Because it makes me feel better! That’s right, its about me…
Why don’t I tell you the truth? If I told you the truth you’d feel angry at me. Your feelings would be hurt and I’d be the one who hurt them. You wouldn’t like me anymore. I need to be liked. My insides are judged by your outsides. You don’t like me therefore I’m no good.
So I tell you you did a wonderful job with your drug talk in AA.
Thanks to Robyn, there is a very clear explanation of it which I will quote partially;
“In the past, I would have …read more

And help others recover from alcoholism…
“Drugs are a part of my story. Sorry if I offend anyone but I have to talk about them. I’m an alcoholic because that’s what I picked up first and that’s what I picked up last. Everything in between was an ‘accelerant.’”
NO! That’s not why you’re an alcoholic dammit! You’re an alcoholic if you’ve lost the power of choice when it comes to drinking alcohol!
Add to that – if your drug of choice was powdered cocaine AA is NOT the place for you! If I were a grateful member of Narcotics Anonymous this stuff would …read more

The ABC’s… page 60.
I know that some will argue the word “probably.” Sad.
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
Can you deny that you are a human power? Then how can you admit to having the disease alcoholism yet maintain that you have some power to relieve yours or anyone else’s alcoholism?

I think we have to remember that alcoholism isn’t giving up to our assault against it within the rooms of AA…
Mary Christine asked me this question and I’ll offer my personal opinion FWIW;
“Just mpo but – first things first – where better a forum for the disease itself to speak but at an AA meeting?
2nd – again, my personal opinion, I think we have allowed a generation or so of folks to grow up without what our sponsors did. I.E. too many either think it is wrong to step on feelings with the truth or too many are afraid of …read more

In the very beginning of the First Step;
“Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor, bleeds us of all self-sufficiency and all will to resist its demands. Once this stark fact is accepted, our bankruptcy as going human concerns is complete.”
All will to resist its demands!
Resist – “to attempt to counter the actions or effects of someone or something.”
I.E. I cannot counter my alcoholic obsession. It calls and I cannot say no. I am powerless.
With you and God I have the ability to withstand for now, for today. Oh, and I’m not getting the ability, by myself, to counter the obsession, back …read more

Well then… please,
Tell me how powerful it feels to be on one end of the phone with a good friend who has had time sober yet has returned to drinking. How powerful can I be when his first words to me are “I wish I was dead” and I can immediately tell he’s ocified.
Where is the power over alcohol when this person tells you he knows he’s an a**h***, that he’s messed up his marriage but he begins to blame her for his problem. Meanwhile his spouse is across the country doing whatever she can to help make her mother’s …read more

Thanks again to the folks at the AA History Lovers Group at Yahoo!
There are far more than Twelve Promises written in the Big Book “Alcoholics Anonymous.”
This is a listing of only those relating to the First Step (please, some may be a stretch – utilize, don’t analyze);
First Step Promises:
1. How many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism. (Title page).
2. Who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. (foreword 1st edition xiii)
3. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. (foreword 1st edition xiii)
4. We are …read more

Which can result in the Big Lie…
From “The Language of the Heart,” page 263;
“There are, nevertheless, certain occasions where reckless truth-telling may create widespread havoc and permanent damage to others. Whenever this seems possible, we are likely to find ourselves in a bad jam indeed. We shall be torn between two temptations. When conscience agonizes us enough, we may well cast all prudence and love to the winds. We may try to buy our freedom by telling the brutal truth, no matter who gets hurt or how much. But this is not the usual temptation. It is far more probable …read more

Despite today’s Daily Reflection…
“The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent.”
Yet even today we had folks sharing in meetings that they had been given the power of choice back because they’re sober!
The reflection goes on to say: “My powerlessness over alcohol does not cease when I quit drinking. In sobriety I still have no choice – I can’t drink.”
Still they bring it to meetings and insist they have a choice because they didn’t consume alcohol today. The disease regains a foothold… until
“The choice …read more

From “More About Alcoholism,” page 30;
“Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows.”
It is no longer unbelievable, to me, the lengths some of us go to to delude ourselves into being something other than a real alcoholic. I believe that is the true reason behind all the contradictory profundity that is heard in AA meetings all over the world. That, and some level of attention need seemingly inherent in every alcoholic.
“Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been …read more