Part One (here) of the series discussed what the problem is with alcohol. Part Two, below, discusses the solution.
“The doctor’s theory that we have an allergy to alcohol interests us. As a laymen, our opinion as to its soundness may, of course, mean little. But as exproblem drinkers, we can say that his explanation makes good sense. It explains many things for which we cannot otherwise account.…We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, Page xxvi).
‘“Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks-drinks which they see others taking with impunity. After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many people do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.
On the other hand – and strange as this may seem to those who do not understand – once a psychic change has occurred, the very same person who seemed doomed, who had so many problems he despaired of ever solving them, suddenly finds himself easily able to control his desire for alcohol, the only effort necessary being that required to follow a few simple rules.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, Page xxviii-xxix). This is otherwise known as the 12 step program and is a known and proven solution to alcoholism.
The Doctor goes into the types of alcoholics. He states: “There is the type of [person] who is unwilling to admit that he cannot take a drink. He plans various ways of drinking. He changes his brand or his environment. There is the type who always believes that after being entirely free from alcohol for a period of time he can take a drink without danger. There is the manic-depressive type, who is, perhaps the least understood by his friends, and about whom a whole chapter could be written.
Then there are types entirely normal in every respect except in the effect alcohol has upon them. They are often able, intelligent, friendly people.
All these, and many others, have one symptom in common: they cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving. This phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manifestation of an allergy which differentiates these people, and sets them apart as a distinct entity. It has never been, by any treatment with which we are familiar, permanently eradicated. The only relief we have to suggest is entire abstinence.” (Alcohols Anonymous, Page xxx).
“In nearly all cases, [an alcoholic’s] ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page xxviii).
Wait, wait wait. Abstinence is the answer? That can’t be. How am I supposed to go on every single day without alcohol? There must be a reliance on a power greater than myself? Like… God?
We discussed the whole God concept in the most recent blog post ‘The Higher Power Struggle Bus” and if you haven’t read that, I highly recommend it. The post goes into detail about what a higher power is and how people may struggle with this concept.
Re-creating my life and redefining myself sounded pretty good to me. I literally had nothing left to live for personally. Yeah, the God thing was problematic for me but maybe I could swallow that pill given all the success I saw around me at the hall. Maybe I could give it another try? Maybe it could be different if I tried something different.
As for the other solution, abstinence, the hardest part to understand about the concept for me was the above line: ‘they cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving.’ That is a ‘manifestation of the allergy’ that is Alcoholism, aka addiction. This resonated inherently with my journey.
In the 1930s, prior to the development of any 12 step program, a physician would believe the Alcoholic was doomed and often set us up in a psych ward for the rest of our days. Imagine! Nowadays, we are lucky enough to have an AA hall almost everywhere in the world that follows the 12 steps outlined in this book.
Thank ‘all the things’ they found a solution and that solution of abstinence alongside working a spiritual program rebuilt hope for the alcoholic. It builds self reliance and contentment. Dare I even say peace.
The next blog post will go into detail about how the AA program works given the steps outlined in the big book. However, here are the steps which we believe leads to lasting sobriety as long as we are honest with ourselves.
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol— that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. 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.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
(Alcoholics Anonymous, page 59-60)
The Doctor (William D. Silkworth, M. D.) ends his letter with an urge to those who hold this allergy to read the big book. To try this program with honesty and integrity. Even if such a person scoffs at it, still give it a chance. I urge you to attend ONE meeting. Check us out. Get a feel for the vibes. Plus, attending a one hour meeting is a lot lower stakes than reading an entire book!
The amazing thing alongside the 12 steps is the 9th Step Promise:
“If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.” (Alcoholic Anonymous, Pages 83-84).
After reading the quote above, if you feel any of this applies to you, and if you like how the promises sound, then let me tell you again, my friend, you are not alone anymore. We understand. We understand because we too have been in your shoes. We have walked your path. And we have come to the end. The end of the hopeless, detriment of our own doing that is addiction. And we found an easier, softer way through this program and the spiritual alignment with the higher power of our understanding.
If you would like this too, our doors are open and there is always a chair available for you.
I do have some questions for you to ponder as you walk through those doors for the first time or return again after however many years;
1. How do you feel about this blog post? Can you relate to such things? If so, what does recovery mean to you?
2. Have you found yourself powerless over such substances like alcohol?
3. How has life become unmanageable?
4. What would being clear headed look like in your life? Why is this important? How could it change your life?
5. Is how you’re controlling cravings right now working for you? And if not, the Doctor mentions how a psychic change is necessary for this to occur.
6. What do you think that could look like? How do you think you can achieve that outside of the AA program which leans heavily on spirituality and moral psychology?
North Oak AA Group 