Today I was reminded of the work of Dr. Tiebout, a pioneering figure in the treatment of alcoholism. He ran a rehab named Blythwood. He knew "that the characteristics of the so called typical alcoholic are a narcissistic, egocentric core dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent in maintaining at all costs its inner integrity." In a careful study of a series of cases regarding the alcoholic by Sillman, Dr. Tiebout reported that Sillman felt he could discern the outlines of a common character structure among problem drinkers and that the best term he could find for the group of qualities was "defiant individuality and grandiosity." Tiebout concurs with Sillman and states "inwardly the alcoholic brooks no control from God or man. The alcoholic is and must be the master of their destiny." Tiebout continues "granted that more or less constant presence of these character traits, it is easy to see how the person possessing them has difficulty in accepting spirituality and God. Spirituality by its demand that the individual acknowledge the presence of God changes the very nature of the alcoholic. So, if the alcoholic can use the spiritual tools of recovery and accept the concept of the presence of a power greater than themselves, then he or she by that very step modifies presently and possibly permanently his or her deepest inner structure and when done so without resentment or struggle then they are no longer typically alcoholic."
In my own experience with the disease of alcoholism believe in God in and of itself is not enough, as I always believed in God. That believe must also carry with it the component of trusting in God to the point of making a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God. I would also like to add, today is all I have contingent upon my relationship with God in this day and in this moment.
As a grandiose, narcissistic, defiant, and self-propelled alcoholic, there was nowhere to turn except to me. I was in charge of my everything so, therefore, I had nothing. The problem was that God as I MISunderstood Him was not the answer. I had a wife, two children, a half-baked job and a car trunk filled with booze - but no answers. Living this way, my life took a daily shellacking. I had to be beaten into a state of reasonableness. My mind and heart had to be opened to understanding and trust. In the Second Step, I found the trust I needed to allow the remaining 10 Steps to lead me to The Power I was absent my entire life. Talk about a game-changer!
ReplyDeleteMichael One can't trust in God without humility and your comment exemplifies it...Thank You,,,Armand
ReplyDeleteIf alcohol is but a symptom, my problem is desire to manage my life without the guidance of that power greater than myself. Thanks Armand for describing a clear picture of what it means to be an alcoholic. It crazy to know that I have admitted before that I am powerless, yet I still try to have control and ignore His help that is constantly and freely given.
ReplyDeleteIbis In AA we often use the saying "self will run riot." Self Will is our thought process propelled by our human instinct and even though we are powerless over it we still attempt time and time again to control the outcome even after we know that we can't...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteI have spent a good portion of my life in defiance. Socially I always felt like a misfit. Ready to challenge authority at all levels, including my Parents from a young age . Once I had it in my mind that I could seek out and get what I thought I needed I was blinded by the fact that I was going to play God in all my affairs . Being still at a young age between puberty and 18 years old I played my cards carefully. Knowing that I still needed to pacify my Parents, teachers, small job bosses, police, and all other authority. Some were fooled some not . In my mind I had them all fooled. My how time passes quickly. I carried these characteristics into my so called adulthood, really I was blinded by thinking that adulthood was my self will run riot ! I became a skilled Director in every sense of the word . Life has it's ups and downs and I became very skilled at running my show my way . Unfortunately I also ran the lives of my now Wife and Children on the same crash course that I was on . Never acknowledging the fact that they all were a gift from My Creator and not a possession of my own making through an unholy act that came out of my pleasure seeking human nature. Hence all is in peril now because of the symptoms of all my defects of character , demon alcohol was my master. Was I doomed to an alcoholic death, and in the process the destruction of my families lives ? You bet I was . What was to become of me ? All the signs, all the love of friends, extended family, importance of Job, finances, health, many a Doctors warnings. All the rationality in the world, I was one drink away from the plane hitting the side of the mountain ! Only one thing can save me from that drink . Is it making a gazion meetings , was it doing it for my job ? Family? Friends? Absolutely not . The only thing that will STAND between me and that first drink is my relationship with my Higher Power.
ReplyDeleteMy Higher Power's Will not mine be done . This will smash these characteristics of my alcoholic ways, which is a major symptom of what my major malfunctions are in this life that was going so, so wrong. I don't have to live this way anymore! God does for me what I was and will never be able to do for myself AMEN !
Don How true your statement of "I carried these characteristics into my so called adulthood." It is my own experience that not only did I carry my alcoholic characteristics into my so called adulthood bot the use of and severity of increased as I went as did my dependence on alcohol...Thank you so much for telling us your experience in your comment...Armand
ReplyDeleteAlcoholics Anonymous very interesting post.this is my first time here.i found so many interesting stuff in your thread especially its discussion..thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteHangover symptoms are commonly due to your body’s inflammatory response to drinking and dehydration. So, ensure that you drink water throughout the night time and be sure to take detoxicated hangover supplements to help you to keep away from feeling crappy the next morning. It really works!
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