5 Top Lessons from The Big Book of AA
There are many resources that provide help to people who are addicted to alcohol. While some people are able to overcome an addiction on their own, others need as much help as they can get.
Once a person makes his or her way through a treatment program, they may wish to continue with a similar approach into the future. This is what has made Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) so popular.
It doesn’t matter if you are seeking help for yourself or a loved one, The Big Book of AA is a great place to start your search for information. This may not be the only place you turn for help, but it can go a long way in helping you better understand your situation, remain sober, and realize that you are not the only person in this position.
The lessons you learn from The Big Book of AA can be the difference between putting your addiction in the past and dealing with this well into the future.
Lessons to Learn
As you make your way through The Big Book of AA, you are going to pick up a variety of information. Some lessons will stick with you forever, while others may not mean much. The most importance thing is that you learn something. You want to takeaway high quality information that can put you on the path to a sober future.
Here are five of the top lessons you can learn from this book:
- Personal stories. Many people feel alone when they are overcoming an alcohol addiction. They realize they have made some mistakes, but can’t understand that others have done the same.
The nice thing about The Big Book of AA is that it includes personal stories from other people in the same situation. You never want to hear that others are in trouble as well, but this can go a long way in helping you realize that you are not alone. Furthermore, these stories can give you the motivation you need to stay the course.
- Information on alcoholism. Just because you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol does not mean you understand the finer details. At some point, you may want to learn more about alcoholism, including why this is such a big problem.
No matter when you learn more, it is imperative that you do so. Facts, figures, treatment options, and other details often escape people. You don’t want to find yourself with a lack of information, as it can make it more difficult to understand your situation.
- Helping somebody with an alcohol addiction. Just because you haven’t faced this trouble doesn’t mean it hasn’t entered your life. For example, the “To Wives” section can help women who are going through this process with their husband.
You may find a few nuggets of information that allow you to better understand what your husband is facing and how to provide assistance. Any bit of advice can go a long way in making things better for everybody who has been impacted.
- Family help. From spouses to children among others, the family is often impacted when a person is attempting to overcome alcoholism.
There is an entire section devoted to this, teaching lessons that help you better understand what a family goes through during this difficult time. It is easy for people to be upset and overwhelmed. And there is nothing wrong with this. As long as you understand how a family can be impacted, it is much easier to ensure that everybody is in position to deal with the problem.
- A vision for the future. This may be the most important lesson in The Big Book of AA. It is important for everybody in this position to realize that their life is not over. They are able to turn things around with the right approach. It may not be easy, but there are people and groups that can help.
When you have a good vision for the future, when you set goals, you are able to get past your alcoholism and lead a better life. The Big Book of AA does a good job teaching this lesson. It gives people hope that the future is going to be better than the past.
Final Thoughts
The Big Book of AA has helped many people deal with the impact of alcoholism. The information included may be all a person and their family needs in order to move forward.
Although this book alone may not be enough to keep a person on the right track, the lessons have been proven successful over the years. If you or a loved one is facing a problem with alcohol, reading The Big Book of AA could be one of the best steps you take.