Surrendering in Step One

We must understand that…

- we have Hit Bottom.

- will power alone, is not effective in dealing with the complex problem of our addiction

- powerless does not mean helpless.

- powerless is never an excuse to continue

- we are responsible for our recovery

- we cannot think our way out, we need to act our way into a new pattern of thinking.

- isolated incidents of control are not important, it’s the over all pattern. Staying stopped is the issue.

- Determination is completely up to us.

- We cannot bargain with the addiction. Half measures avail to nothing.

- Realizing we were acting insane. It’s not sane to repeat self-destructive behaviors.

- Recognizing how insidious the addiction is, how it continues to tell us lies, getting us to continue to act out again and again.

- Directing anger and frustration at the addiction, use energy from that for recovery.

- Acting out will never be the same, once we know we CAN recover.

- Learning to start to think “Is what I am about to do worth resuming that way of life?”