Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
The 12 Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
(1) We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
(2) We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
(3) We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
(4) No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
(5) That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
(6) We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
(7) Self-seeking will slip away.
(8) Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
(9) Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
(10) We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
(11) We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
(12) Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among ussometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
(1) We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
(2) We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
(3) We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
(4) No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
(5) That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
(6) We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
(7) Self-seeking will slip away.
(8) Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
(9) Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
(10) We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
(11) We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
(12) Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among ussometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
That happened to me yesterday with the triplicate post I think.
These are the Step 9 promises and start to happen usually during the amends phase of our journey through the Steps. We have to work for them by following the precise instructions set out in the Big Book. They don't "just happen" by attending AA.
I have many friends whom are in AA and are experiencing the above feelings and other feelings such as suicide, and many more feelings due to their mental illness not their alcoholism.
Does the fact that these people have not had these promises fulfilled in their life mean they are not working for them as stated in PROMISE 12?
I don't want to be angry anymore. I don't want to feel guilt anymore. I don't want to feel self pity anymore. I don't ever HAVE to feel these things again. I can't imagine life without self loathing. I CAN feel free one day. I want this promise to come true for me. THIS is what I am waiting for. THIS is why I keep coming back.
I have suffered from some pretty serious mental illness in recovery including depression which made me suicidal at times.
The 12 steps are not necessarily a cure for that but I can say from my experience that having these promises come true has enabled me to have the strength and courage to seek help for my other problems and has given me different ways to cope with mental illness.
We are all different and nobody ever promises that we or our lives will be perfect as the result of the 12 steps. What we can be is sober and living life on a new spiritual basis. At least now
my mental health problems are really that and not the result of untreated alcoholism.
(11) We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
I like to hold myself accountable...not God. But maybe I'm just too clueless at the moment to understand this step? Very likely:)