jrock

The first step for me required/s me to look at me experience with drinking, and whether or not I had the allergy and the mental obsession. I was able to see both of these, and had a real experience writing all of these experiences down on paper. I also found that over time I couldn't differentiate the true from the false. Which is a precursor into realizing the probalem wasn't the alcohol, but that the problem lies between my ears. I couldn't see the truth about my life or about the people in it. Without the first step though, i don't think I really would have cared a whole lot about the rest of the steps, because once I'm clear I'm an alky, I have to have help.

My sponsor took me through the steps page by page starting with the first promise being before the book even starts where it says "the story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism." We sat down and discussed on a weekly basis the readings I was to pre-read before we met. Then I was to use a dictionary to identify words I didn't understand, and create questions with the statements in the book. i.e did I have an allergy to alcohol, could I differentiate the true from the false, and did I find I couldn't stop drinking though I wanted to. There are questions upon questions I asked myself and was able to write my experience with.

The second part about unmanageability is the one I still struggle with at times today. The steps and this way of life have give me so many blessings, sometimes I still find myself trying to manage again, but the steps help me to continue to see how unmanageable my life is.

I hope that those looking for help will find someone that tries their best to live by the principles outlined in the book, and ask them do be their sponsor. This is only what worked for me though.

savoy

My attention was drawn to the dash, interesting that the authors didn't just use the word "and".

Yes I was powerless over alcohol.
So I quit.
But my life was still unmanageable and actually got worse.!

So I had to conclude the unmanageability wasn't related, directly at least, to drinking or not drinking.

After I quit drinking, I merely removed alcohol from my alcohol-ism but that still left the ism, (I'm S'till M'e.)

So that left me with the impression that the dash means 'aside from'.
My life remains unmanageable whenever I try to manage it.
I don't know whats best in my life, God does.