Just Say No Fred! (P.39 - More About Alcoholism)

Page: 39 

Step we are on: Step One

Subject: Mental Condition, Fred the Accountant, Just Say No, Insanity, Amy Winehouse, Two Fold illness, Nervous, Pre-lapse, Relapse, Normal vs. Abnormal

Good morning. Fred the accountant helps answer the question, "Does "Hitting Bottom" have anything to do with social or financial status?

Can Fred say "NO".

• Could Fred admit that he was an alcoholic?

Far from admitting he was an alcoholic,

• What rationalization did he come up with?

he told himself he came to the hospital to rest his nerves.

• What did the doctor try to impress on him?

The doctor intimated strongly that he might be worse than he realized.

• How were his spirits?

For a few days he was depressed about his condition.

Fred is in hospital without a drink. Did you feel depressed when YOU weren't drinking

• What decision did he make?

He made up his mind to quit drinking altogether.

JUST SAY NO! Really?

Today when have an entire 'rehab' industry based upon teaching folks to "say no". (Betty Ford clinic & similar secular institutions selling reconditioning models that purport to modify human behavior.)

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• Did he have any doubt that he could manage that decision?

It never occurred to him that perhaps he could not do so

Have you ever thought, "I can stop when I want to?"

What you didn't realize was that you had no power to "want to".

• Was he apparently successful at every other area of his life?

in spite of his character and standing.

Comment: Was Bill W. successful in every other area of his life? Were you successful in every other area of your life?)

We could "have everything" or we could have "lost everything" material and STILL suffer from chronic alcoholism. Fortunately we can also recover -- regardless. Did fame or fortune do anything good for Amy Winehouse's problem? She still could not escape her obsession for vodka. (Or drugs either)

Freedom is not for sale. We don’t buy our way to happiness and freedom. The freedom to vacation anywhere we want - eat in any restaurant we want - drive any car we want or send our kids to any school we want is not the kind of freedom we need in order to live within the Sunlight of the Spirit; that is God’s will.

We need to be free from self. It is a bondage to self that is typically prone to anger, resentment and playing God (judging). THAT is the freedom.

Let’s see how Fred finds it – how the Akron 12 steppers show him how they got it.

Peace & Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

http://recoveredalcoholic.blogspot.com