Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference I would like to start of recovery by posting on a weekly basis the basic 12 step program- one step per week .The AA based 12 step program is widely know but I am not sure how many people actually completed it or even went to AA or NA or any other support group . The 12 step program is and I quote “ a spiritual based program not religion based “ but the for the sake of religious equality on these forums and that many of us are non Christians I have substituted the word god for deity , I mean no disrespect to anyone but rather respect for all by doing so.I hope that this meets with everyone’s approval . I would hope that these posts will provoke discussion, enlighten and educate us all . Step 1 We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. Step 1 is integral to the entire process of the 12 Step recovery in that without it, there can be no transformation. It is the building block upon which the recovery can begin. In order to start recovering one must hit rock bottom. By admitting that we are powerless over our addiction and that we cannot control it or our lives is the first and most difficult step. It challenges the notion that no matter what, a person has at the very end of the day freedom of choice . Addiction has taken away our freedom of choice , we are trapped or enslaved by our addiction .We are feel powerless over the addiction to the point where our lives have become unmanageable. By admitting this we can start the healing process . For me when I realized that I could not control my drinking but rather that my drinking was controlling me , was not an easy decision to make . I can stop anytime I want , or words to that effect were used by me on a regular basis .Only when I realized that it was killing me , it was destroying my life and if I didn’t want to end up dead in gutter did I decided I better stop. I had lost everything, all I owned I could carry in two bag plastic bags , that was it .I hit rock bottom.
Thanks Wisp. I am early in recovery but have figured out how to believe in something, besides me-that didn't work. Hard to admit to myself and to others, that I am an alcoholic/addict. Forget the stereo type drunk, covered in puke, sucking a bottle in a gutter in my hometown downtown core. Lost everything. Rock bottom. My gut told me. The bottom is there, its just waiting for me. White knuckled it for 20 years and started up again 5 years ago for no apparent reason. My alcoholism was doing push ups waiting for me. I've heard my story in every room. No surprise my city and surrounding area has 300 meetings a week. Very thankful I walked into my first room. I wish you a good 24
Let us remember that each persons "rock bottom" is different. Some just get "sick and tired of being sick and tired", others realize that they have lost valuable things in their lives. Others, not many, intellectualize their problem and make a conscious decision to do something about it. Whatever path a person takes to come to the realization that they are powerless it's all about what they do from there on that matters.
