Step 1 of AA: Admitting Powerlessness Over Alcohol

Addiction specialists, therapists, and counselors can provide the guidance and support needed to navigate the challenging journey of recovery. It’s like having a skilled guide to help you traverse unfamiliar and treacherous terrain. So, you’ve recognized the signs of powerlessness and accepted that you need help. The good news is that there are many strategies and resources available to help you reclaim your life from addiction.

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. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Members of Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon Family Groups present some great insight into the healing principles of the 12 steps. Many have said that taking that first step is one of the most difficult things to do.

If you’re ready to take that first step, there are numerous resources available to help you on your journey. From addiction hotlines and treatment centers to support groups and online resources, help is within reach. Remember, reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, but a courageous act of self-love and determination. In fact, recognizing and overcoming denial in addiction can be a major turning point on the road to recovery. Legal issues and potential incarceration are very real risks for many struggling with addiction. The desperation to obtain substances or engage in addictive behaviors can lead to criminal activity, further complicating the path to recovery.

Our holistic treatment programs treat the whole person in recovery. We have locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Admitting to being powerless over alcohol will help a person to recognize that he or she does not have control over their drinking. Denying there is a problem only allows the person to continue their destructive behavior.

The Ripple Effect: How Powerlessness Impacts Lives

At the Kimberly Center, you are in safe and trusted hands. If you are struggling with addiction, reach out to a friend, family member, therapist, treatment center, or other support system. These people and professionals can offer you the hope and encouragement you need to keep going.

Here’s what author and interventionist Jeff Jay has to say about Step One and being powerless:

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. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. Individuals struggling with this condition often find themselves powerless over alcohol, which can lead to a host of serious health issues both physical and mental health. Accepting this powerlessness is a crucial step in recovery, as it allows individuals to seek the necessary help and support to regain control over their lives and work towards sobriety.

In our recovery programs for men in Colorado, we work on this step. It’s so easy to blame other people for our problems, but recovery requires us to take personal responsibility, and that’s exactly what Alcoholics Anonymous teaches. It’s your responsibility to stay engaged in your recovery and work with your sponsor.

1. If you still believe that you have some sort of control over your drinking, you will drink again.
2. The reluctance is compounded by the fact that alcohol is a socially accepted substance, making it difficult for many to recognize the severity of their addiction.
3. It’s not about admitting defeat, but rather acknowledging the reality of the situation so that you can start to take action.
4. Powerlessness means that you are thoroughly convinced that if you put alcohol in your body, disaster will follow.

Renewal Center for Ongoing Recovery

It is not an excuse to continue in a destructive cycle because there’s nothing you can do about it. While on your quest for recovery, regaining power is one of the most important and hardest steps. Many 12-Step programs are well-known groups that use the concept of powerlessness to benefit recovery.

The only way to heal an illness is to admit that it is a disease, which is exactly what you do when you embrace Step 1 of AA and admit that you’re powerless over alcohol. It may seem like admitting powerlessness is giving up, but the exact opposite is true. Powerlessness isn’t meant to lead to hopelessness, but rather to a greater sense what is smack in the dirt of hope and agency in your life. Recognizing this powerlessness over addiction is not the same as saying you have no power to create change in your life. To recognize powerlessness over your addiction is to face the reality that you don’t have the self-control, discipline, or power to stop your addiction on your own. Usually this is highlighted by continuing addictive behaviors despite (sometimes severe) consequences for your actions.

Speak With Someone Who Understands

Shame keeps us stuck, but acknowledging powerlessness opens the door to seeking help and making positive changes. It’s the difference between being trapped in quicksand and reaching out for a lifeline. The First Step does not say that you are powerless over your actions, your decisions, or your relationships; it says that you are powerless over alcohol/drugs. This is not an excuse for continuing down the same destructive path. So once you get sober and involved in a program of recovery, you are the only one responsible for success.