newby1961

"...the actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception, will be absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of self-knowledge."

~ Alcoholics Anonymous 1st Edition More About Alcoholism pg 39
c Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, INC.

pipparina

There is a lot of controversy on this idea, especially on this site. I don't feel qualified to debate it, nor the desire to do so. I only know for me, had I tried to do it alone ( and I never did, I went straight to AA), I can't imagine I would have the willpower to stay stopped.

Fernaceman

This means a lot to me. For a long time I tried to think my way out of this. I was convinced I could figure it out, if I only had enough knowledge of the whole situation. Unfortunately for me, this only caused a lot of headache and "pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization" time and time again. Fortunately I am just recently able to come to terms with this.

paul99

I long realized that I was an alcoholic, and frankly, didn't want to stop, so self-knowledge wasn't anything that would have served me. I never really made any effort to stop until I got into AA. But knowing myself, and through the experience laid out in the book and in those in the fellowship, it certainly wouldn't have worked. It didn't work for Rowland Hazard then, under the care of Dr. Jung, so why would it work for me a while back?

As I've posted before, I would read about the physical problems that alcoholism would cause me (i.e. what would my obituary say) and yet that knowledge did not serve me. My willpower was non-existent. And I get evidence of this to this day when I try to out think something and control something rather than let it go and align myself with His will.

bbthumper

If self knowledge were sufficient then rehabs would be turning out winners left and right.

IndaMiricale

Perfectly put..