Most recovering addicts, especially those who attend the 12-step program, are pretty familiar with the concept of powerlessness. After all, helplessness isn’t a concept that solely applies to addiction, although it might be the first step to recovery and sobriety. Addiction treatment centers discuss the concept of powerlessness in therapy to help people recover. Powerlessness should not be a cause to become discouraged, or be understood as saying we have no control over our actions and can do nothing to get better. Powerlessness is not the same thing as helpless, and even less the same thing as hopeless.
It involves letting go of the belief that one can control their substance use and instead accepting the need for a new way of living. In the journey of sobriety, understanding and embracing powerlessness is a fundamental aspect of recovery. It involves acknowledging the limitations of control over addiction and surrendering to the process of healing. This section explores what powerlessness means in the context of sobriety and emphasizes the strength that can be found in accepting it. Step One in the 12 step program of AA (which is also used, in modified form, for almost all other 12-step fellowships and programs) is actually a two-part step.
Renewal Center for Ongoing Recovery
Powerlessness over addiction can be difficult to overcome, but it is possible with the right help and support. „We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.“ We’ve had good reasons to quit for good, and we continued drinking or using drugs anyway. This understanding of the word obsession explains why we keep going back to pick up the first drink or drug. It makes so much sense when we look back at our behaviors—the threat of relationships ending, poor health, work-life, bad decisions, legal trouble, etc. We’re powerless when our mind is obsessing, so it’s nearly impossible to make the right decision.
So, finally, after about a million tears, I humbled myself. I realized that I was really powerless over addiction and my emotional life was out of control. The Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Big Book states that “we were powerless over our drug problem” as its first tenet. Like AA members, https://en.forexdata.info/the-missing-piece-the-spiritual-malady/ NA members believe they cannot control drugs without the help of a higher power. You are not as “in control” as you think you are, and it is admitting this that is the first step towards realizing you need help. When we feel powerless, we may feel hopeless, helpless, and stuck.
Step 1 in the Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Programs
We offer renowned clinical care and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward lasting recovery. Some people believe AA is intricately tied to religion by seeking a “higher power.” Rather, AA members are encouraged to understand they’re powerless in changing their addictive behavior. In fact, many members don’t perceive a need for a “higher power.” Instead of seeking spirituality, which helps in recovery, they seek assistance from the AA fellowship.
We might hear this word without giving it much thought if we aren’t steeped in drug and alcohol recovery. Yet the admission of powerlessness is Step One, the very gateway to our recovery program. There’s no recovery unless and until we first admit that we are powerless over alcohol and drugs. We have good reasons for saying this, as we explain below.
What Does It Mean to Be Powerless?
For example, LifeRing Secular Recovery, SMART Recovery, HAMS, and Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) focus on self-empowerment rather than looking outside yourself for help. While many peer support groups have adopted or adapted the 12 Steps to fit their philosophies, LifeRing and these other secular organizations have not. Self-empowerment pitches are misguided when the target audience includes chronic drinkers and drug users, all of whom already suffer the hallmarks of powerlessness. Our shame, guilt, despair and anger weren’t triggered because somebody told us we were powerless. It’s the human condition, the natural and foreseeable consequence of wrestling with forces beyond our control. Unfortunately, there was an entire self-help industry out there waiting to enable us in denial.
In addition to support groups, individual therapy or counseling can provide a confidential and supportive environment for exploring feelings of powerlessness and developing coping strategies. Therapists can offer guidance, tools, and MASH Certification insights to help individuals navigate the challenges of recovery. In the long term, maintaining abstinence from alcohol and drugs requires a lot of effort. The most effective way to stay sober is by using the tools of recovery.