Selfishness is the root of the trouble, when it comes to unmanageability and real alcoholism.  That very same selfishness is driven by fear, delusion, pity, and misguided anger.  All those qualities, combined to make for a selfish outlook and agenda in life, naturally, and inherently, "steps on the toes" of others, and causes all kinds of unforeseen troubles.  Those troubles, all make great excuses for drinking over, and that is why, it is not uncommon to see, alcoholics come to a point where they just have to give up, and let go. 

How it works out of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has a nice prayer for that, but this is after the alcoholic has admitted he or she is in fact an alcoholic to themselves, seen that if they believe in something greater than alcoholism, they can change and move forward in life without alcohol, or troubles, and also have recognized that the ego, plays a significant role in determining what information is provided to the brain that allows for it to make for a life that starts off with behavior that is selfish. 

How it works calls the problem "playing God."  How it works says we have to quit, "playing God."  Once we get honest with ourselves and honest with God and ask for help, How it works then has a nice method of dealing with all the hurt feelings we still have called resentments, all the unnecessary fear we still carry along with in the day to day activity we do, and all the shame and guilt we might have accrued along the way. 

For resentments the solution How it works presents is to realize or believe that others are just as defective as us, or struggling to manage their lives, due to the ego, just like us, and then in turn will do selfish things, or fear driven things, as well.  We are to pray that we can be helpful to them, even if that honestly means that we simply recognize that they can't be helped by us.  Then as a resolution, which means as a solution that can be applied endlessly, we then look at ourselves and see where we are selfish, dishonest, and fear driven when interacting with them, or an institution, or anything else that brings us unbearable negative feelings that only drinks can solve (temporarily).

For fear, the literature ask that we ask ourselves how well we have been doing running the show and playing God?  Then if we can see that the results haven't been great, because we are always in collision with others selfishly, we can ask God to remove all fears, that make us more prone to a drink, and then after the fear is removed in due time, direct our attention to what God wants us to be, and for most people, I do believe it is free from abnormal and intrusive fear. 

The last suggestion the chapter has is on sex, which though in my opinion is more so for relationships.  I do think sex and alcoholism play a part in each other's lives, but that isn't as important as what the literature says and how it's no so much about sex, or alcoholism, but about God, and how if you're struggling with sex, or relationships, he alone, key word alone, can judge the situation, and if you get a relationship with him, he can guide you to a place where all your thoughts on what you are sexually and what you do with your alcoholism regarding that, will be sound and sane.  Again, the book says if you are selfish in this area, you'll get drunk, you'll piss people off, and you'll be insane and unsound.  I think a huge part of this inventory is the consideration, portion of it, and most times, relationships or sex becomes difficult or problematic because we arent' considerate enough of the other party in our selfishness.  We think as long as we are getting ours, what's the problem?  The problem is that is the problem, and in my experience, I have learned that selfishness in sex, not only will destroy happiness going forward for ourselves, but it will effect others who really are just minding their own business but have to then be affected by the burdens caused by the selfishness of the defective outlooks and behaviors on sex.