Step 1

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

160 readings, newest first · read straight through on one page

  1. Devil ex machina17 May 2026
  2. The fallacy of agency8 May 2026
  3. The failure of other methods6 May 2026
  4. Hitting bottom15 March 2026
  5. Compulsion26 February 2026
  6. Insanity vs compulsion9 February 2026
  7. Ground–consequent vs cause–effect8 February 2026
  8. Grounds22 January 2026
  9. Four causes1 December 2025
  10. Force17 November 2025
  11. Insanity3 October 2025
  12. Step One: one idea19 August 2025
  13. Off to the circus17 July 2025
  14. The unstoppability of the spree10 July 2025
  15. Runaway train7 July 2025
  16. Potential versus true4 July 2025
  17. The Happening21 June 2025
  18. Trojan Horse20 June 2025
  19. Camden Town18 June 2025
  20. Spirit > Reason > Impulse7 June 2025
  21. Insanity5 June 2025
  22. No mental defence3 June 2025
  23. Baffled9 May 2025
  24. Defence8 March 2025
  25. Against my will14 January 2025
  26. Smashed29 November 2024
  27. The page 44 'or'9 November 2024
  28. A talk on the basics of AA ...3 November 2024
  29. Smashed3 November 2024
  30. Dimmer switch24 October 2024
  31. Being drunk through23 October 2024
  32. Twisted fire starter22 October 2024
  33. Not a cloud on the horizon7 October 2024
  34. Playing the tape forward, etc.3 October 2024
  35. Hammers, jaywalkers, and Bill24 September 2024
  36. Number one offender23 September 2024
  37. Re-potting the potted14 September 2024
  38. Full throttle25 August 2024
  39. Double-edge sword16 August 2024
  40. Pop Quiz10 August 2024
  41. Being incompetent is not part of alcoholism4 August 2024
  42. Uphill struggle: What is insanity?18 July 2024
  43. Withdrawals16 July 2024
  44. Mental obsession15 July 2024
  45. Physical craving15 July 2024
  46. Open wide24 May 2024
  47. I drank because29 April 2024
  48. "Could not manage"25 February 2024
  49. Twelve & Twelve, Step One, Paragraphs 3–512 August 2023
  50. Twelve & Twelve, Step One, Paragraph 212 August 2023
  51. Twelve & Twelve, Step One, Paragraph 18 August 2023
  52. The first three Steps in outline6 June 2023
  53. Step One in the 12 x 12: a summary18 March 2023
  54. Why alcoholics drink18 October 2022
  55. Nonsense12 October 2022
  56. I drank because ...10 October 2022
  57. Al-Anon insanity28 September 2022
  58. Step Zero: The now and forever deal22 September 2022
  59. Insanity21 September 2022
  60. Falling through the ice18 September 2022
  61. Physical craving18 September 2022
  62. How do slips happen?15 September 2022
  63. Spiritual malady: Part of Step One?10 September 2022
  64. The certain type of hard drinker10 September 2022
  65. Insanity23 July 2022
  66. Sober a while and screwed?23 June 2022
  67. Step 01 - AA and other addictions23 June 2022
  68. Big Book quotations on Step One3 June 2022
  69. Step One: a shocking prospect28 May 2022
  70. Step One from the outside28 May 2022
  71. A mini-Step One crib-sheet22 May 2022
  72. Retreading Step One26 April 2022
  73. There is no why15 April 2022
  74. 'I drank because [fill in the blank]'9 April 2022
  75. Step One and Step Six15 March 2022
  76. Similarities, not differences3 March 2022
  77. A spiritual solution9 February 2022
  78. On purpose or powerless8 February 2022
  79. I drank because ...10 January 2022
  80. "I drank because of how it made me feel"28 November 2021
  81. Slips and roots18 September 2021
  82. The lifeboat18 September 2021
  83. Choice18 September 2021
  84. Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde24 August 2021
  85. Conflict about drinking12 July 2021
  86. Is insanity part of Step One?12 June 2021
  87. Is it a cop-out?17 May 2021
  88. I knew I was alcoholic ...17 May 2021
  89. Q: I drink too much and too often but I haven't had any consequences. Do I need to stop?30 April 2021
  90. Q: What makes us not want to stop when we've had our first drink?30 April 2021
  91. How do I know I'm an alcoholic?18 April 2021
  92. What does the dash mean?16 March 2021
  93. Step One: where are the quotations in the Big Book?6 March 2021
  94. Steps One to Three in a nutshell30 January 2021
  95. Unmanageability is not unhappiness, disorganisation, or incompetence5 January 2021
  96. The runaway trains10 October 2020
  97. Taking Al-Anons etc. through the Big Book24 May 2020
  98. Step One4 May 2020
  99. The solution to alcoholism1 May 2020
  100. How too much information obscures the relevant truth26 January 2020
  101. Step One in brief22 December 2019
  102. An Al-Anon exercise for getting back on track18 December 2019
  103. To drink is to die21 March 2019
  104. Step One19 March 2019
  105. The way out27 November 2018
  106. The car won't start19 November 2018
  107. Step One5 November 2018
  108. Mental states preceding ...18 July 2018
  109. Step One, whatever your problem (revised 15 July)14 July 2018
  110. Elusive4 July 2018
  111. Al-Anon and boundaries2 July 2018
  112. 'I drank on ...'2 July 2018
  113. The physical allergy16 June 2018
  114. Active addiction27 April 2018
  115. We admitted that our lives had become unmanageable7 March 2018
  116. Step One20 February 2018
  117. It's not working!19 February 2018
  118. It's not about the consequences4 January 2018
  119. The only step you can complete perfectly ...2 December 2017
  120. But I only lose control sometimes!9 November 2017
  121. Craving, obsession, and preoccupation15 April 2017
  122. How do you know if you're close to a drink?21 December 2016
  123. Admitted we were powerless ...27 November 2016
  124. The first three Steps for the purposes of ad hoc inventory31 October 2016
  125. Fatal progression13 October 2016
  126. Chapter 3—Considerations—SA-adjusted version10 August 2016
  127. Chapter 2—Considerations—SA-adjusted version10 August 2016
  128. The Doctor's Opinion—Considerations—SA-adjusted version10 August 2016
  129. Washed out to sea21 July 2016
  130. What is unmanageability? A simple summary25 February 2016
  131. Augen zu und durch27 October 2015
  132. Do I have choices now?16 August 2015
  133. The phenomenon of craving9 August 2015
  134. What if I don't want to stop?27 July 2015
  135. Are you a gambling man?26 June 2015
  136. Step One: keeping it simple26 June 2015
  137. Hard drinker or real alcoholic?31 May 2014
  138. Step One in Al-Anon26 May 2014
  139. The first three Steps on problems other than alcohol28 December 2013
  140. The failure of self-knowledge15 September 2013
  141. What we learn from Jim's story13 September 2013
  142. Do alcoholics choose to drink?9 October 2012
  143. Absolute surrender17 February 2012
  144. Jim vs the pamphlet8 November 2011
  145. "I drank on ..."7 June 2011
  146. More About Alcoholism (considerations)27 February 2011
  147. What is unmanageability?1 December 2010
  148. You will take the first drink, and you won't be able to go to meetings29 November 2010
  149. The supreme sacrifice16 November 2010
  150. Chapter Two: There Is A Solution (Considerations)5 July 2010
  151. Not-So-Merry-Go-Rounds, Labyrinths, and Chess with the Devil11 June 2010
  152. Camels, Gardens, and Ruby Slippers8 June 2010
  153. Cannot or will not?21 May 2010
  154. An exercise for re-approaching Step Four29 April 2010
  155. The Sistine Chapel, cardboard boxes, and great persuaders15 April 2010
  156. "I don't miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time."12 April 2010
  157. Alcoholism in 100 words5 April 2010
  158. Splinters, Rabbit Holes, and Wonderland3 April 2010
  159. The Race6 February 2010
  160. The real New Year's Day1 January 2010