Tuesday, July 18, 2006
A.A.: There is a Solution - Not Just a Drinking Problem
"We feel that elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our respective homes, occupations and affairs."
"There will have to be discussion of matters medical, psychiatric, social, and religious. We are aware that these matters are, from their very nature, controversial."
Alcoholics Anonymous
There is a Solution
Page 19
After I had just a few months sobriety, I began to realize that my drinking problem was more than about getting drunk too often. I had been drinking heavily since I was an early teen. Binge drinking mostly at first and then escalating from there. The point is that I had begun to use alcohol as a coping agent during an important developmental phase of my life. When I should have been maturing from childhood to adulthood and learning how to deal with new feelings and emotions, I anesthetized and buried them with alcohol.
In hindsight it's clear to see that my emotional development was stunted or warped by my drinking. In some ways, my ability cope with life's issues remained immature. Alcoholics Anonymous recognizes the fact that our problems are greater than just drinking. Alcoholism is a disease of the body, mind, and spirit. As social beings, drinking (and our behavior) also impacts the communities we live in -- home, school, work, church, etc.
So, while my own self-centeredness was at the core of my problems (and remains so today) and drinking was a symptom, there were other effects that needed to be addressed. A.A. offered a practical program, through working its 12-Steps, to face every area of my life. By practicing the program in my life, I have been able to peel away the complex layers and adopt new beliefs and behaviors.
Get the latest edition of:
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA Services
aa addiction alcoholism recovery sponsornet substance abuse
"There will have to be discussion of matters medical, psychiatric, social, and religious. We are aware that these matters are, from their very nature, controversial."
Alcoholics Anonymous
There is a Solution
Page 19
After I had just a few months sobriety, I began to realize that my drinking problem was more than about getting drunk too often. I had been drinking heavily since I was an early teen. Binge drinking mostly at first and then escalating from there. The point is that I had begun to use alcohol as a coping agent during an important developmental phase of my life. When I should have been maturing from childhood to adulthood and learning how to deal with new feelings and emotions, I anesthetized and buried them with alcohol.
In hindsight it's clear to see that my emotional development was stunted or warped by my drinking. In some ways, my ability cope with life's issues remained immature. Alcoholics Anonymous recognizes the fact that our problems are greater than just drinking. Alcoholism is a disease of the body, mind, and spirit. As social beings, drinking (and our behavior) also impacts the communities we live in -- home, school, work, church, etc.
So, while my own self-centeredness was at the core of my problems (and remains so today) and drinking was a symptom, there were other effects that needed to be addressed. A.A. offered a practical program, through working its 12-Steps, to face every area of my life. By practicing the program in my life, I have been able to peel away the complex layers and adopt new beliefs and behaviors.
Get the latest edition of:
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA Services
aa addiction alcoholism recovery sponsornet substance abuse
# posted by Bill B. @ 6:55 PM 
