The First Step to Sobriety

Over the years, numerous individuals have sought my guidance in counseling, sharing that even though their alcohol use has led to serious problems, they hesitate to stop. Often, they express, "I just want to control my drinking. Can you help me manage it?"In most cases, when this question comes from someone who drinks heavily and has never been able to control their consumption, my answer is always, "No." I am open to being their therapist as they work towards this aim, but I make it clear that they must understand that if they could have managed their drinking, they would have done so by now.I then remind them of the first step in the 12-step program, which states, "1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable."This episode centers on embracing the first step of the 12-step journey to sobriety.