Page 41 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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20 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
more useful to others. Our very lives, as ex-problem
drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others
and how we may help meet their needs.
You may already have asked yourself why it is that
all of us became so very ill from drinking. Doubtless
you are curious to discover how and why, in the face
of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered
from a hopeless condition of mind and body. If you
are an alcoholic who wants to get over it, you may
already be asking—“What do I have to do?’’
It is the purpose of this book to answer such ques­
tions specifically. We shall tell you what we have
done. Before going into a detailed discussion, it may
be well to summarize some points as we see them.
How many times people have said to us: “I can take
it or leave it alone. Why can’t he?’’ “Why don’t you
drink like a gentleman or quit?’’ “That fellow can’t
handle his liquor.’’ “Why don’t you try beer and
wine?’’ “Lay off the hard stuff.’’ “His will power must
be weak.’’ “He could stop if he wanted to.’’ “She’s
such a sweet girl, I should think he’d stop for her
sake.’’ “The doctor told him that if he ever drank
again it would kill him, but there he is all lit up again.’’
Now these are commonplace observations on drink­
ers which we hear all the time. Back of them is a
world of ignorance and misunderstanding. We see
that these expressions refer to people whose reactions
are very different from ours.
Moderate drinkers have little trouble in giving up
liquor entirely if they have good reason for it. They
can take it or leave it alone.
Then we have a certain type of hard drinker. He
may have the habit badly enough to gradually impair