The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous

March 11,2013

When a person makes you a promise, they are giving you a guarantee that they will do as they have told you, and have secured that guarantee with their honor...

What is a promise? A promise can be defined as a declaration that a person will do something, or will ensure that something happens. When a person makes you a promise, they are giving you a guarantee that they will do as they have told you, and have secured that guarantee with their honor. When the promise is fulfilled, they have earned your trust and given themselves credibility. Some of these virtues are found in 12 Step meetings, and are quite beneficial.

AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) is not a person. AA is an organization, which is comprised of people, but their role is to ensure the continuation and observance of the principals of AA. They are not making you a promise; the promises of AA are actually made in the Big Book, and don't start until page 83. What the promises say isn't that you will get this or that from AA, rather it offers the promise of what you will bring to yourself if you follow the principals of AA.

Let me talk about a few of the promises and you'll get the idea:

œThat feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. This isn't a promise that others keep, it's a promise that as you progress in the program, your status as the œvictim will vanish, and you'll no longer feel victimized by your situation. The reason, of course, is simple: you'll be sober, and when things are working better in your life, because you are sober, you won't feel like everything and everyone is out to get you.

œOur whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Life is different when alcohol and drugs aren't part of your vision. You'll no longer be viewing the world through the colored lens of intoxication, but with a clarity that is termed œclear, as opposed to œfogged, by those in recovery. A drug rehab program is an ideal setting for such a transition, and to make a change for the better.

œWe will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Finding a Higher Power”whether it be God, your group, or the ocean”can help you accept that you can't control everything, no matter how hard you try. Accepting powerlessness and placing trust in a higher power can empower you to focus on those things you have control over, and find your recovery in a more meaningful place.

œWe will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. When we begin to focus our attention on helping others, we no longer focus on ourselves in a pitiful manner. Doing for others is a wonderful thing, and when you help another, you find the help you offer is equal to the confidence you gain in yourself. This is one of those times when the more you give away, the more you have.

Make a promise to yourself. If you aren't going to meetings, for whatever reason, give them a chance. And remember, once you make yourself the promise, keep it. It'll help you to believe in yourself.

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When a person suffers from a severe case of drug or alcohol addiction, the best method of treatment is seeking professional help at an addiction treatment facility. Call Florida Center for Recovery and speak to one of our certified drug rehab therapists to find out more about our addiction treatment programs, and how we incorporate various proven therapies like the 12 step program, cognitive therapy and holistic drug treatment therapy to achieve results. Everyday is a new day to make a change. Please contact our drug and alcohol addiction treatment center to speak with a certified counselor about how to begin the recovery process.

Florida Center for Recovery “ Addiction Treatment Center: 1-800-960-5041

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MARK KILLAR

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