Facing Your Powerlessness in Addiction Recovery

Take my old belief that “anything liquid won’t make me gain weight” as an example. My belief came from the observation of people drinking smoothies for weight loss and the experience of losing water weight after a heavy drinking session. As maintaining an ideal body weight was relevant to me, I captured the information and formed an assumption that liquids equal weight loss. The assumption led to the conclusion that drinking alcohol wouldn’t make me gain weight.

Discover how reshaping beliefs can lessen your desire to drink.

Research indicates that a few psychotherapy treatments can improve the symptoms of alcohol use disorder, including the observed lack of control over how much or how often a person uses alcohol. 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. As we go through the process of Step One, we are moving from a lack of awareness into an awareness of the reality of this disease and the possibility of change. We are beginning to believe that we are capable of living in a different way. Admitting powerlessness requires getting honest with yourself about reality, instead of the “stinkin’ thinkin’” (delusion and denial) that enables your addiction.

Step 1 of AA: “Powerlessness”, the First of the 12-step Journey

12-step programs have been statistically shown to have a 5-10% success rate. Step One isn’t the only reason for this, but it is clearly a part of the problem. Part of the lack of control supported by the disease model of addiction comes from the observed changes in brain chemistry caused by long-term alcohol misuse.

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At this point, it is time for intervention and professional help if you want to regain control of your life. Drug & alcohol withdrawal can be agonizing — even life threatening. A medical detox will help you safely and comfortably withdraw from drugs & alcohol. Detox is is the vital first step in the journey toward lifelong recovery. This is because you still need to take action to overcome addiction. Join our supportive sober community where each day becomes a step towards personal growth and lasting positive change.

If you are living with a loved one’s drinking, it can be difficult to admit you are powerless and unable to keep cleaning up the mess and being the responsible one. You may continue to make things work and, therefore, be part of the sickness. Only after admitting you are powerless can you begin to make changes in yourself.

When alcoholism or alcohol use disorder begins to take control of a family, usually one of the first things to go is honesty. The person with the problem often lies about how much they drink and those around them may begin to cover for them as the problem progresses. Engaging in spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, or journaling, can deepen the connection with a higher power and provide a source of guidance and support.

From these definitions, we can extract specific differences between powerlessness and weakness. First, powerlessness is temporal and affects a particular area at a time. You can be powerless in an area of your life (i.e., drugs and alcohol management) yet powerful in other areas. “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol” is, of course, Step One of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alternatively, you can use this entire list as a daily affirmation to support you in your recovery. Eventually, this pseudo-control turns into a lengthy desire for a substance. One of the more common feelings is the inability to manage timelines and behaviors and keep track the ultimate guide to microdosing psychedelics of daily routines and tasks. Have you ever anticipated an event so much that you just waited around in bed all day until it came? Individuals who depend on a substance cannot focus on other tasks and are consumed with their next meeting time with the particular substance.

It denies the reality of all the other unsuccessful attempts you’ve made to stop as a result of major consequences. But the terminal stages of addiction will strip everything away, and an addicted person who refuses to recover will often be left with nothing. According to Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (1981), “Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built” (p. 21). Spero Recovery Center is a peer-based residential recovery program. It is not a substitute for clinical treatment or individualized therapeutic services.

These meetings may even be part of the programming at inpatient rehab or outpatient programs you attend. Services offered by your treatment team can work alongside the 12 Steps to help you find your path to recovery. Therefore, lack of control over alcohol use is part of the disease of addiction; how to detox your body while pregnant it is not that you have a lack of willpower to control your use. This criteria is mostly likely to be present if you have moderate or severe alcohol use disorder. It can arise from dependence on drugs and alcohol or in workplace environments with higher-up employees and lesser subordinates.

1. Other 12-step programs include Al-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, and others.
2. 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.
3. This can involve finding solace in a religious faith, connecting with nature, or exploring spiritual practices that resonate with personal beliefs.
4. We are visually recognizing our growth with a unified look that better reflects who we are today and the passion we have for helping everyone with their addiction and mental health recovery journeys.
5. This crucial acknowledgment is often the hardest for many people, as those who struggle with alcoholism frequently find themselves in denial about the severity of their problem.

Therefore, we form sets of beliefs to interpret the reality around us based on our personal experiences, observations, and what is relevant to our needs. Reach out today to learn more about our personalized treatment plans and partial care programs. Start your journey to a healthier, happier life with Enlightened Solutions. There are several effective treatment options for alcohol addiction. At Enlightened Solutions, we offer a comprehensive approach customized to the severity of the addiction and the presence of any co-occurring disorders. Our addiction professionals highly recommend a multi-staged recovery program to ensure the best outcomes.

Recovery is a multifaceted approach to addressing addiction that requires serious life reflection and commitment to change. By understanding the benefits of embracing powerlessness and incorporating tools and practices into their recovery journey, individuals can navigate the challenges of sobriety with greater ease and clarity. Embracing powerlessness is a transformative process that enables individuals to find freedom and inner peace while building a solid foundation for lasting sobriety. By recognizing the benefits of embracing powerlessness in sobriety, we can shift our perspective and approach our recovery journey with a newfound sense of openness and receptivity. Through building resilience and humility, developing trust and surrender, and finding freedom and inner peace, we can cultivate a more fulfilling and transformative recovery experience.

You may view alcoholism as a weakness of your character or will, but this view may hinder your ability to accept you have an alcohol use disorder. Your alcohol addiction is a physical compulsion beyond your control—a progressive illness that defies common sense. Instead, the treatment available focuses on helping you manage your condition, so you can achieve sobriety and resist relapse to alcohol abuse. Embracing powerlessness does alcohol thin your blood in sobriety also paves the way for developing trust and surrender. When we acknowledge that we are not in control of everything, we learn to trust the process of recovery and surrender our will to a higher power or a greater collective wisdom. This shift in perspective allows us to let go of the need to micromanage every aspect of our lives and instead place our trust in something greater than ourselves.

Cravings can become very strong for a person who has an addiction to alcohol. The brain’s function and the person’s physical health are affected. The brain controls our movements, thoughts, critical thinking, coordination, speech, and walking. When alcohol is consumed, the brain’s neurotransmitters, which send messages to other parts of the body, are disrupted. For example, other people’s actions, the reality of addiction, the past, other people’s emotions, and the list goes on. Unmanageability means you don’t have the self-will or the tools to take control of the triggers around you.

By accepting powerlessness, individuals open themselves up to the possibility of transformation and growth. Whatever the reason, admitting powerlessness is to say that practicing self-control does not undo the effects of drugs or alcohol on the brain. Accepting this reality is what will equip you to seek treatment rather than deny that there is a problem in the first place. The group has a lot of information online about its history and philosophy. Most people turn to treatment centres to help get sober without much trouble; Others have difficulty understanding and accepting the recovery process. Then, having regained their physical health and finding their lives somewhat more manageable, they mentally walk away from these centres, forgetting principles learned during recovery.

Further, groups with trained leaders, such as AA sponsors, can positively promote substance abuse recovery. These include reducing isolation, providing a support system, and witnessing the healing of others. Mindfulness and meditation are powerful practices that can assist individuals in developing awareness and acceptance of their powerlessness. By focusing on the present moment and observing thoughts and emotions without judgment, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their inner experiences.