Step 1 - Powerless, but with a bad memory

[garden variety]

On no Annie!

Now you reminded me of those men and women up here that go to a meeting and say they have a "thinking problem". Boy does that one get me going! I bear down like a pit bull.

Here's the thing I say,
-Thinking never made me throw up in 5 different cities in two counties on a Friday night.
-I never been been given a DUI because I was thinking too much.
-As far as I remember, thinking never gave me a hangover, or the shakes when I wasn't able to think for a day or two.
-I never blacked out or peed on myself as a direct result from thinking.

Then I say, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm here because I have a drinking problem. Well you know that some of them folks get resentments...imagine that? That's OK too because whenever I'm asked to lead I just say if I ever gave you a resentment, just pray for me like you would a sick friend. Now if I was proned to think about it, I might think I'm being bad teasing these very sensitive alcoholic types of the hopeless variety like that. But see...not thinkng has its advantages! I just say well thats what my sponsor told me (see what I mean about the weasel thing - its contagious!).

But I think you hit on a common denominator, Annie, I really don't think it matters whether I'm powerless over alcohol (for us dummies ) or sobriety (for us cute sophisticated types ), the Power has to come from a God of my understanding, which would be greater than me.

But PLEASE don't get me started on "I'm powerless over people, places, and things..."

[anniemac]

Hey GV ~ I'm dual-diagnosed....alcoholic AND thinkaholic ... I introduce myself at meetings like this:

Hi family, I am grateful recovering alcoholic, addict, problem thinker, codependent and emotional-eater, and my problem is Annie

NOT!

[Dallas]

Hey Anniemac,

I'm simply saying that, "Powerless over staying sober" is what Step 1, means to me. "Step 1, as I understand it." Keeps it real simple for me.

And, it explains to me, why I need to take the next Eleven Steps as thoroughly as I can, to remove the obession to drink, to arrest the alcoholic insanity of the next drink, to have sanity returned, to react sanely and normally, to be able to live happy, joyous and free, while sober... and to keep practicing the 12 Steps as a design for living.

As I understood what Jim W., meant in his post... is that "If" an alcoholic truly and correctly comprehends the nature of their alcoholism in Step 1, "where else is there to go... but to take the remaining eleven steps?" If they correctly understand what it is they're up against... they will launch into the remaining eleven steps. If they are mistaken about what they're up against... naturally, they will be in no hurry to take the remaining eleven steps.

I believe that this is why the early old-timers and pioneers of AA, immediately took the steps. Their alcoholism had convinced them of their need for the solution that was being offered! They knew by their experience that they were obviously "powerless over staying sober." They had already tried everything they could try to either not take the first drink... or to control the second drink. (Chapter 3, More about alcoholism... Chapter 2, There is a solution) and they couldn't manage to do it!

It is refreshing... to see that you actually read what I wrote, in referring to "Powerless over staying sober."

"Powerless over staying sober" and "Powerless over sobriety" are not the same thing. Had I intended to say "Powerless over sobriety"... I could have easily typed, "powerless over sobriety." But, I didn't type "powerless over sobriety."

Some people do consider "physically sober" as they same thing as "sobriety". I'm not one of them.

Physically sober... just means that a person is physically sober. All I have to do to be physically sober... is just not take the first drink.

"Sobriety" is a different word... that has a different definition, and an entirely different meaning!

Sobriety is a quality of being sober. Sobriety is what happens to me after I take and continue practicing the 12 Steps. Sobriety is a way of life. Sobriety is what I experience by living the 12 Step Design For Living.

Dallas