Once upon a time I was powerless. I found a new power that was greater than myself. I tapped into that power. The new power solved my problem. I can tap into that power anytime I want to.

I guess it boils down to whether or not "I" am still powerless? I don't think of it as an "I" issue anymore.

HuskyPup

No, I don't think I am powerless. (But nor do I think I am all powerful)

Even the decision to, for instance, join AA and what not is a choice, something we have the power to do or not, and whatever path we take, we use our will power to do so. So I have never exactly understood the powerlessness paradigm, as it is a choice, at each step of the road, 12 steps, no steps, SMART, &c.

Terminally Unique

Speaking in absolute terms, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Besides, if you were truly powerless to choose what to do about your drinking problem, you wouldn't even be able to post here, go to a meeting, get a sponsor, read the Big Book, or "work" the steps in the first place.

freshstart57

I am not powerless, not in the least. I used to make some bad decisions before I quit drinking, but they were always my decisions. It was always my choice how much booze I bought and how often, and whether and when I drank and how much. Sometimes I was inebriated enough that I was numb to the significance of my choices, but they were still mine, all mine.

Because I had been choosing, at least at some level, to drink and get drunk, I could also choose not to drink because that was also within my control. I chose not to drink. I still do.

Mark75

Does the admission of powerlessness absolve us of the bad choices we made?

Terminally Unique

I should hope not.

RaiderRuss

no. but admitting it, gets us ready to tackle on the next 11 steps with rigorous honesty.

LaFemme

I dont consider myself remotely powerless over my alcohol problems. That does not mean I can drink responsibly, fortunately I have no desire to drink at all.

I believe God gave me the tools I needed to get well and to have control over my life.

ReadyAndAble

So once again we see there are many paths to recovery.

And wherever those paths cross, you're likely to find two ex-drunks debating each other.

Mark75

Well, I don't think it absolves us. Not at all. If one is not powerless, is that one alcoholic?

I know, I am being a little playful ... However, my question is serious. I am interested in what people think.

Supercrew

I prefer the term, sober guy who used to drink in excess...

soberlicious

LOL word!

This word creates alot of controversy for sure. If I were to drink, I would definitely have no control over how much I drank or any control over my drunken actions. I have complete control over whether I introduce the alcohol into my body though. There was a time I thought I had no power, that I was a drunk and I couldn't help it. I've learned otherwise though, and that's very empowering.

Supercrew

I think everyone has the power within them to choose. I continued to choose wrong for 27 years because I wanted alcohol to be a part of my life...even when I swear I didn't.

As long as there was a thought deep in my subconscious that "I will eventually drink again", my intentions might have been not to drink, but I would find myself drunk.

I always had the power, and the longer I abstained the more power I accrued, but the true breakthrough for me came when I lost the obsession to drink. It was an obsession that I had since my first drink. It was the obsession that made my life revolve around my determination to get drunk every chance I got. Once I lost the obsession I regained full power....and it was quick and easy process that only took 27 years to accomplish.

In my opinion everyone has the power, I found it my way, others find their power through their programs or meetings or steps. It's there, but we all have to find our own way. It starts when we make it our decision not to drink the first time, then we build on that power by taking daily actions to insure we don't drink tomorrow. The human mind has the power to accomplish the impossible, and if you really think about it, never drinking again is not an impossible task.... unless you decide it is.

Terminally Unique

"When I really believed that I was powerless over my addictions — when I believed that I wouldn't ever be able to quit smoking and drinking, and stay quit forever, I despaired of my life, and resigned myself to my fate, and worked on drinking and smoking myself to death. I didn't stop drinking and stay quit until I came to believe that I was not powerless over alcohol or tobacco — until I came to believe that I could fight and win the war for my own good health, for my own survival."

Terminally Unique

I don't believe that anyone is powerless over bodily desire. What some call powerlessness or strange mental blank spots I call a reversal of intent. Though they may not believe it, I have full faith in everyone's ability to quit any addiction, regardless of how long they have been addicted, and regardless of how many times they have previously tried unsuccessfully. Yes, this includes real alcoholics. :-)

BackToSquareOne

Most people can grasp the concept of addiction but when you throw the word powerless into the mix it loses credibility with a good chunk of the population, I doubt you'll ever get around that.