Are we truly “powerless”?

Recovery
#1

I’m really interested to hear your thoughts.

I hear a decent amount of people in the program talk about how we are totally powerless over our addiction. The one part I will never disagree with (personally, for me) is that once the first sip goes down, there is absolutely 0% power in me to stop. We are going to rage until 3:00am and we are going on an adventure together across the universe. We legit might wake up in another country. One single sip will always be too many for me.

But, I feel it is dangerous to assume that we have zero power in the lead-up to the first drink and everything was purely us relying on our “higher power”. I feel that we really minimize our personal power and strength and I also feel that [God, universe, brain, etc.] helps those who help themselves.

Curious to hear your thoughts. Do you think we are all truly powerless all of the time or do you think we have more skin in this game than we give ourselves credit for?

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#2

I dig this. I love AA and what it has given me, but I disagree with the constant powerlessness that it (like religion) continually presents.

I'd like to think that at some point, I'm not powerless. For instance, once I'm sober, if I have worked at it, I have tools that I can use whenever I am feeling weird. If you're in the desert and you get a flat tire, as long as you have a spare and the tools to change it, you're not powerless.

I find it silly to think that I am so special that some sort of god being would take time out to direct me. I know right from wrong. I just have to adjust my thinking and work at doing the right thing.

So, powerless? Nah.

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#3

This is how I feel as well. Unless sometime ties me down and sticks a funnel in my mouth and tells me to drink to live, I have uncomfortable choices that I will have to make until they feel comfortable. I’m no sobriety veteran by any means, but in the end we almost always have choices to make.

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#4

I 100% agree. Someone once told me about AA “take what you need and leave the rest”. While I have learned so many wonderful things in AA I find I just can’t wrap my mind around some of it.

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#5

Same. I have made some of the best friends in AA, believers/non-believers/old skool/new skool. If I encounter a meeting that I don't like, for instance, here in Cleveland we have a meeting called The God Squad, I just don't go. They actually read from the Bible at that meeting. Wťf?

I'm not powerless anymore. I don't believe in things that I don't find tangible, im not gonna do a bunch of mental gymnastics and try to sound "spiritual".

The main thing I get from AA is a group of sober people I can relate to or reach out to. That's as simple as I can put it, and it is working for me.

#6

Powerless is an understatement. My hopefully last relapse started one in big sip of beer and within days I was back out for 7 months. I have been through so much and sometimes I just want one shot but that will lead to alot. I can’t loss what I have gained.

#7

Im powerless if I have one sip. It's not the taste of the drink. It's what the alcohol does to my brain. It changes my decision making, my rationalization, my demeener, my personality, and most of all it takes my connection with my higher power.

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#8

We gain power from a power greater than ourselves, praying for "knowledge of His will for us and the "power" to carry it out.
We Trust God, we seek His will.
We clean house.
We help others.
He does for us what we find impossible to do for ourselves.
I understand your point quite well tho, I have thought about the exact same thing many, many times. I believe my thinking is a bit twisted tho, and I have the proof to prove it!! LOL
"When I say I, I want a second opinion"!!!
(notice the we's in the first half of this paragraph and the I's in the second half?)
Ty for sharing this post.
Love you

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#9

I wish the Big Book would get a more updated secular version. The "knowledge of his will for us" blah blah blah is really becoming outdated and impractical as religious aspects are becoming less realistic for clean living. I know people say "it's spiritual but not religious " and then we do the "our father" which is completely religious (it IS a Christian prayer).

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#11

Check out Refuge Recovery- mindfulness and compassion based program

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#13

Your HP is only another tool in your tool box to avoid the relapse, it is a coping mechanism to use instead of alcohol.
The tools are available, it is a matter of using them... you are powerless over alcohol as you described very well.
You are in no way powerless in making choices to prevent that first sip..

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#14

So the Bog Book is clear on this since you’re in A.A.
it says that we are powerless over alcohol. Nothing else. Soooo many people get this wrong. Folks say, I’m powerless over this and that and the other.
Not so. Alcohol is the only thing.

If I drink then I loose control. The powerless aspect only relates to alcohol. For me, a real alcoholic as described in the BB, I am powerless over alcohol. When I put it in my body something happens. “A physical allergy coupled with a mental obsession.”

It’s a good question. Thanks for posting.

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#15

Am I powerless- I used to think, Maybe not. If your friend told you that they might have a chance of running a marathon when they have tried on several ocassions and barely make it a mile without being hospitalized…. Would you advise them to try? Personally, my bottom showed me I was powerless. There are better ways to learn than being kicked by a mule. But- to me the big question is why do you find it dangerous to admit we are powerless to something? Is it dangerous for me to believe that I have a shellfish allergy due difficultly breathing when I eat it? If I’m not powerless what do I win? The ability to choose when I pay exorbitant marks ups for a beverage that might make me behave in a way I would not like to?

#16

Whoever says you're powerless is completely wrong. Quitting something you're addicted to has to be the most powerful thing to do in life. Because of addiction, it's hard to let that certain thing go. While I think group is such a great way to help in recovery, the people who run it who are calling everyone powerless are actually hurting them by pretty much saying oh you were addicted to alcohol, you're weak. Explain to me how overcoming something that's ruining relationships make someone weak?!?

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#17

I am powerless in the way that it will ALWAYS be randomly in my brain . A smell can trigger or a feeling inside me which is the illness but the choice is mine .. I hate that I make these choices and they are the worst thing I have ever done .. but the illness is strong and sometimes it wins

#18

Maybe it's both? We all have to walk our own path and figure out what works best for us individually

#19

Interesting question/topic :+1:

#20

Does or did alcohol run your life. Did it make life miserable? If so then yes your powerless to alcohol. One sip for me and all bets are off. The insanity, stupidity, and poor decision making is all in.

#21

They do “our father” in Arizona and I want to scream! That is a Christen prayer.. I live in Utah and would you believe we do not do the prayer? Nope

#22

I never understood this “powerless” statement until after quitting alcohol and replacing it with prescription pills.. one day my fiancé through my pills across the floor and I was picking up each one on my hands and knees. I had so much fear of withdrawal and how do I live without them. In that moment, on my hands and knees, scrounging up dirty pills I realized”I was powerless” over my addiction and my life was unmanageable. I went into rehab 2 days later and it’s been 3 years now. I was atheist but never saw this statement as religious.. just my thoughts…