POWERLESS

Powerlessness, as described in the Big Book, is the cornerstone of our recovery. It is not a sign of weakness but an honest admission that we cannot control our drinking — that we have lost the power of choice in alcohol. On page xxviii of the Doctor's Opinion, it states that the alcoholic 'has lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not.' This realization, painful as it is, opens the door to a new way of life. In Chapter 3, page 30, we read that the alcoholic 'is like a man who has lost his legs — he can never regain the power to drink normally.' By accepting this, we stop fighting alone and begin to rely on a Power greater than ourselves. As it says on page 43, 'The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent.' Embracing powerlessness is the first step toward lasting sobriety.