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Can anyone explain what powerless means

Old 03-16-2014, 04:50 AM
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Can anyone explain what powerless means

I am interested in what they mean when they say powerless over alcohol. I know that my power is severely diminished if I'm under the influence. I do have the power not to drink. Its confusing.
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Old 03-16-2014, 05:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Kissimee54 View Post
I am interested in what they mean when they say powerless over alcohol.
To me, the notion of powerlessness means that once one has had any alcohol, one's ability to control further drinking is seriously diminished. A sober person, alcoholic or not, has the power (choice) to abstain but a person with an alcohol problem is habituated to having that first drink and habit overrides choice - the downward spiral begins.
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Old 03-16-2014, 05:26 AM
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To me it also means that once i take the first drink, I have no power over what happens. I might stop at 1, but I also might drink for months.
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Old 03-16-2014, 05:42 AM
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I agree with the other definitions here.

When I first joined AA many months ago, I thought, "Ok, Step 1, sure I agree. Let's move on to the more important steps" but I didn't really agree deep down since I can choose not to drink, right?

It wasn't until I stopped attending AA after only three weeks and drank myself into oblivion the past 9 months that I can to a true understanding, and more importantly, a true acceptance of Step 1. If I had any "power" over alcohol, I would not be an alcoholic or have a drinking problem. Once I start I don't/can't stop, and once I finally accepted that, Step 2 became much easier, then Step 3. The program I once shunned I now embrace with open arms.
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Old 03-16-2014, 05:47 AM
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To me it means I can't even have one drink. I'm an alcoholic and I can't control my drinking.
Alcohol was my being, my identity and my life for many years. Then I crossed that line and alcohol became my enemy, trying to kill me. And it almost did.
I'm powerless over it. Alcohol won. I gave up. It's been over three years since I've had a drink. And if I lose that thought of powerlessness, I'll be right back at it.
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Old 03-16-2014, 05:50 AM
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I'm not in AA but for me it means that once i start drinking all bets are off the table as to what will happen .
sometimes i might be lucky and just have the one . Even then though, it seems to end up a day or two later , a week or two later , a month or two later , with me blackout drunk and out of control , making poor choices and feeling frustrated with everything that gets in the way of me and my drinking .

Bestwishes, m
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Old 03-16-2014, 06:09 AM
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First Powerless does not mean helpless. For me I come to accept my powerlessness over alcohol from a scientific perspective. I believe that over time, my addiction damaged a region of my brain, the orbit frontal cortex and pre frontal cortex that serves as the executor for making rational decisions. So when I drink, my brain is unable to make good rational decisions, like not taking another drink or sleeping with a woman other than my wife and getting in my car and driving after said drinks.

I am powerless over the drink before I take a drink bc when I think of a drink it releases dopamine to my brain - same holds true for my drug use too. This release and timing is immediate. Given my damaged or impaired OFC and PFC I am unable to consciously choose not to take my first drink without outside intervention.

I meditate for my outside intervention. This will work and strengthen the damaged portion of my mind to give me the power not to take a drink. This helps restore my power over the drink but its coming from outside intervention spiritually even though I am the one practicing it.

I am not saying my interpretation is right or wrong, simply sharing my experience and how I rationalized being powerless. Now if I was helpless than I would still be drinking. BC I am not, I have been able to ask and receive help to learn these processes to build a defense against my first drink.
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Old 03-16-2014, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by jdooner View Post
First Powerless does not mean helpless. For me I come to accept my powerlessness over alcohol from a scientific perspective. I believe that over time, my addiction damaged a region of my brain, the orbit frontal cortex and pre frontal cortex that serves as the executor for making rational decisions. So when I drink, my brain is unable to make good rational decisions, like not taking another drink or sleeping with a woman other than my wife and getting in my car and driving after said drinks.

I am powerless over the drink before I take a drink bc when I think of a drink it releases dopamine to my brain - same holds true for my drug use too. This release and timing is immediate. Given my damaged or impaired OFC and PFC I am unable to consciously choose not to take my first drink without outside intervention.

I meditate for my outside intervention. This will work and strengthen the damaged portion of my mind to give me the power not to take a drink. This helps restore my power over the drink but its coming from outside intervention spiritually even though I am the one practicing it.

I am not saying my interpretation is right or wrong, simply sharing my experience and how I rationalized being powerless. Now if I was helpless than I would still be drinking. BC I am not, I have been able to ask and receive help to learn these processes to build a defense against my first drink.
^This is great
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Old 03-16-2014, 07:28 AM
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Great insight! I guess I should have clarified that I have the power/choice not to take the first drink, but like most of you have said it's a crap shoot after that. Thanks this helps!
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Old 03-16-2014, 11:00 AM
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Powerless to me = If I take even a sip I wont quit drinking till its all gone then Ill go get more anyway possible when the liquor store opens for as long as I can till I cant stand myself anymore or I totally lose everything for real or the booze kills me or all of the above.
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Old 03-16-2014, 11:47 AM
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jdooner,
it sounds like one must rewire the brain in order to find true recovery. I have been trying to meditate in order to not become attached to my thoughts or give them power over my actions. From the studies I've read you can actually grow gray matter in certain areas of the brain by meditating.
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Old 03-16-2014, 11:52 AM
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To me, powerless means it takes over my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about that drink and how good it feels.
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Old 03-16-2014, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Kissimee54 View Post
I am interested in what they mean when they say powerless over alcohol. I know that my power is severely diminished if I'm under the influence. I do have the power not to drink. Its confusing.
I struggled with this at first also. This is how I now see it...

"We are powerless over alcohol and its effect on us."
"We are powerful over our recovery."

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Old 03-16-2014, 12:01 PM
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I am an Engineer not a medical doctor. But I have consulted with several. Also, I have read many books on the topic, so again these are just opinions but the conclusion I have come to seven months into my recovery. For reference I have found the following books quite helpful:

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Gabor Mate
The Power of Now, Tolle
A New Earth, Tolle
Mindfulness for Beginners, Kabat-Zinn
Meditation for Beginners, Carder
Awareness, De Mello
Blink, Gladwell

There are several forms of meditation. I practice a guided mindfulness. I started at 5 minutes twice a day and am now up to 30 minutes twice a day when I can. My consistency is not great and I can feel the benefits when I am consistent and the negative effects when I am not. I have looked into TM but the course is $960 in my area, so from what I have read I don't see the benefits. Also Buddhist and Mindfulness seem to activate the frequency to deal with what we are looking for.

Transcendental meditation was introduced to the western world by a guru named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1958. It is extremely simple to learn and practise, yet it will bring immense practical benefit to all areas of life. Of all the different types of meditation, this particular technique gives a unique quality of rest to the mind and body, releasing stress and tiredness in a very natural way. Transcendental Meditation is a very practical and simple form of reaching a state of rumination and suitable to all people, especially those who find it difficult to set aside time, as some techniques may require an hour plus to practice. 15-20 minutes twice daily sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. This may even be done on the bus, train, lunch hour, essentially anywhere that is safe for you to sit with eyes closed for those 15-20 minutes.

Vipassana meditation was discovered and taught by Buddha thousands of years ago. The word vipassana meaning ‘to see things clearly’ was taught to people as a way of healing the body and mind, by means of cleansing both of impurities and toxins. These days however, this type of meditation is not solely practiced by individuals with a Buddhist background, it is used by people of various culture and background. To practice this technique however in order to benefit fully from the utmost level of purification and rumination, it is strongly suggested that professional assistance is required.

Another type of meditation practised worldwide is Zen meditation, this is the practice of sitting in preparation of relaxing the body and mind as well as opening oneself up to discovering insight into the nature of your being. In effect this means that as you sit in the various positions prescribed, closing your mind to thought and images; you will notice after a period of time, your heart rate will begin to slow down. Breathing will become shallow, and you will pass into a meditative state. Thought will become isolated and deliberate concentration on the present moment is all you will be aware of. Any thoughts of the past and the future will be kept at bay thus focusing and reacting to what is happening in the now. There will be no rumination on the things you should have done or the things that still need to be done. This will result in a wonderful escape from the constant chatter of the subconscious mind.

Taoist meditation is a type of meditation which has several points in common with Hindu and Buddhist systems. Though the taoist method is considerably less abstract furthermore far more practical than the contemplative traditions that originated in India. The chief characteristic of this type of meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of inner energy. Once this stream of energy is achieved known as “deh-chee”, this can then be useful in promoting better health and longevity or whatever the meditator chooses. The Taoist type of meditation uses Breath and Navel meditation to teach beginners. This is the oldest method on record in China and India and works directly with the natural flow of breath in the nostrils and the expansion and contraction of the abdomen. This type of meditation is a fine way to improve focused attention and one-pointed awareness.

Mindfulness meditation is a simple type of meditation teaching us to be mindful and alert of everything we do in our lives giving deliberate thought and concentration to everything we do. This will motivate a better awareness of the diverse situations and surroundings we find ourselves in resulting in a much more relaxed body and nervous system. This type of meditation trains your mind and body to meditate on the things in life that you cannot change, with a great deal of contemplation and rumination on the whole idea. It can be applied to every aspect of life, from eating to exercising, to just breathing and living. Here is an example of practicing mindfulness meditation for instance with a person who has digestive problems. Whilst eating, give deliberation to everything about your meal, why you need it, and what it can do for you. Mindfulness meditation is about being mindful, or aware, of the things in your life that you have control over.

Imagine having complete control over your mind instead of the other way around. Buddhist meditation can give you that, if you undertake the proper discipline to do so. This type of meditation is said to bring your mind, body and soul to a natural balance. Buddha practiced the state of mindlessness through deliberation and rumination throughout his life. The idea was to diminish the mind’s need for selfishness and the craving for material matter to become a happier person. During meditation, you are in complete awareness of your physical body and every movement it makes. You are what's more very aware of your state of mind and how it can change so rapidly in time – a minute, a day. Buddhist meditation is an extremely disciplined practice and should be done on a regular basis to benefit the mind, body and soul. If practised correctly and consistently you will soon begin to notice very obvious changes, such as the mind slowly becoming free from fear. Your focus and concentration throughout the day, everyday will become far more superior than previously. There will be no concerns or worry in your mind, no link to this physical world, no cares.

Brain activity and meditation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 03-16-2014, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by thatcat View Post
To me, powerless means it takes over my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about that drink and how good it feels.
You are not your thoughts. You are not a sum of your thoughts. You are still here when your thoughts have come and gone. The sooner you are able to realize that you are not your thoughts the sooner you will realize you don't need to act on those thoughts.

Listen to this: Am I my thoughts, the thoughts that I am thinking? No. Thoughts come and go; I am not my thoughts. Am I my body? They tell us that millions of cells in our body are changed or are renewed every minute, so that by the end of seven years we don’t have a single living cell in our body that was there seven years before. Cells come and go. Cells arise and die. But “I” seems to persist. So am I my body? Evidently not! “I” is something other and more than the body. You might say the body is part of “I,” but it is a changing part. It keeps moving, it keeps changing. We have the same name for it but it constantly changes. Just as we have the same name for Niagara Falls, but Niagara Falls is constituted by water that is constantly changing. We use the same name for an ever-changing reality. How about my name? Is “I” my name? Evidently not, because I can change my name without changing the “I.” How about my career? How about my beliefs? I say I am a Catholic, a Jew— is that an essential part of “I”? When I move from one religion to another, has the “I” changed? Do I have a new “I” or is it the same “I” that has changed? In other words, is my name an essential part of me, of the “I”? Is my religion an essential part of the “I”? I mentioned the little girl who says to the boy, “Are you a Presbyterian?” Well, somebody told me another story, about Paddy. Paddy was walking down the street in Belfast and he discovers a gun pressing against the back of his head and a voice says, “Are you Catholic or Protestant?” Well, Paddy has to do some pretty fast thinking. He says, “I’m a Jew.” And he hears a voice say, “I’ve got to be the luckiest Arab in the whole of Belfast.” Labels are so important to us. “I am a Republican,” we say. But are you really? You can’t mean that when you switch parties you have a new “I.” Isn’t it the same old “I” with new political convictions? I remember hearing about a man who asks his friend, “Are you planning to vote Republican?” The friend says, “No, I’m planning to vote Democratic. My father was a Democrat, my grandfather was a Democrat, and my great-grandfather was a Democrat.” The man says, “That is crazy logic. I mean, if your father was a horse thief, and your grandfather was a horse thief, and your great-grandfather was a horse thief, what would you be?” “Ah,” the friend answered, “then I’d be a Republican.”

Mello, Anthony De (2011-08-31). Awareness (p. 49). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
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Old 03-17-2014, 01:50 AM
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jdooner, thanks for the input on meditation. I definitely have the
monkey mind. Ha! Guess I'm a Republican! Funny!
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Old 03-17-2014, 01:53 AM
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for me, it boils down to simply this;

when I allow alcohol to be a part of my life, eventually my decision-making about and related to alcohol become something that is not within my control.

That, in turn, effects the rest of my life - and soon my life is not really in my own conscious power but is being driven by the direction and response of addiction.

And I am powerless.
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Old 03-17-2014, 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by thatcat View Post
To me, powerless means it takes over my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about that drink and how good it feels.
Thatcat, you put your finger (paw ) on it. Not sure if you go to AA, but this is something that is described and explained very clearly in the AA's big book.

Basically, the idea outlined in the book describes the powerlessness we have before taking a drink because of the obsession of the mind. This is not rational stuff! It's clear to most of us, if we wind the tape back, what happened when we took a drink. When the obsession was up and running, certainly for me, that cut no ice whatsoever, until I clicked - ahhh, that's what it is. Understanding that for what it was a big step toward staying sober for me.

Whatever plan or programme you have for staying sober, it's essential to have something other than hanging on for dear life. For me it's AA and a school of philosophy which teaches Advaita, and lots of reading.

One thing at a time is good though, and gently does it

Wish you well
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Old 03-17-2014, 04:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Kissimee54 View Post
I am interested in what they mean when they say powerless over alcohol. I know that my power is severely diminished if I'm under the influence. I do have the power not to drink. Its confusing.
This is from one of the threads that you started:

Even AA meetings frighten me. I've gone to a bar too many times after meetings.
You attended an AA meeting which is for people who want to quit drinking and directly after you went to a bar to drink (many times). You don't get any closer to the definition than that.

Please don't take my meaning wrong. Any person who has made a solid decision to quit and then picked up a drink is powerless. I've done this many times before this time through.

You can gain power over the addiction and yourself but if you allow yourself to take that first drink and you veer from the goal alcohol will always win.

It took me years of only drinking beer, only drinking on weekends, limiting (heh heh) the number of drinks I had which was torture, to realize that I was just fooling myself. All roads lead back to the same place which is the realization that if I don't quit the results are going to be devastating. It wasn't until I admitted to myself that I was powerless over alcohol that I have succeeded. I am powerful in my sobriety but I will always be powerless over alcohol. One sip and I will repeat the same madness all over again. Maybe not at first but eventually. That's reality.
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Old 03-17-2014, 04:32 AM
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For me and I can only speak for me, powerless means that once I start I CAN NOT stop even if I tried with all my willpower I CANT stop. When I am drinking the alcohol has the power not me!
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