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gjm 02/13/2011

To the intellectually self-sufficient man or woman, many A.A.'s can say, "Yes, we were like you -- far too smart for our own good . . . Secretly, we felt we could float above the rest of the folks on our brain power alone."

AS BILL SEES IT, p. 60

Even the most brilliant mind is no defense against the disease of alcoholism. I can't think my way sober. I try to remember that intelligence is a God-given attribute that I may use, a joy -- like having a talent for dancing or drawing or carpentry. It does not make me better than anyone else, and it is not a particularly reliable tool for recovery, for it is a power greater than myself who will restore me to sanity -- not a high IQ or a college degree.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

gjm 02/13/2011

I have seen new people show up in meetings that was very intelligent and thought I can beat this on my own or I'm not like you people. Then come back later and all the YETS happened.

okiyoe1 02/13/2011

G posted this over on main board hmmm thought before I investigated AA friends ...
Good day :)
Billy

gjm 02/13/2011

B, Good day to you, I seen that hope someone can relate that is seeking recovery.

donttread 02/13/2011

A good program friend used to say: " It's easier to live your way into good thinking than it is to think your way into good living."

gr8ful2b 02/13/2011

Gary, I've met hundreds of alcoholics over the course of the last 18 years. I've never met one too dumb to get our program but I've met one or two that were too smart to get "it".

DT! You're almost 2 weeks post-op. Hope you're doing well!

gjm 02/13/2011

Di, my point exactly but I met more then a few that came back wondering what happened.

deleted_user 02/14/2011

I've watched many a doctor, a lawyer, a college professor disintegrating in front of me. I'm not of their ilk in terms of intellect, but I do have my talents and had a long and successful career. But I think that being a self reliant person (aside from being reliant on booze) and of above average intellect can be a barrier to the ultimate Surrender necessary to get sober and stay sober. It takes the Surrender that I, myself on my own, cannot go on any longer and that I am powerless over alcohol and that my life is unmanageable - a big ask for many people. I might add that if you throw in a terrible childhood the mix in deadly because we have HAD TO exist on our wits and have powerful defense mechanisms to survive - which may be maladaptive to Surrender.

donttread 02/14/2011

doing great gr thanks, a little stir crazy though

nickyj18022002 02/15/2011

I tried so hard to think myself well. I couldnt believe that there was something that my intellect couldnt beat. I wasnt willing to concede that the thing that i had believed I could always rely on was faulty in some way. It seemed terrifying and the ultimate failure.

Luckily someone took me through the big book and showed me the mental obsession and the resulting insanity of alcoholism. What I read totally applied to me and from that I had to concede that my thinking was not reliable in relation to staying sober.

It was a hard thing to surrender to but turned out to be a great relief.

donttread 02/15/2011

I think maybe that should be my mantra: "It's easier to live yourself into good thinking than it is to think yourself into good living."
Yeah, I need to be reminded of that every time I turn around.

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