24hrsAday

from how it works (the big book) step#1 We admitted we were powerless over alcohol- that our lives had become unmanageable..
for me it means complete defeat.. i will NEVER be able to drink alcohol safely again.. EVER. also.. TODAY my life is more manageable than it has been.. but.. it is far from perfect! any thoughts on step#1 anyone?

CoF1984

Well, my thoughts on step #1 are about the same as you. I'm powerless over alcohol and my being able to drink which means I can never again in my life drink. And while I'm able to somewhat manage my life there is a hell of a lot of work left to do. So, I think I fit right there in the same boat as you pretty much. So I believe we have a good idea of step #1 and keeping that in mind it will probably help get to the other steps.
Wes

Music man

I already completed step 1 before I found sobriety. I knew it was my master and I had to have it. Today I admit I am powerless over alcohol, but with AA and God. I will never take orders from it again!
Thank God, I know my enemy (alcohol)

CarolD

Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition
"The Proffessor and the Paradoxes"

....I find this a big help when thinking about Step 1.

The Paradoxes are not used often in AA any longer.
They have been omitted from our BB in the 3rd and 4th Editions.
My home group uses them in our opening format.

If you are interested ...they are in our
Alcoholism 12 Step Forum

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ower-post.html

Forward we go...side by side...

24hrsAday

every time i *relapsed i had to go back to step#1 and tell myself that i really was NOT AS BAD as i had thought.. and every time that i came back.. i had to go back to step#1 and say YES i really was THAT BAD! (only i had gotten WORSE!) the steps are in order for a REASON!

shaun00

thankyou carol i love this

We DIE TO LIVE. That is a beautiful paradox straight out of the Biblical idea of being "born again" or "losing one's life to find it." When we work at
our Twelve Steps, the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking, and all that goes with it, gradually dies, and we acquire a different and a better way of life. As our shortcomings are removed, one life of us dies, and another life of us lives. We in A.A. die to live.

when i first saw this it frightened me abit...........my god i have to be re-born.

But these days when i look back at my old self it makes complete sense..

So much of the bb has a different meaning to me now then when i first picked it up.

thank god i dont resemble the old me today......................trucker

lovinmenow

AA is not my bag but does help so many. However, I think that if we are convinced we are powerless, than we are admitting to defeat even before we start the fight. I will never admit total defeat. It is a horrible thought that we are powerless over something. I will not admit loss of power but I will admit weakness. When people have weaknesses they work to turn them around for strength. The idea that I have SOME modicum of power is what keeps me going and helps me stay sober. We have the power to change our own behavior and it is through that power that carries me through the worst of times. Just my 2 cents..

shaun00

i accept your opinoin.........but for me it is different..

You see...for years i tried to have power over alcohol and persued that power to nearly the gates of death.

And i never did find power or control with alcohol.

For me.....it isnt about a "fight" it is in fact the opposite.

Its about holding my hands up and surrendering......admitting im powerless.

Powerless to stop or control.

Only when i admit defeat..........could i be truly free

So for me there is no "fight".....

If i dont admit "loss of power" and accept it.....i will try it again.

Does that make sense?.......

I accept that every one is different.......i hear the word "fight" alot on here.

I only found true freedom from alcohol from..the opposite.........surrender.

trucker

gravity

I know it's all semantics but I never did like using terms like "surrendering to alcoholism,", "powerless over alcohol", or "defeated by alcoholism" to describe my drinking. It makes it sound like alcohol or my alcoholism is a separate entity, an "enemy". Really, it's all me and my drinking, no lurking enemy. Alcohol is merely a liquid, a beverage that some people can enjoy. I can't.

I do respect that other people personify their alcoholism to better define what they are dealing with - whatever works.

Again, just semantics but the words that best describe my step 1 are:

I accept that I am an alcoholic (the mental obsession leading up to the first drink, the craving after I start drinking). When I drink, all hell breaks loose and I risk losing everything important to me. There is no turning back, I will never be able to drink like a normal person again.

True acceptance of this, in my heart, is the foundation of my recovery which allows me to move forward with my recovery, to deal with the obsession. If I have any lurking notion that I am not an alcoholic, that I could some day drink normally, that I could enjoy alcohol without any negative consequences - I will drink again.