Page 45 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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24 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
control. At a certain point in the drinking of every
alcoholic, he passes into a state where the most power­
ful desire to stop drinking is of absolutely no avail.
This tragic situation has already arrived in practically
every case long before it is suspected.
The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet ob­
scure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-
called will power becomes practically nonexistent.
We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our con­
sciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suf­
fering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago.
We are without defense against the first drink.
The almost certain consequences that follow taking
even a glass of beer do not crowd into the mind to
deter us. If these thoughts occur, they are hazy and
readily supplanted with the old threadbare idea that
this time we shall handle ourselves like other people.
There is a complete failure of the kind of defense that
keeps one from putting his hand on a hot stove.
The alcoholic may say to himself in the most casual
way, “It won’t burn me this time, so here’s how!’’ Or
perhaps he doesn’t think at all. How often have some
of us begun to drink in this nonchalant way, and after
the third or fourth, pounded on the bar and said to
ourselves, “For God’s sake, how did I ever get started
again?’’ Only to have that thought supplanted by
“Well, I’ll stop with the sixth drink.’’ Or “What’s the
use anyhow?’’
When this sort of thinking is fully established in an
individual with alcoholic tendencies, he has probably
placed himself beyond human aid, and unless locked
up, may die or go permanently insane. These stark
and ugly facts have been confirmed by legions of alco­