Author: Alex Thompson
Step 1 of AA: Admitting You’re Powerless Over Alcohol
If you’re struggling with alcohol use—whether or not you’re in AA—it is up to you to choose how you describe your situation. Ultimately, the important thing is that you are working toward self-improvement and recovery. When we feel powerless, we may feel hopeless, helpless, and stuck. We may lose motivation and interest in things we once enjoyed.
We’ve had good reasons to quit for good, and we continued drinking or using drugs anyway. 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’re powerless when our mind is obsessing, so it’s nearly impossible to make the right decision. Admitting powerlessness is essentially waving the white flag and recognizing that you cannot try to drink anymore. History has proven that you have no control once a drop of alcohol enters your body.
When alcohol is consumed, the brain’s neurotransmitters, which send messages to other parts of the body, are disrupted. When someone is struggling with addiction, they may feel like they have no control over their life. This sense of powerlessness can be a major factor in addiction. Quite the contrary, being able to admit that you can’t drink makes you self-aware and honest.
Why Is Admitting Powerlessness the 1st Step in AA?
But you may return at a later date when you are ready to take the first step and admit you are powerless over alcohol. AA is a recovery program for multiracial men and women who are suffering from an alcohol use disorder. Through companionship, mutual respect, and shared experiences, AA members come together to maintain abstinence from alcohol and build sober lives. If you’re passionate about putting a halt to your alcohol consumption, AA membership is available to you. AA support groups are accessible and free, without any age or education requirements.
If you are living with a loved one’s drinking, it can be difficult to admit you are powerless and unable to keep cleaning up the mess and being the responsible one. You may continue to make things work and, therefore, be part of the sickness. Only after admitting you are powerless can you begin to make changes in yourself. From step one, you can continue to the rest of the 12 steps and 12 traditions. Powerlessness over addiction can be difficult to overcome, but it is possible with the right help and support.
Remember, you are not alone in this battle – there are people who want to help you succeed. You know that alcohol is bad news for you, you are convinced, and nothing can make you return to drinking. In order to progress to steps two through twelve, you must embrace step one.
Myths and Misunderstandings About AA Step 1
The first step is about powerlessness over behavior that makes the individual’s life unmanageable. Step 1 of AA can be one of the most difficult on your journey to sobriety. You must first admit powerless over alcohol and be honest with yourself about the situation. When we are struggling with addiction, we can feel incredibly powerless. We may feel like there is nothing we can do to overcome our addiction and that we are destined to fail. However, it is important to remember that we are not alone in this fight.
There are people who care about us and want to help us recover. These people can provide us with the support we need to overcome our powerlessness and take back control of our lives. Understanding powerless, that I had no choice, changed my life.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) operates under a set of 12 steps to achieve daily recovery. AA is a group of fellow recovering alcoholics who use the 12 steps and sponsorship to hold you accountable and offer you a daily reprieve from alcohol dependency. At The Kimberly Center, we know that acknowledging powerlessness isn’t easy, but we want to help simplify the recovery process. Call us now at KCENTER so that we can help you tackle the first steps of your recovery. We are committed to putting you and your recovery first.
- No matter how hopeless you may feel, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
- Take an active role in choosing the treatment that you want to receive.
- Your rock bottom is whatever makes you realize alcohol is destructive to you and your loved ones.
- The first step is about powerlessness over behavior that makes the individual’s life unmanageable.
Today with the understanding of powerless, our number one priority is our relationship with our creator and how we can best serve. We sometimes feel as if we are the victim and point fingers at other people or situations. This kind of thinking prevents us from looking at our powerlessness. Accepting our powerlessness opens us up to the willingness for a Higher Power’s help.
Myth 2: Powerlessness Equates To Weakness
Even if you don’t believe in God, you can still undergo the AA first step. In fact, Step One AA is an essential part of your recovery. The original version of the Twelve Steps and The Big Book makes numerous references to God, and this is largely because AA’s founders were Christians. The original references to God were quickly challenged in the early days of AA, and Bill W.
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. You may have noticed your life in chaos—maybe you’ve lost your home, your job, your family, your possessions, or your self-respect. You may have seen the inside of hospital rooms or jail cells. Regardless of how you got to this point, Step 1 of AA is merely realizing that your alcohol abuse disorder was interfering negatively with your life, and you need to change. Are you ready to achieve liberation and strength over your destructive drinking habits?
Examples Of Powerlessness
If so, you must admit defeat, become powerless, and embrace Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) guiding principles, starting with Step 1 of AA. Cravings can become very strong for a person who has an addiction to alcohol. The brain’s function and the person’s physical health are affected. The brain controls our movements, thoughts, critical thinking, coordination, speech, and walking.
No matter how hopeless you may feel, there is always hope for a better tomorrow. Reach out for help and support from others who have been through what you are going through. These people can offer understanding and encouragement as you take steps to improve your life. There are many ways to overcome powerlessness over addiction. Once you realize that addiction is a disease, you can start to see yourself as someone who is sick, rather than someone who is weak or morally flawed.
Addressed those challenges by explaining that every member was welcome to interpret God to mean whatever higher power they chose to believe in while working the steps. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at