The first step of Alcoholics Anonymous is: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” What, then, does it mean to lose manageability in one’s life? Most people assume that “unmanageability” refers to losing control over external aspects of our lives, like relationships, finances, and employment. However, there is also the concept of internal unmanageability directly related to our spiritual and emotional lives. We may be financially secure, have families and employment, but still have unmanageable lives. The consequences of our addiction and alcoholism are not the cause of our life’s unmanageability, but consequences of our inability to manage our own lives. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous describes certain ‘bedevilments’ that strike someone suffering from the unmanageability of addiction and alcoholism: “We were having trouble with our personal relationships, we couldn’t control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn’t make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people…” From these internally unmanageable problems, the external problems begin to appear. If we are to find a solution to the external unmanageability and consequences or our addiction and alcoholism, we must first address our internal condition. Through the process of healing ourselves mentally, physical, and spiritually, we can find relief from the bedevilments that have afflicted us and driven us deeper into our addictions. For some, recognizing the internal unmanageability is difficult because we were too deep into delusional thinking to seek a solution in sobriety. Recognizing the external unmanageability and consequences of our addiction, on the other hand, is much easier because we are often forced to directly face them. The external unmanageability results in what is commonly referred to a “rock bottom,” and from this point we finally are willing to seek help for our substance abuse problems. Yet, at some point along the way, we come to realize that if we are to achieve and maintain sobriety, we must go to the root of the problem and begin to fix ourselves internally.
Recovery is possible for anyone. You can find a solution in sobriety and begin to heal your mind, body, and spirit by seeking help now for addiction and alcoholism. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach, is dedicated to providing you all the tools needed to achieve and maintain lasting sobriety. For more information about individualized treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
