2. AA 12 & 12 - Step 1

Step One

"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol— that our lives had become unmanageable."

WHO cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us.

No other kind of bankruptcy is like this one. Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor, bleeds us of all selfsufficiency and all will to resist its demands. Once this stark fact is accepted, our bankruptcy as going human concerns is complete.

But upon entering A.A. we soon take quite another view of this absolute humiliation. We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength. Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.

We know that little good can come to any alcoholic who joins A.A. unless he has first accepted his devastating weakness and all its consequences. Until he so humbles himself, his sobriety—if any—will be precarious. Of real happiness he will find none at all. Proved beyond doubt by an immense experience, this is one of the facts of A.A. life. The principle that we shall find no enduring strength until we first admit complete defeat is the main taproot from which our whole Society has sprung and flowered.

[monicastephens]

Thank you! Two months and nine days sober.

[jaclynreneeboyd]

Starting step work today glad to be here

[davidsain]

"... with all the fervor with which the drowning seize life preservers ... " Yes!

[colormeminds]

I have almost 2 years from no opiates.

[tomdooley]

I didn't surrender, I was beaten to my knees, the feeling of impending Doom is a well-known thing to me.
49 years sobriety today.
if I had anything to lose I wouldn't have known what it was.
What I said was, when you got nothing to lose, you got nothing to lose. What you going to do, take away my ice cream for desert.
Born to lose, and never win.
It took getting better to feel lonely
What I felt was aloneness, bedrock was broken and I had to pull something together to serve as a bedrock.
Step one ) knew I was alcoholic, didn't need to admit it only two questions on some list of questions are you an alcoholic I couldn't answer ( do you hide bottles, I tried but I drank them to fast) (do you have blackouts when you drink, don't everybody ), as for my life being unmanageable, you mean it can be ?

[rachelbowler]

Traditions such as these help us, help we along and onto the middle lane towards healing✨

[elizabethmerola]

Very helpful. I am so glad I found this. Thankyou.

[susiewall]

My last drink was on Thanksgiving weekend

[lydiarushing]

September 13
10 months one day at time 🌞😍

[quintfl]

We perceive that only through utter Defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation

[jacksonmimera]

A recovering addict...90 days done but am sad am back!!!? I feel like a looser...a scorn