Page 35 - More About Alcoholism

Page: 35

Step we are on: Step One
Subject: Mental Condition, Jim the Salesman, Insanity, Two Fold illness, Pre-lapse, Relapse, Normal vs. Abnormal

Read Time: 1 minute

Good morning. I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend.

We are still talking about our insane friend Jim the Car Salesman. Jim is one of the Big Book's clear examples of the mental condition preceding relapse. Jim’s drink and relapse was NOT premeditated - yet the insane thought came to him like a bat out of hell.

We are looking at this phenomenon

• When did he start drinking?

He did no drinking until he was thirty-five.

So starting young is not a prerequisite for starting toward alcoholism, is it?

• Did it take him very many years to get into trouble with his drinking?

In a few years he became so violent when intoxicated that he had to be committed.

• What happened to him when he left the mental institution?

On leaving the asylum he came into contact with us.

• What two things did the A.A.’s tell him?

We told him what we knew of alcoholism and the answer we had found.

Of course, if they didn't know much about alcoholism then they would not have had much to tell him. Fortunately, they knew quiet a bit more about it.

• What did he do?

He made a beginning.

QUESTION: What could we assume from this statement: “He made a beginning”?
HINT: Bill W refers to making his beginning on page 12 - so here we can see that Jim has come at least THAT far along in the process. (The boys had been working on him)Does anyone care to tell us which step they believe Jim to be on at this point?


TOMORROW:

• What happened as the result of that effort?
• What did he not do?
• How many times did he end up drunk again?

Peace & Love,

Danny S –RLRA Real Live Recovered Alcoholic
http://recoveredalcoholic.blogspot.com