Topic for thought

The subject of this week’s session is powerlessness. We have come to see that over the years we have been powerless to successfully change our addictive behaviour no matter how hard we have tried. We may have occasionally found short-term success, but it has possibly never lasted. As a result our lives have become increasingly unmanageable and out of control.

The Issue

The purpose of Step 1 is to enable us to step out of the shadowy world of denial and to start living in the light of truth. It is the most important step of all and is absolutely foundational to the success of this course. It is upon this step that all the other steps are built. If at a later stage we relapse, it is normally this step we have to come back to and do again. In completing this step successfully a whole new way of life will begin for each one of us.

The Goals

On completion of Step 1 we should be able to...

• Acknowledge the areas of my life that are out of control and that I am powerless over

• Acknowledge the damage my compulsive behaviour is doing to me

• Acknowledge the damage my compulsive behaviour is doing to those around me

• Acknowledge how my addiction has made me do things that are contrary to my own principles and moral standards

• Acknowledge the lies that keep me in denial