How Alcoholics Think
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How Alcoholics Think
From the Big Book, a favorite passage:
"Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect to the first drink as that of an individual with a passion, say, for jay-walking. He gets a thrill out of skipping in front of fast- moving vehicles. He enjoys himself a few years in spite of friendly warnings. Up to this point you would label him as a foolish chap, having queer ideas of fun. Luck then deserts him and he is slightly injured several times in succession. You would expect him, if he were normal, to cut it out. Presently he is hit again and this time has a fractured skull. Within a week after leaving the hospital, a fast-moving trolley car breaks his arm. He tells you he has decided to stop jay- walking for good, but in a few weeks he breaks both legs.
On through the years this conduct continues, accompanied by his continual promises to be careful or to keep off the streets altogether. Finally, he can no longer work, his wife gets a divorce, he is held up to ridicule. He tries every known means to get the jay-walking idea out of his head. He shuts himself up in an asylum, hoping to mend his ways. But the day he comes out he races in front of a fire engine, which breaks his back. Such a man would be crazy, wouldn't he?
You may think our illustration is too ridiculous. But is it? We, who have been through the wringer, have to admit if we substituted alcoholism for jay-walking, the illustration would fit us exactly. However intelligent we may have been in other respects, where alcohol has been involved, we have been strangely insane. It's strong language - but isn't it true?"
Alcoholism is a mental illness and this is a good description of how the alcoholic thinks. And, substitute jaywalking with co-dependents, who obsess over an alcoholic who constantly lies, belittles them and they know they can't trust.
"Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect to the first drink as that of an individual with a passion, say, for jay-walking. He gets a thrill out of skipping in front of fast- moving vehicles. He enjoys himself a few years in spite of friendly warnings. Up to this point you would label him as a foolish chap, having queer ideas of fun. Luck then deserts him and he is slightly injured several times in succession. You would expect him, if he were normal, to cut it out. Presently he is hit again and this time has a fractured skull. Within a week after leaving the hospital, a fast-moving trolley car breaks his arm. He tells you he has decided to stop jay- walking for good, but in a few weeks he breaks both legs.
On through the years this conduct continues, accompanied by his continual promises to be careful or to keep off the streets altogether. Finally, he can no longer work, his wife gets a divorce, he is held up to ridicule. He tries every known means to get the jay-walking idea out of his head. He shuts himself up in an asylum, hoping to mend his ways. But the day he comes out he races in front of a fire engine, which breaks his back. Such a man would be crazy, wouldn't he?
You may think our illustration is too ridiculous. But is it? We, who have been through the wringer, have to admit if we substituted alcoholism for jay-walking, the illustration would fit us exactly. However intelligent we may have been in other respects, where alcohol has been involved, we have been strangely insane. It's strong language - but isn't it true?"
Alcoholism is a mental illness and this is a good description of how the alcoholic thinks. And, substitute jaywalking with co-dependents, who obsess over an alcoholic who constantly lies, belittles them and they know they can't trust.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Thanks for this, I don't remember reading it in the book!
People often rail against the, "Insane" label or the, "Why are you doing this to yourself?" thing, but it's so true.
Examine thoughts (self.) Examine actions (others and self.) Do they match? Are they leading to serenity or away from it?
If not, that is insanity. Delusion. Whatever you want to call it. I'm a double winner and have to be very careful about my thinking.
People often rail against the, "Insane" label or the, "Why are you doing this to yourself?" thing, but it's so true.
Examine thoughts (self.) Examine actions (others and self.) Do they match? Are they leading to serenity or away from it?
If not, that is insanity. Delusion. Whatever you want to call it. I'm a double winner and have to be very careful about my thinking.
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