Step One

Step One

“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol [or other drugs]—that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Keep in mind that we don’t just work the Steps once and then never return to them. Recovery is about continuously working the Steps. Each time you work a Step, you can gain more from it because of this new perspective.

Step One asks us to admit powerlessness, which means acknowledging that we can’t stop at just one drink or hit. Others who use drugs or drink alcohol can stop if they get sick or it interferes with their family or work life. But those of us who have a substance use disorder can’t stop using even when we are faced with losing everything: our job, our family, our friends, our life.

This is because we can’t control the addicted way our mind and body reacts to alcohol and other drugs. Once we understand that addiction is a disease, we’re no longer baffled by why we’re using. We can let go of shame and guilt and start to work toward our recovery.

When we admit powerlessness, we admit that we can’t control everything in our lives. But we ARE responsible for the effort we make.

We can still feel powerful by making positive choices. We have the power to choose to avoid situations that could cause us to relapse. We can choose to go to meetings and spend time with sober peers. We become stronger each day by choosing NOT to use.

We know we’ve got Step One when we accept that addiction is a disease that leaves us unable to use alcohol or other drugs without losing control. We have a disease that requires complete abstinence from all drugs.

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