12 Stupid Things, Part 1
Using strategies to avoid dealing with our problems, dishonesty.
Playing futile self-improvement games
This is one of the top three causes of relapse. Emotional dependence involved
Not getting help for relationship struggles
Stupid thing 10
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.
this step is about commitment
Step 3
Having a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others
Essence: Our value to others, our purpose
Step 12
A medical disease with a spiritual cure`
Addiction
Being willing to go to extremes for our addiction, but not putting that effort into recovery
Pursuing recovery with less energy than pursuing addiction
Stupid thing 3
The concept behind this stupid thing is:
Life is difficult. The sooner we are initiated into this reality, the sooner we learn to deal with life on life's terms.
Believing that life should be easy
Stupid thing 11
We humbly ask him to remove our shortcomings
Asking for help is the essence of this step
Step 7
We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Essence: to shatter our reliance on a false self
Step 1
We are as sick as we are _____
Secretive
The foundation of this stupid thing:
To develop a strong spiritual foundation for recovery, it is essential that we accept full responsibility for our harmful behavior and that we attempt to repair damage.
Not making amends
Stupid thing 6
Thinking that you can still get high or drink, because it's not your "drug of choice".
Believing addiction to one substance is the only problem
Stupid Thing 1
We admitted the exact nature of our wrongs
Essence: learning the value of honesty and being authentic
Step 5
We sought through prayer/meditation to improve our consciousness, seeking knowledge
Essence: continuing to seek knowledge about our recovery
Step 11
This is the spiritual foundation of recovery, the middle ground between arrogance and confidence
Humility
Thinking that once we've stopped using substances, all of our problems will be solved
Believing sobriety will fix everything
Stupid thing 2
The essence of this stupid thing is learning how to become more human, learning from mistakes.
Using the program to try to become perfect
Stupid thing 7
We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it
Essence: Humility and being honest with ourselves
Step 10
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
Essence: Hope and humility
Step 2
In the book, it says that TOTAL ABSTINENCE is the best chance for recovery. It gives five reasons why. Give me one.
Bonus points for additional answers :)
1. Using any substance increases likelihood of us returning to drug of choice 2. Cross addiction is likely to occur 3. We don't learn from our experiences while we are using 4. Complete recovery requires total abstinence 5. Drugs numb or soothe our feelings and interfere with recovery
This stupid thing thrives on deceit and deception, only giving specific information rather than the whole truth
Being selectively honest
Stupid thing 4
"I don't need to go to a meeting today"
"I dont have to work all the steps"
Stupid thing 5
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Essence: increasing self-awareness, insight into our behavior
Step 4
We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
Essence: responsibility for our behavior and how to respect others
Step 9
In the book, there are four causes of self-destructive behaviors. Give me one :)
Bonus points if you give me more than one!
1. Our addiction/disease
2. Ignorance
3. Unreasonable expectations or emotional dependency
4. Self-erasure or self-hate