Again, it is a hard truth to swallow, but for one to continue on a clear decision must be made or no further progress will happen. It required a no reservations, no holds bar surrender to my disease. When I completely gave up and stopped fighting the disease to admit step one, I could precede to the next step. This is a pivotal part of the program as it is a requirement to be honest, open minded, and willing! I wish all of you the best as you embark on the spiritual trip of a life time. When we admit that we are powerless over alcohol or drugs, we admit that we are living with a disease that alters the chemical makeup of the brain.
It makes so much sense when we look back at our behaviors—the threat of relationships ending, poor health, work-life, bad decisions, legal trouble, etc. We have had at least one good reason, probably more. We’re powerless when our mind is obsessing, so it’s nearly impossible to make the right decision. I know you don’t believe what I am saying, but trust me when I say if my life then was better than my life now, I would still be drinking! But we are getting off track, step one actually has two different parts that I needed to realize.
Myths and Misunderstandings About AA Step 1
What we can do is turn to a Power greater than ourselves for help. We let this Power do what we are unable to do for ourselves. What does “powerless” mean when it comes to alcoholism/addiction?
When I first contemplated 12-Step recovery, I thought it was a crutch and I should be able to do this on my own. If your life is broken, you need a crutch, but first you have to admit that your life is broken. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. A “moral inventory” can be as simple as the untold stories, secrets, and other sources of shame that we continue to carry.
The Power of Powerlessness
We were talking about acceptance of her goddaughter’s choices. My friend said it felt like accepting it meant that she liked it. I said acceptance https://g-markets.net/sober-living/thoughts-of-recovery-no-17-the-spiritual-malady/ doesn’t mean that you like it, it just means that you are powerless over it. That resonated and she could let go of some of the fear.
You can’t quit if you don’t believe you have a problem. But by believing you have a problem, you can begin to overcome it. There’s a big difference between prescribed medication and self-medicating. For starters, antidepressants don’t turn into formaldehyde in your liver like alcohol does, according to my psychiatrist. Another thing–antidepressants don’t work on people who don’t have a mental illness, whereas alcohol affects everybody.
How to Simplify and Interpret Step One, Then Put It into Action
Powerlessness refers to a lack of control, and it helps you realize that there are things you can do to treat your addiction and create the life you want. Although you can’t change your addiction, you can learn how to live a sober life in recovery. Letting go of the past, accepting your present and What if being sober sucks? 4 Tips To Boost Your Sobriety opening yourself up to a new way of living isn’t an easy thing to do, especially in the beginning. The 12-step road to recovery can appear pretty intimidating to someone who is just starting out, but solutions exist. Understanding powerlessness in sobriety can help you manage your addiction.
