We admitted we were powerless over our addiction – that our lives had become unmanageable.
As I spend time in meetings and connecting with other addicts (step 0), I find myself beginning to open up. This is because others are opening up, and nobody is judging them or hating them. They’re just understanding them and loving and respecting them. So I begin to develop a growing trust in the group. I open up about the truth of my situation. I’m not sharing graphic details of my addiction, just being vulnerable.
This vulnerability helps me to become more honest with myself and others. This is one way that anonymity helps. If my dad we’re in the room, I’d probably not be as honest because of shame or consequences.
I can’t make progress without honesty. I can’t be trustworthy without honesty. Imagine going to the doctor with a problem that I’m lying about. He’s not going to give me the right medicine if I’m lying to him. Or even worse, if I tell him, there’s no problem. ”No problem? Great, go home.”
Some groups have a first step inventory to help people get honest and see the big picture. Other groups leave the first step inventory between the addict and his bishop. This is just an inventory of addiction-related problems throughout my life. (The 4th step inventory includes all of the addiction-related inventory plus anything else negative that’s rattling around in my past.)
The goal of step 1 is to admit that I can’t do this on my own any more and that it’s destroying me and my life in very painful ways.
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