We can feel powerless over our addiction, our mental health, our relationships, or our finances. Powerlessness is a normal and human response to stress, but it can also be a sign of depression or anxiety. While these feelings can be overwhelming, it’s important to remember that they don’t have to define us. There are ways to cope with these emotions and even overcome them altogether. Today, we’ll explore how you can gain control over your addiction by learning how to identify your triggers and create a plan for recovery.
The Power in the First Step: Accepting Powerlessness
If you think about it, it’s also why the program works. These simple statements are presented to us as promises. (Beautiful, powerful, in the beginning unbelievable promises.) As such, while working the program, we get to replace spirits with spirituality and slowly the promises materialize and become real.
If You Are Powerless Over Your Addiction
Step One AA is fundamentally about honesty, while active addiction is characterized by denial. The ways one tells themselves and everyone around them “see I’m okay” when they most likely are not. Fully accepting step one is not always a straight path, but there is good news!
(Even If I’m Sober)
However, understanding powerlessness is the key to breaking free from the cycle of addiction. “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (or our addiction) – that our lives had become unmanageable.” “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” Admitting powerlessness in sobriety can empower you to get the help and support you need to manage your life. Ambrosia Treatment Center of South Florida is here to help those who struggle with addiction.
I was dishonest to my family for the drugs.
We offer peer-led recovery programs that are rooted in the 12-Step program of recovery from Alcoholics Anonymous. We believe that these steps are the foundation for building a healthy, sober life, and we have seen the good fruit of these teachings in the lives of our patients. To learn more about our vision and treatments, please contact us today. For many addicted to alcohol and drugs, it’s difficult to admit the way addiction has made their lives unmanageable.
How Can I Get Help With the First Step of Alcoholics Anonymous?
This understanding of the word obsession explains why we keep going back to pick up the first drink or drug. 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. This step is not saying you are powerless over your actions, decisions, or relationships with others; only over your addiction to alcohol or drugs. It is not an excuse to continue in a destructive cycle because there’s nothing you can do about it.
What is the more accurate way of looking at your process in recovery, in light of powerlessness? Choose statements from the list below to combat the mistaken or faulty beliefs you’ve identified from the overt or subtle ways of denying your own powerlessness above. Alternatively, you can use this entire list as a daily affirmation to support you in your recovery. Constantly attempting to get your life under control when you are living in chaos is fruitless. The addiction has worn away at your self-control and self-discipline.
- Remember, the 1st step AA is not the end but the beginning of a brighter future.
- They can step out of the process at any stage by simply acknowledging they need help, even when they don’t exactly see all the places that this help is needed.
- In this context, it means that someone feels like they don’t have any control over their life.
Step One isn’t just a standalone step; it lays the foundation for the entire 12-step recovery process. Without accepting powerlessness and unmanageability, it becomes challenging to make meaningful progress in your journey to recovery. The accountability and encouragement in meetings and therapy break the power of secrecy where addiction thrives. It helps foster accountability and is a profound place of support. What happens in a group of people admitting powerlessness over addiction is a power in itself. It is admittedly off-putting to think of yourself as how am i powerless over alcohol “powerless.” Many people see asking for help to overcome a particular struggle as a sign of personal failure.
- By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.
- “Alcoholics anonymous has done slowly for me, what booze did quickly.” To illustrate this point, he breaks down the 9th step promises, but with a twist.
Whatever the reason, admitting powerlessness is to say that practicing self-control alcoholism symptoms does not undo the effects of drugs or alcohol on the brain. Accepting this reality is what will equip you to seek treatment rather than deny that there is a problem in the first place. That makes “admitting powerlessness” a form of strength.
- John finds truly brilliant speakers who share incredible stories.
- It is only after a great deal of suffering that an addict can finally reach the point of getting to step one.
- Take a look at our state of the art treatment center.
- The accountability and encouragement in meetings and therapy break the power of secrecy where addiction thrives.
What Does Powerlessness Mean in the 12 Steps?
Any substance or activity can be considered an addiction–from drinking to video games, addictions alter your life. If your addiction altered your life, then it has the power–you are powerless over your addiction. Your answers to the following questions will help you decide if you’re powerless over your addiction. It doesn’t matter what time it is, Discovery Place is here and ready to help those impacted by addiction day or night.