Let me start this off by saying I’m Harry, and I’m an alcoholic that’s described on Page 21 of our Big Book. On Saturday morning I shared my personal opinion that the word allergy is sometimes confusing — and I used the example that when I drink alcohol, my reaction is literally euphoric, while that …
Read more “Southern Comfort Gives Me Hives. Alcohol Gives Me Isolation.”
Recently, I received a phone call from my buddy Joe. The conversation quickly turned into a venting session filled with anger and frustration about genuine concerns with his mom and sister. Listening to him, I realized that this kind of venting wasn’t part of any healthy recovery. It was so negative that I was reluctant …
Read more “The Real Purpose of Recovery: Why Venting Doesn’t Work in AA”
If you’re in recovery, managing your emotions isn’t just important—it’s life or death. Our book makes it clear: engaging in anger and resentment can kill you. “Resentment is the ‘number one’ offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and …
Read more “Navigating the Thin Line Between Venting and Anger in Recovery”
Many alcoholics entering recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous initially see themselves as well-meaning “people pleasers” who simply drink too much. They believe their drinking is their only real problem, and that deep down, they are good people with good intentions. As someone in recovery who believes in cutting to the heart of the matter, I often …
Read more “Unmasking the “People Pleaser”: Insights from Step 10 in the AA 12&12″