Northwest arkansas alcoholics anonymous that aint in. Original manuscript chaper 3 more about alcoholism alcoholics anonymous alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect to the first drink as that of an individual with a passion, say, for jay walking. That aint in the big book northwest arkansas alcoholics. How grateful we were when our sponsor, or other caring members of the fellowship, helped us fully understand what bill wilson meant in more about alcoholism top of page 35 in the big book 4th edition when he said, so we shall describe some of the mental states that precede a relapse into drinking, for obviously this is the crux of the. A little over five years ago this spring i was in the middle of the insane cycle of coming home from work, stopping at the liquor store, finishing off a six pack of beer, waking up the next morning swearing off alcohol and doing it all over again. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about god. But the book is refreshing in its style, quite close to spoken language, not sanitized like the big book, and has a recovery agenda instead of a god agenda. Grandfather, free me, free me of that bondage i created with alcohol, let me experience the noble and exquisite feelings you have created and given to me as part of your creation.
Back from that pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization of sex on the streets, and now several years sexually sober, i was nevertheless down for the count. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. Yea for art thou a colorful writer to stretch your mind around such an appropriate and relateable term as pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. In the end, i reached that state of pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization described in the book, alcoholics anonymous. And just like the big book says, all of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervalsusually briefwere inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. Incomprehensible demoralization alcoholics anonymous. Chapter 3 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous, 2nd edition. The big book of alcoholics anonymous the world famous eye. With gods help we will get the psychic change talked about in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Chapter 3 more about alcoholism original manuscript. More about alcoholism from chapter three of the big book of.
In the portion of how it works read at many meetings, we hear our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas. So for me, i think incomprehensible demoralization was when my life was just a mess, anxiety and fear were my bedfellows, i was having suicidal thoughts and this. In the spirit not the letter of alcoholics anonymous aa. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. My thoughts were either on yesterday, which often led to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization, or tomorrow, which often meant fear. Incomprehensible demoralization is the birth of a new day and a new life in this program for you dear my prayer for you my dear frriend, is that at the very center of that pain that you are feeling is exactly where you will find god iwe have seen you blossom in recovery, before. Silkworth aa big book aa anonymity statement anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions. We didnt regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it until the morning after. His marriage was deteriorating, but the pills were more important. Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect.
The warning signs lead to incomprehensible demoralization. Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect to the first drink as that of an. Hear recovered addict and big book mucker, cameron f. It is dedicated to those who want recovery from alcoholism, but have difficulty with the word god. Man, that sentence bitchslapped me across the face hard when i read it for the first time. The seeds i was sowing were those of selfishness, resentment, fear and dishonesty. Impossible joy the good news for lust and sex addicts and other sinners. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervalsusually briefwere inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals usually briefwere inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either.
Big book believing in god beats our old knowledge dead drinking ends all dreams. Well, when you come here, you dont have to be or five minutes before you hear, my higher power greater than myself, i humbly asked him with a capital h. At the time when i read the big book i was so irritated, but there i was, reading this book. Incomprehensible in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12. The big book of alcoholics anonymous describes the gift of desperation as pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. Especially, as that word gets used by individuals who embrace traditional religious concepts of what it means to them. From chapter three of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. The big book of alcoholics anonymous never tells us directly how to work the first two steps. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. Im coming to, i dont know whether i am awake yet, or still dreaming. Jared combs describes the life of an addict and pharmacist. A suicide attempt landed me in the hospital and a psychiatrist told me i should go to aa. Big book spiritual experience pg 567 recovery farmhouse. It could be your doctor, lawyer, postal worker, or the little old lady that lives next door.
Incomprehensible demoralization is a harrowing tale of drug addiction and recovery. Big book spiritual experience pg 567 spiritual experience the terms spiritual experience and spiritual awakening are used many times in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. We have an erroneous vision of what an addict looks like. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Incomprehensible in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps.
For example, a person might say they would never have sex in exchange for drugs. One analogy i connected with early on in sobriety was that of the orange. Acronyms used in alcoholics anonymous and other 12 step programs and word abreviations. I do not think this word means what you think it means. Alcoholics anonymous preamble alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. Chapter 3 more about alcoholism alcoholics anonymous. The idiots guide to the twelve steps revised 0699 for. Weare convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. More often than not, when i looked up some of these antiquated words, i realized that by their definition, there was really no other way to put it. Unintelligible indignant filled with or marked by anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy or mean inexplicable incapable of being explained, interpreted or. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. Incomprehensible demoralization drew me in and held me captive.
Incomprehensible demoralization i think when i first saw these words in the big book i realized that these words were describing me when i was drinking. This was the time of incomprehensible demoralization, as bill calls it. We are convinced to a man that addicts of our type are in the grip of a. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control.
A little over five years ago this spring i was in the middle of the insane cycle of coming home from work, stopping at the liquor store, finishing off a six pack of beer, waking up the next morning swearing off alcohol. This is a study guide to the book alcoholics anonymous. They explain perfectly what it is to feel completely empty inside when you come to realize that your current way of living no longer works. I wish not, but if this scenario ever happens to someone, it would be equivalent to incompressibly demoralizing. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better. Or, they got the warning notices on the job or, the judge sentenced them to a and they thought they were coming to find the. No matter how far down the scale we had gone, our experiences were always the fault of others.
These three words sum up what it feels like to get the gift of desperation. Pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization recovery farmhouse. The person sitting next to you in church could be an addict. Demoralization in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. But the stories in grapevine helped me to understand that i wasnt unique or alone. Two aa members twelfthstepped me, and one of them gave me his copy of the big book as he left. More about alcoholism m ost of ushave been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. Impunity exemption or freedom from punishment, harm or loss. Admitted to god, prayed to god, told god, oh my god. I didnt know if i had a physical allergy, a spiritual malady or was just an outright mental defective. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc.
We comprehended the word, incomprehensible demoralization and knew what hell was. Pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization recovery. Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. Over any considerable period, we get worse, never better. Incomprehensible demoralization occurs when a person starts a downward spiral of justifying behaviors that they would have previously considered immoral or absurd. Chapter 3 more about alcoholism most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. When i first came to aa, i couldnt understand what was meant by incomprehensible demoralization in the big book.
The authors engaging, conversationalstyle prose engages the reader from the first page to the last. Paid pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization pms poor me syndrome. Why drinking moderation does not work for alcoholics. Incomprehensible demoralization or the bitter morass of self pity. Plummeting into the pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization that that relationship became, i had my. I originally checked out this book at the library thinking it might be a funny spin on why women drink, unfortunately, i was in for a pleasant surprise in that it actually dove into statistics of women drinking and aa. I dont know, i think the big book was beautifully and perfectly written. Kim, rather than simply posting a link to a page from the big book which, after all, anyone can read for themselves it might be more helpful to others if you explained why the page was helpful to you. Alcohol, the magic elixir, gave us a new freedom and a new happiness. The power is yours, grandfather, thank you grandfather.
1358 517 15 192 536 1121 999 123 949 693 1106 869 36 755 868 404 304 636 836 1221 1302 1380 517 128 533 389 1233 613 783 544 923 400 1310 357 417 490 824 1072 1218 849 319