A.A. Oldtimers…On the First Step
A.A. Grapevine, November 1944, Vol. 1 No. 6

“We admitted we were powerless over alcoholism –
that our lives had become unmanageable.”
The first of the 12 steps in the creed or philosophy of Alcoholics
Anonymous is, “We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol–
that our lives had become unmanageable.” By such an admission
any alcoholic, provided he is sincere, has achieved his first success
on the road to well-being.

Such an admission is usually very difficult for the alcoholic to make.
The very nature of his disease makes him shun the knowledge of
his inability to cope with the problems of everyday life. Hence his
desire for something that will rapidly create whatever he thinks he
lacks as an individual. With a few drinks under his belt he can fashion the most wonderful dreams about himself. These dreams can become his real characteristics–but only when he recognizes that
he must dominate alcohol rather than have alcohol dominate him.