Step 1 in AA Why You Aren’t Powerless

By practicing abstinence, alcohol cannot wield its power over you. And when you start living a sober life, then you can gradually gain your power back as your power comes from sobriety. Many people who are struggling with alcohol use are often in denial that they have a problem. You’ll often hear things like “I don’t have a drinking problem”, “It’s just one drink”, or “I can handle a beer”. Before they know it, they cannot stop drinking and have lost the ability to function.

• Addiction is not a character flaw, but a disease that alters brain chemicals.
• If the situation feels comfortable and fluid, it is probably God’s will.
• Reach out for help and support from others who have been through what you are going through.

To admit powerlessness over alcohol (or drugs) means accepting the fact that you have lost control over your substance use. You accept that your life now largely revolves around maintaining your addiction and that your addiction is now the driving force behind all of your thoughts and actions. Admitting you are powerless over alcohol, drugs or a behavior means accepting the fact that you have an addiction that exerts tremendous power and control over your life. Despite your best intentions, you’ve lost the ability to limit your intake of alcohol or drugs or stop the behavior. Because the journey to sobriety is full of forward steps and backward ones, it may be necessary for some people to return to this step multiple times.

How to Simplify and Interpret Step One, Then Put It into Action

You may have noticed your life in chaos—maybe you’ve lost your home, your job, your family, your possessions, or your self-respect. You may have seen the inside of hospital rooms or jail cells. Regardless of how you got to this point, Step 1 of AA is merely realizing that your alcohol abuse disorder was interfering negatively with your life, and you need to change.

• If you are struggling with addiction to alcohol, drugs or a combination of substances, you don’t have to deal with your problems alone.
• Now worthy of experiencing situations in a lucid state of mind and sitting through feelings I pushed into a corner for far too many years.
• When in the cycle of addiction, it was not uncommon for us to wake up from a binge feeling guilty for what had just happened, yet with the obsession to use still clawing at our brains.
• The 164 and More book is sold on this website at the Publisher List Price of $20.00 plus postage.
• The ACEP solely is responsible for all aspects of the program.

I’d been involved in the sober community on and off for years. Yet I’d never heard someone with 20+ years summarize powerlessness so elegantly. Alcohol is a drug, and like all drugs, it can potentially affect your brain. I’ll just have one or maybe two; I can drink just one more day then stop, I’ll just smoke marijuana that’s not that bad, or I’ll only drink on the weekends, etc. How many times have we had these kinds of thoughts and believed them? Because we are unable to produce these desired effects.

So What Is the First Step Asking For?

Let’s face it when we control it, we’re not enjoying it, and when we’re enjoying it, we’re not controlling it. What does “powerless” mean when it comes to alcoholism/addiction? The dictionary defines powerless as being without the power to do something or prevent something from happening. Let’s think about this definition as it relates to alcoholism/addiction.

Reach out for help and support from others who have been through what you are going through. These people can offer understanding and encouragement https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/the-connection-between-alcoholism-and-anger/ as you take steps to improve your life. You know that alcohol is bad news for you, you are convinced, and nothing can make you return to drinking.

Feeling Powerless Is A Major Factor In Addiction

Step One is just asking a person to acknowledge that they have the disease of addiction, and life is harder because of it. AA is a recovery program for multiracial men and women who are suffering from an alcohol use disorder. Through companionship, mutual respect, and shared experiences, AA members come together to maintain abstinence from alcohol and build sober lives. If you’re passionate about putting a halt to your alcohol consumption, AA membership is available to you. AA support groups are accessible and free, without any age or education requirements. Humans naturally gather together, which is why group therapy remains a powerful therapeutic tool for alcohol addiction.

We are beginning to believe that we are capable of living in a different way. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres powerless over alcohol to the highest standards of writing. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

Easy Options to Get Started or Learn More

He provides individual therapy, group therapy, and assessments for clients in recovery from substance use and any related mental health issues. Vince is passionate about the work that he does, and approaches therapy through an empathetic and motivational approach. Identifying a life that is “unmanageable” can be subjective, but there are a few clear ways in which one’s life could be labeled as such. If there are responsibilities at work, school, or in your personal life that are not being met, then this is a good sign of unmanageability. When drinking has become the priority and your career, relationships, finances, and other aspects of your life are suffering, these are signs that your life is unmanageable.

But most of the time, once my lips touched whiskey, I’d drink like a thirsty dolphin. Step one is fundamentally about honesty, while active addiction is characterized by lies you tell to yourself and everyone around you. Until you reach the point where you choose to get real, stop lying and accept that you need help, any efforts you make to deal with your addiction simply won’t be genuine or effective. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. He is the medical director at Alcohol Recovery Medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What does unmanageable mean?

Your rock bottom is whatever makes you realize alcohol is destructive to you and your loved ones. Rock bottom gives you the motivation to open your mind to recovery. You might be avoiding taking the first step toward recovery due to myths and misunderstandings surrounding AA and its steps. Here are some of the most common myths debunked or explained.

It also does not mean that you are not a strong person to handle recovery. Another way to overcome powerlessness is to get involved in your own treatment. Take an active role in choosing the treatment that you want to receive.

Myths and Misunderstandings About AA Step 1

When you start your recovery journey, the goal is to lead a sober life free from the claws of alcohol. This means giving up alcohol for the rest of your life. It’s not about quitting now and maybe going back to drinking socially when you think you’ve regained control over your drinking. Powerlessness over addiction can be difficult to overcome, but it is possible with the right help and support.