This idea that many if not all real alcoholics will not believe they are in the class of people who cannot drink alcohol without consequences both bodily and mentally, but try to prove they aren't, was very important for me.  The day that I admitted it whole heartedly, was a very good day, but after that, it's not like my ego and alcoholism left.  They still give input about how drinking was a relaxant, and did help even thought they don't disagree that it was only a short term solution.  

I also think the idea that letting the man or woman choose themselves if they are in fact to themselves an alcoholic is very important.  For years, loved ones and the criminal justice system told me I was an alcoholic and drug abuser, but I did not tell myself, and in fact, I was holding on to false hope that I wasn't one, and one day I would be able to not have drinking or using be a problem consistently.  The test in AA where if a person is unsure if they have the body of an alcoholic and the mind of an alcoholic, they should "step over to the nearest bar room and try some controlled drinking", I did many times, and each time proved to me that I did not have the ability to control alcohol intake, and if I did use my willpower to have only two drinks, I was depressed after that I couldn't have more.  I would usually tell myself, that two drinks only is better than none the next day, and drink way more than two drinks, because the craving and obsession would take place.  

More about Alcoholism touches on the inabiity to leave alcohol alone, but then on pg. 35 it gets into the type of thinking that dominates a person right before they give in and take the first drink.  Some would say it is twisted thinking, and some would say it is just thinking that isn't able to say no to the first drink, but it is important that whoever is struggling understand their minds ability to convince, in a negative way, that drinking is alright for them, when experience and evidence states it is not.  The story of Jim, and how he lost so much, but then thinks alcohol will be not as effective on his going forward, if he puts it in milk, is a good example of how the mind, can be wrong, and that can lead to untreated alcoholism that leads to demoralization and a major sickness.  Jim's story, after he decides to drink, tells us that educating your self on the facts of opinion, alcoholics anonymous has found, won't necessarily prevent the mind from making it's own suggestions contrary to what the help has informed you of.  This is why the importance of opening my mind to a spiritual incoming that is powerful enough to override the mind, and it's thoughts.  Going to meetings, having faith in God, accepting pain as a part of life and just another fact in the plan, doing things for others, thinking of others and how I can help them even though I won't get what I want, reading the literature that helps me as an alcohol, giving back, talking to others about the illness and the solution, all makes me spiritual, in place of makes me think.  If I am thinking after I am spiritual, by doing things that foster a more secure recovered state, then I can trust my thoughts, but if I am thinking, and not taking action to become spiritual, feel spiritual, my thoughts can easily turn into something I need to be weary of.  

The story of Jim, the story of the jaywalker, and the story of Fred, all consists of minds that thought, they knew themselves as the problem.  They thought they were educated on themselves as a subject and that education of oneself would give them the power to say no.  I have found that knowing yourself is important, but if it is not backed by a spiritual power through spiritual awakening and spiritual experience, it might not be powerful enough to say no, and knowing that is super important too.  Alcoholism feeds off of lack of spiritual power, lack of spirutal clarity, lack of a genuine connection to God and the help, so for me, I need to do what I need to do to be spiritual, and I don't always know exactly what that is because I do have an intrusive ego, but I know usually it has to do with me, being unselfish, and humble.  Mostly humble, and accepting.