really...

Had a chance to run a group today, and I was on the path of one of those topics. You know - the ones that get eyebrows raised and skeptical looks when you start. The group that you can see people saying - oh REALLY in their head when you begin. It wasn't planned that way it just happened.

I started with a statement that was something like - "I don't think that it's all that important that you admit you have a problem in Step 1; rather I think it is most important that you can accurately identify how unmanageable your life has become." It's funny how unsettled people become when you introduce a new idea to them or at least challenge the same old way they have been looking at the problem. Okay - so I have been known to throw a zinger or two just to get people out of their comfort zone, but I wasn't doing that today. I just think that the most important part of Step 1 people lose focus on.

Does it really matter that an addict can admit their problem? I mean REALLY matter? There's a ton of people around them that love them (and some that don't) that can see they have a problem. Often their own admission that there is a problem puts them last in the circle of people that see it. Isn't it more important to really focus on the one day, the one conversation, the one behavior that exemplifies how out of control their life will become if they choose to use again? Isn't it?

You see - my theory is that Step 1 is enough for an addict to maintain their sobriety. It might not give them the well-balanced health that fully following the program will, but if they can see clearly the starting point of how far they will go if they use again I can think of nothing better to motivate them to change. Even then the disease will continue a cunning, baffling, and powerful course to derail those changes.

Admitting a problem - that's a bonus; avoiding the behavior by avoiding the drug - absolutely paramount in succeeding.