A Manual for Alcoholics Anonymous

From AA Group No. 1, Akron, Ohio, 1940
Dr. Bob's Home Group

(Editor's Note, 1997: Dr. Bob probably wrote or heavily influenced the
writing and distribution of this pamphlet. Dr. Bob was the Prince of 12
Steppers, from the day he achieved permanent sobriety, June 10, 1935, the
founding date of Alcoholics Anonymous, until his death, November 16,
1950, carrying the message of A.A. to well over 5000 men and women
alcoholics, and to all these he gave his medical services without thought
of charge.)

FOREWORD

This booklet is intended to be a practical guide for new members and
sponsors of new members of Alcoholics Anonymous.

TO THE NEWCOMER: The booklet is designed to give you a practical
explanation of what to do and what not to do in your search for sobriety.
The editors, too, were pretty bewildered by the program at first. They
realize that very likely you are groping for answers and offer this
pamphlet in order that it may make a little straighter and less confusing
the highway you are about to travel.

TO THE SPONSOR: lf you have never before brought anyone into A.A. the
booklet attempts to tell you what your duties are by your "Baby," how you
should conduct yourself while visiting patients, and other odd bits at
information, some of which may be new to you.

The booklet should be read in conjunction with the large book, Alcoholics
Anonymous, the Bible, the daily lesson, any other pamphlets that are
published by the group, and other constructive literature. A list of
suggestions will be found in the back pages of this pamphlet. It is
desirable that members of A.A. furnish their prospective"Babies" with
this "Manual" as early as possible, particularly in the case of
hospitalization. The experience behind the writing and editing of this
pamphlet adds up to hundreds of years of drinking, plus scores of years
of recent sobriety. Every suggestion, every word, is backed up by hard
experience.

The editors do not pretend any explanation of the spiritual or religious
aspects of A.A. It is assumed that this phase of the work will be
explained by sponsors. The booklet therefore deals solely with the
physical aspects of getting sober and remaining sober.

A.A. in Akron is fortunate in having facilities for hospitalizing its
patients. In many communities, however, hospitalization is not available.
Although the pamphlet mentions hospitalization throughout, the methods
described are effective if the patient is confined to his home, if he is
in prison or a mental institution, or if he is attempting to learn A.A.
principles and carry on his workaday job at the same time.

If your community has a hospital, either private or general, that has not
accepted alcoholic patients in the past, it might be profitable to call
on the officials of the institution and explain Alcoholics Anonymous to
them. Explain that we are not in the business of sobering up drunks
merely to have them go on another bender. Explain that our aim is total
and permanent sobriety. Hospital authorities should know, and if they do
not, should be told, that an alcoholic is a sick man, just as sick as a
diabetic or a consumptive. Perhaps his affliction will not bring death as
quickly as diabetes or tuberculosis, but it will bring death or insanity
eventually.

Alcoholism has had a vast amount of nationwide publicity in recent years.
It has been discussed in medical journals, national magazines and
newspapers. It is possible that a little sales talk will convince the
hospital authorities in your community that they should make beds
available for patients sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous.
If the way is finally opened, it is urged that you guard your hospital
privileges carefully. Be as certain as you possibly can be that your
patient sincerely wants A.A.

Above all, carefully observe all hospital rules.

It has been our experience that a succession of unruly patients or unruly
visitors can bring a speedy termination of hospital privileges. And they
will want no part of you or your patient in the future.

Once he starts to sober up, the average alcoholic makes a model hospital
patient. He needs little or no nursing or medical care, and he is
grateful for his opportunity.

Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous:

An Alcoholic Anonymous is an alcoholic who through application of and
adherence to rules laid down by the organization, has completely forsworn
the use of any and all alcoholic beverages. The moment he wittingly
drinks so much as a drop of beer, wine, spirits, or any other alcoholic
drink he automatically loses all status as a member of Alcoholics
Anonymous.

A.A. is not interested in sobering up drunks who are not sincere in their
desire to remain completely sober for all time. A.A. is not interested in
alcoholics who want to sober up merely to go on another bender, sober up
because of fear for their jobs, their wives, their social standing, or to
clear up some trouble either real or imaginary. In other words, if a
person is genuinely sincere in his desire for continued sobriety for his
own good, is convinced in his heart that alcohol holds him in its power,
and is willing to admit that he is an alcoholic, members of Alcoholics
Anonymous will do all in their power, spend days of their time to guide
him to a new, a happy, and a contented way of life. It is utterly
essential for the newcomer to say to himself sincerely and without any
reservation, "I am doing this for myself and myself alone." Experience
has proved in hundreds of cases that unless an alcoholic is sobering up
for a purely personal and selfish motive, he will not remain sober for
any great length of time. He may remain sober for a few weeks or a few
months, but the moment the motivating element, usually fear of some sort,
disappears, so disappears sobriety.

TO THE NEWCOMER: It is your life. It is your choice. If you are not
completely convinced to your own satisfaction that you are an alcoholic,
that your life has become unmanageable; if you are not ready to part with
alcohol forever, it would be better for all concerned if you discontinue
reading this and give up the idea of becoming a member of Alcoholics
Anonymous.

For if you are not convinced, it is not only wasting your own time, but
the time of scores of men and women who are genuinely interested in
helping you.

TO THE LADIES: If we seem to slight you in this booklet it is not
intentional. We merely use the masculine pronouns "he" and "him" for
convenience. We fully realize that alcohol shows no partiality. It does
not respect age, sex, nor estate. The millionaire drunk on the best
Scotch and the poor man drunk on the cheapest rotgut look like twin
brothers when they are in a hospital bed or the gutter. The only
difference between a female and a male drunk is that the former is likely
to be treated with a little more consideration and courtesy - although
generally she does not deserve it. Every word in this pamphlet applies to
women as well as men.- THE EDITORS.

III

A WORD TO THE SPONSOR who is putting his first newcomer into a hospital
or otherwise introducing him to this new way of life: You must assume
full responsibility for this man. He trusts you, otherwise he would not
submit to hospitalization. You must fulfill all pledges you make to him,
either tangible or intangible. If you cannot fulfill a promise, do not
make it. It is easy enough to promise a man that he will get his job back
if he sobers up. But unless you are certain that it can be fulfilled,
don't make that promise. Don't promise financial aid unless you are ready
to fulfill your part of the bargain. If you don't know how he is going to
pay his hospital bill, don't put him in the hospital unless you are
willing to assume financial responsibility.

It is definitely your job to see that he has visitors, and you must visit
him frequently yourself. If you hospitalize a man and then neglect him,
he will naturally lose confidence in you, assume a "nobody loves me"
attitude, and your half-hearted labors will be lost.

This is a very critical time in his life. He looks to you for courage,
hope, comfort and guidance. He fears the past. He is uncertain of the
future. And he is in a frame of mind that the least neglect on your part
will fill him with resentment and self-pity. You have in your hands the
most valuable property in the world - the future of a fellow man. Treat
his life as carefully as you would your own. You are literally
responsible for his life.

Above all, don't coerce him into a hospital. Don't get him drunk and then
throw him in while he is semi-conscious Chances are he will waken
wondering where he is, how he got there. And he won't last.

You should be able to judge if a man is sincere in his desire to quit
drinking. Use this judgment. Otherwise you will find yourself needlessly
bumping your head into a stone wall and wondering why your "babies" don't
stay sober. Remember your own experience. You can remember many times
when you would have done anything to get over that awful alcoholic
sickness, although you had no desire in the world to give up drinking for
good. It doesn't take much good health to inspire an alcoholic to go back
and repeat the acts that made him sick. Men who have had pneumonia don't
often wittingly expose themselves a second time. But an alcoholic will
deliberately get sick over and over again with brief interludes of good
health. You should make it a point to supply your patient with the proper
literature - the big "Alcoholics Anonymous" book, this pamphlet, other
available pamphlets, a Bible, and anything else that has helped you.
Impress upon him the wisdom and necessity of reading and rereading this
literature. The more he learns about A.A. the easier the road to sobriety.

Study the newcomer and decide who among your A.A. friends, might have the
best story and exert the best influence on him. There are all types in
A.A. and regardless of whom you hospitalize, there are dozens who can
help him. An hour on the telephone will produce callers. Don't depend on
chance. Stray visitors may drop in, bur twenty or thirty phone calls will
clinch matters and remove uncertainty. It is your responsibility to
conjure up callers.

Impress upon your patient that his visitors are not making purely social
calls. Their conversation is similar to medicine. Urge him to listen
carefully to all that is said, and then meditate upon it after his
visitor leaves.

When your patient is out of the hospital your work has not ended. It is
now your duty not only to him but to yourself to see that he starts out
on the right foot.

Accompany him to his first meeting. Take him along with you when you call
on the next patient. Telephone him when there are other patients. Drop in
at his home occasionally. Telephone him as often as possible. Urge him to
look up the new friends he has made. Counsel and advise him. There was a
certain amount of glamour connected with being a patient in the hospital.
He had many visitors. His time was occupied. Out now that he has been
discharged, the glamour has worn off. He probably will be lonely. He may
be too timid to seek the companionship of his new friends. Experience has
proved this to be a very critical period. So your labors have not ended.
Give him as much attention as you did when you first called on him -
until he can find the road by himself.

Remember, you depend on the newcomer to keep you sober as much as he
depends on you. So never lose touch with your responsibility, which never
ends.

Remember the old adage, "Two is company and three is a crowd." If you
find a patient has one or more visitors don't go into the room. An
alcoholic goes to the hospital for two reasons only - to get sober and to
learn how to keep sober. The former is easy. Cut off the alcohol and a
person is bound to get sober. So the really important thing is to learn
how to keep sober. Experience has taught that when more than three gather
in a room, patient included, the talk turns to the World Series,
politics, funny drunken incidents, and "l could drink more than you."

Such discussion is a waste of the patient time and money. It is assumed
that he wants to know how you are managing to keep sober, and you won't
hold his attention if there is a crowd in the room.

If you must enter the room when there is another visitor, do it quietly
and unobtrusively. Sit down in a corner and be silent until the other
visitor has concluded. If he wants any comments from you he will ask for
them.

One more word. It is desirable that the patient's visitors be confined to
members of Alcoholics Anonymous Have a quiet talk with his wife or his
family before he goes to the hospital. Explain that he will be in good
hands and that it is only through kindness to him that his family and
friends are asked to stay away. New members are likely to be a little
shy. If they find a woman in the patient's room they are not inclined to
"let down their hair." The older hands don't mind it, but a new member
might unwittingly be kept from delivering a valuable message.

TO THE NEWCOMER: Now you are in the hospital. Or perhaps you are learning
to be an Alcoholic Anonymous the "hard way" by continuing at your job
while undertaking sobriety.

You will have many callers. They will come singly and in pairs. They may
arrive at all hours, from early morning to late night. Some you will
like; some you will resent, some will seem stupid; others will strike you
as silly, fanatic or slightly insane; some will tell you a story that
will be "right down your alley." But remember this - never for one minute
forget it:

Every single one of them is a former drunk and every single one is trying
to help you! Your visitor has had the very problems that you are facing
now. In comparison with some, your problems are trifles. You have one
thing in common with every visitor - an alcoholic problem. Your caller
may have been sober for a week or for half a decade. He still has an
alcoholic problem, and if he for one moment forgets to follow any single
rule for sober living, he may be occupying your hospital bed tomorrow.

Alcoholics Anonymous is one hundred percent effective for those who
faithfully follow the rules.It is those who try to cut corners who find
themselves back in their old drunken state.

Your visitor is going out of his way, taking up his time, perhaps missing
a pleasant evening at home or at the theater by calling on you. His
motives are two-fold: He is selfish in that by calling on you he is
taking out a little more "sobriety insurance" for himself; and secondly,
he is genuinely anxious to pass along the peace and happiness a new way
of life has brought him. He is also paying off a debt - paying the people
who led him to the path of sobriety by helping someone else. In a very
short time you too will find yourself paying off your debt, by carrying
the word to another. Always bear in mind that your caller not so many
days or months ago occupied the same bed you are in today.

And here we might, despite our promise earlier in the booklet, give you a
hint on the spiritual phase of Alcoholics Anonymous. You will be told to
have faith in a Higher Power. First have faith in your visitor. He is
sincere. He is not lying to you. He is not attempting to sell you a bill
of goods. A. A is given away, not sold. Believe him when he tells you
what you must do to attain sobriety.

His very presence and appearance should be proof to you that the A.A.
program really works. He is extending a helping hand and for himself asks
nothing in return. Regardless of who he is or what he has to say, listen
to him carefully and courteously. Your alcohol-befuddled mind may not
absorb all he says in an hour's conversation, but you will find that when
he leaves certain things he has said will come back to you. Ponder these
things carefully They may bring you salvation. It has been the history of
A.A. that one never knows where lightning will strike. You may pick up
the germ of an idea from the most unexpected source. That single idea may
shape the course of your entire life, may be the start of an entirely new
philosophy. So no matter who your caller is, or what he says, listen
attentively.

Your problem has always seemed to be shared by no one else in this world.
You
cannot conceive of anyone else in your predicament. Forget it! Your
problem dates back to the very beginning of history. Some long-forgotten
hero discovered that the juice of the grape made a pleasant drink that
brought pleasant results. That same hero probably drank copiously until
he suddenly discovered that he could not control his appetite for the
juice of the grape. And then he found himself in the same predicament you
are in now - sick, worried, crazed with fear, and extremely thirsty.

Your caller once felt that he alone in the world had a drinking problem,
and was amazed into sobriety when he discovered that countless thousands
were sharing his troubles.

He also found out that when he brought his troubles out of their dark and
secret hiding place and exposed them to the cleansing light of day, they
were half conquered. And so it will be for you. Bring your problems out
in the open and you will be amazed how they disappear.

It cannot be repeated too often: Listen carefully and think it over at
great length.

Now You Are Alone. When you go to the hospital with typhoid fever your
one thought is to be cured. When you go to the hospital as a chronic
alcoholic your only thought should be to conquer a disease that is just
as deadly if not so quick to kill. And rest assured that the disease is
deadly. The mental hospitals are filled with chronic alcoholics. The
vital statistics files in every community are filled with deaths due to
acute alcoholism.

This is the most serious moment in your life. You can leave the hospital
and resume an alcoholic road to an untimely grave or padded cell, or you
can start upward to a life that is happy beyond any expectation. It is
your choice and your choice alone. Your newly found friends cannot police
you to keep you sober. They have neither the time nor the inclination.
They will go to unbelievable lengths to help you but there is a limit to
all things. Shortly after you leave the hospital you will be on your own.
The Bible tells us to put "first things first." Alcohol is obviously the
first thing in your life. So concentrate on conquering it.

You could have gone through the mechanics of sobering up at home. Your
new friends could have called on you in your own living room. But at home
there would have been a hundred and one thing to distract your attention
- the radio, the furnace, a broken screen door, a walk to the drug store,
your own family affairs. Every one of these things would make you forget
the most important thing in your life, the thing upon which depends life
or death -- complete and endless sobriety. That is why you are in the
hospital You have time to think; you have time to read; you will have
time to examine your life, past and present, and to reflect upon what it
can be in the future. And don't be in a hurry to leave. Your sponsor
knows best. Stay in the hospital until you have at least a rudimentary
understanding of the program.

There is the Bible that you haven't opened for years. Get acquainted with
it. Read it with an open mind. You will find things that will amaze you.
You will be convinced that certain passages were written with you in
mind. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew V, VI, and VII). Read St.
Paul's inspired essay on love (I Corinthians XIII). Read the Book of
James. Read the Twenty-third and Ninety-first Psalms. These reading are
brief but so important.

Read "Alcoholics Anonymous" and then read it again. You may find that it
contains your own story. It will become your second Bible. Ask your
callers to suggest other readings. And if you are puzzled, ask questions.
One of your callers will know the answers. Get your sponsor to explain to
you the Twelve Steps. If he is not too certain about them - he may be new
in this work - ask someone else. The Twelve Steps are listed in the back
of this booklet. There is no standing still in A.A. You either forge
ahead or slip backwards. Even the oldest members, the founders, learn
something new almost every day.

You can never learn too much in the search for sobriety.

NOW YOU ARE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL

By this time you should know if you want to go along with A.A., or if you
want to slip back into that old headache that you called life. You are
physically sober and well -- a bit shaky, perhaps but that will wear off
in a short time. Reflect that you didn't get into this condition over
night, and that you cannot expect to get out of it in a couple of hours
or days.

You feel good enough to go on another bender, or good enough to try a
different scheme of things - sobriety.

You have decided to go along with Alcoholics Anonymous? Very well, you
will never regret it.

First off, your day will have a new pattern. You will open the day with a
quiet period. This will be explained by your sponsor. You will read the
"Upper Room," or whatever you think best for yourself. You will say a
little prayer asking for help during the day. You will go about your
daily work, and your associates will be surprised at you clear-eyed, the
disappearance of that haunted look and your willingness to make up for
the past. You sponsor may drop in to see you, or call you on the
telephone. There may be a meeting of an A.A. group. Attend it without
question. You have no valid excuse except sickness or being out of town,
for not attending. You may call on a new patient. Don't wait until
tomorrow to do this. You will find the work fascinating. You will find a
kindred soul. And you will be giving yourself a new boost along the road
to sobriety. Finally, at the end of the day you will say another little
prayer of thanks and gratitude for a day of sobriety. You will have lived
a full day - a full, constructive day. And you will be grateful. You feel
that you have nothing to say to a new patient? No story to tell?
Nonsense! You have been sober for a day, or for a week. Obviously, you
must have done something to stay sober, even for that short length of
time. That is your story. And believe it or not, the patient won't
realize that you are nearly as much of a tyro as he is. Definitely you
have something to say. And with each succeeding visit you will find that
your story comes easier, that you have more confidence in your ability to
be of help. The harder you work at sobriety the easier it is to remain
sober.

Your sponsor will take you to your first meeting. You will find it new,
but inspirational. You will find an atmosphere of peace and contentment
that you didn't know existed.

After you have attended several meetings it will be your duty to get up
on your feet and say something. You will have something to say, even if
it is only to express gratitude to the group for having helped you.
Before many months have passed you will be asked to lead a meeting. Don't
try to put it off with excuses. It is part of the program. Even if you
don't think highly of yourself as a public speaker, remember you are
among friends, and that your friends also are ex-drunks.

Get in contact with your new friends. Call them up. Drop in at their
homes or offices. The door is always open to a fellow-alcoholic. Before
long you will have a new thrill -- the thrill of helping someone else.
There is no greater satisfaction in the world than watching the progress
of a new Alcoholic Anonymous. When you first see him in his hospital bed
he may be unshaved, bleary-eyed, dirty, incoherent. Perhaps the next day
he has shaved and cleaned up. A day later his eyes are brighter, new
color has come into his face. He talks more intelligently. He leaves the
hospital, goes to work, and buys some new clothes. And in a month you
will hardly recognize him as the derelict you first met in the hospital.
No whisky in the world can give you this thrill. Above all, remember
this: Keep the rules in mind. As long as you follow them you are on firm
ground. But the least deviation - and you are vulnerable.

AS A NEW MEMBER, remember you are one of the most important cogs in the
machinery of A.A. Without the work of the new member, A.A. could not have
grown as it has. You will bring into this work a fresh enthusiasm, the
zeal of a crusader. You will want everyone to share with you the
blessings of this new life. You will be tireless in your efforts to help
others. And it is a splendid enthusiasm! Cherish it as long as you can.

It is not likely that your fresh enthusiasm will last forever. You will
find, however, that as initial enthusiasm wanes, it is replaced with a
greater understanding, deeper sympathy, and a more complete knowledge.
You will eventually become an "elder statesman" of A.A. and you will be
able to use your knowledge to help not only brand new members, but those
who have been members for a year or more, but who still have perplexing
problems. And as a new member, do not hesitate to bring your problems to
these "elder statesmen" They may be able to solve your headaches and make
easier your path.

And now you are ready to go back and read Part III of this booklet. For
you are ready to sponsor some other poor alcoholic who is desperately in
need of help, both human and Divine.
So God bless you and keep you.

YARDSTICK FOR ALCOHOLICS

THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER of A.A. may have some doubts if he is actually an
alcoholic. A.A. in Akron has found a yardstick prepared by psychiatrists
of Johns Hopkins University to be very valuable in helping the alcoholic
decide for himself.

Have your prospect answer the following questions, being as honest as
possible with himself in deciding the answers. If he answers Yes to one
of the questions, there is a definite warning that he MAY be an
alcoholic. If he answers YES to any two, the chances are that he IS an
alcoholic. If he answers YES to any three or more, he IS DEFINITELY an
alcoholic and in need of help.

The questions:

1. Do you lose time from work due to drinking?
2. Is drinking making your home life unhappy?
3. Do you drink because you are shy with other people?
4. Is drinking affecting your reputation?
5. Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a result of drinking?
6. Have you ever stolen, pawned property, or "borrowed" to get money for
alcoholic beverages?
7. Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when
drinking?
8. Does your drinking make you careless of your family's welfare?
9. Has your ambition decreased since drinking?
10. Do you crave a drink at a definite time daily?
11. Do you want a drink the next morning?
12. Does drinking cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
13. Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?
14. Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?
15. Do you drink to escape from worries or troubles?
16. Do you drink alone?
17. Have you ever had a complete loss of memory s a result of drinking?
18. Has your physician ever treated you for drinking?
19. Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?
20. Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of
drinking?

RANDOM THOUGHTS

NOW THAT YOU ARE SOBER, you naturally feel that you want to make
restitution in every possible way for the trouble you have caused your
family, your friends - others. You want to get back on the job - if you
still have a job - earn money, pay your immediate debts and obligations
of long standing and almost forgotten. Money - you must have money, you
think. And you also want to make restitution in action in many ways, not
financial. If you could wave a magic wand and do all these things you
would do it, wouldn't you?

Well, don't be in a hurry. You can't do all these things overnight. But
you can do them - gradually, step by step. You may safely leave these
matters to a Higher Power as you perhaps ponder them in your morning
period of contemplation. If you are sincerely resolved to do your part,
they will all be adjusted.

"Be still and know that I am God."

SOBRIETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE, without exception. You
may believe your job, or your home life, or one of many other things
comes first.

But consider, if you do not get sober and stay sober, chances are you
won't have a job, a family, or even sanity or life. If you are convinced
that everything in life depends on your sobriety, you have just so much
more chance of getting sober and staying sober. If you put other things
first you are only hurting your chances.
YOU AREN'T very important in this world. If you lose your job someone
better will replace you. If you die your wife will mourn briefly, and
then remarry. Your children will grow up and you will be but a memory. In
the last analysis, you are the only one who benefits by your sobriety.
Seek to cultivate humility. Remember that cockiness leads to a speedy
fall.

IF YOU THINK you can cheat - sneak a drink or two without anyone else
knowing it - remember, you are only cheating yourself. You are the one
who will be hurt by conscience. You are the one who will suffer a
hangover. And you are the one who will return to a hospital bed.

Bear constantly in mind that you are only one drink away from trouble.
Whether you have been sober a day, a month, a year or a decade, one
single drink is a certain way to go off on a binge or a series of binges.
It is the first drink - not the second, fifth or twentieth, that causes
the trouble.

And remember, the more A.A. work you do, the harder you train, the less
likely it is that you will take that first drink.

It is something like two boxers. If they are of the same weight, the same
strength and the same ability, and only one trains faithfully while the
other spends his time in night dubs and bars, it is pretty sure that the
man who trains will be the winner. So let attendance at meetings be your
road work; helping newcomers your sparring and shadow boxing your
reading, meditation and clear thinking your gymnasium work and you
won't have to fear a knockout at the hands of John Barleycorn.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take
thought for the things itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.- Matthew VI, 34.

Those words are taken from the Sermon on the Mount. Simply, they mean
live in today only. Forget yesterday. Do not anticipate tomorrow. You can
only live one day at a time and if you do a good job of that, you will
have little trouble. One of the easiest, most practical ways of keeping
sober ever devised is the day by day plan - the 24-hour plan.

You know that it is possible to stay sober for 24 hours. You have done it
many times. All right. Stay sober for one day at a time. When you get up
in the morning make up your mind that you will not take a drink for the
entire day. Ask the Greater Power for a little help in this. If anyone
asks you to have a drink, take a rain check. Say you will have it
tomorrow. Then when you go to bed at night, finding yourself sober, say a
little word of thanks to the Greater Power for having helped you.

Repeat the performance the next day. And the next. Before you realize it
you will have been sober a week, a month, a year. And yet you have only
been sober a day at a time.

If you set a time limit on your sobriety you will be looking forward to
that day, and each day will be a burden to you. You will burn with
impatience. But with no goal the whole thing clears itself, almost
miraculously.

Try the day by day plan.

Medical Men will tell you that alcoholics are all alike in at least one
respect: they are emotionally immature. In other words, alcoholics have
not learned to think like adults.

The child, lying in bed at night, becomes frightened by a shadow on the
wall, and hides his head under the covers.

The adult, seeing the same shadow, knows there is a logical reason for
it. He sees the streetlight, then the bedpost, and he knows what causes
the shadow. He has simply done what the child is incapable of doing -
THOUGHT. And through thinking he has avoided fear.

Learn to think things out. Take a thought and follow it through to its
conclusion.

If you are tempted to take a drink, reason out for yourself what will
happen. Because if you will give serious consideration to the
consequences you will have the battle won.

SO YOU'RE DIFFERENT! So you think you are not an alcoholic!

As many Alcoholics Anonymous have gone off the deep end for that kind of
thinking as almost all the other reasons combined.

If you have all the symptoms your sponsor will tell you about and that
you hear about at meetings, rest assured you are an alcoholic and no
different from the rest of the breed.

But don't make the mistake of finding it out the hard way - by
experimenting with liquor. You will find it a painful experience and will
only learn that you are NOT different.

AT MEETINGS don't criticize the leader. He has his own problems and is
doing his best to solve them. Help him along by standing up and saying a
few words. He will appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness.

DON'T criticize the methods of others. Strangely enough, you may change
your own ideas as you become older in sobriety. Remember there are a
dozen roads from New York to Chicago, but they all land in Chicago

WHAT'S YOUR HURRY? Perhaps you don't feel you are getting the hang of
this program as rapidly as you should. Forget it. It probably took you
years to get in this condition. You certainly cannot expect a complete
cure over night. You are not expected to grasp the entire program in one
day. No one else has ever done that, so it certainly is not expected of
you. Even the earliest members are learning something new about sober
living nearly every day. There is an old saying, "Easy does it." It is a
motto that any alcoholic could well ponder. A child learns to add and
subtract in the lower grades. He is not expected to do problems in
algebra until he is in high school. Sobriety is a thing that must be
learned step by step. If anything puzzles you, ask your new friends about
it, or forget it for the time being. The time is not so far away when you
will have a good understanding of the entire program. Meantime, EASY DOES
IT!

THE A.A. PROGRAM is not a "cure," in the accepted sense of the word.
There is no known "cure" for alcoholism except complete abstinence. It
has been definitely proved that an alcoholic can never again be a normal
drinker. The disease, however, can be arrested. How soon you will be
cured of a desire to drink is another matter. That depends entirely upon
how quickly you can succeed in changing your fundamental outlook on life.
For as your outlook changes for the better, desire will become less
pronounced, until it disappears almost entirely. It may be weeks or it
may be months. Your sincerity and your capacity for working with others
on the A.A. program will determine the length of time.
Earlier in this pamphlet it was advised to keep relatives away from the
hospital. The reason was explained. But after the patient leaves the
hospital, it would be to bring the wife, husband, or other close relative
to meeting. It will give them a clearer understanding of the program and
enable them to cooperate more intelligently and more closely in the
period of readjustment.

DIET AND REST play an important part in the rehabilitation of an
alcoholic. For many we bludgeoned ourselves physically, eating improper
foods, sleeping with the aid of alcohol. In our drinking days we ate a
bowl of chili or a hamburg sandwich because they were filling and cheap.
We sacrificed good food so we would have more money for whiskey. We were
the living counterparts of the old joke: "What, buying bread? And not a
drop of whiskey in the house!" Our rest was the same. We slept when we
passed out. We were the ones who turned out the streetlights and rolled
up the sidewalks.

We now find that it is wise to eat balanced meals at regular hours, and
get the proper amount of sleep without the unhealthy aid of liquor and
sleeping pills. Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride) or B Complex will help
steady our nerves and build up a vitamin deficiency. Fresh vegetables and
fruits will help.

In fact, it is a wise move to consult a physician, possibly have a
complete physical examination. Your doctor then will recommend a course
in vitamins, a balanced diet, and advise you as to rest.

The reason for this advice is simple. If we are undernourished and lack
rest we become irritable and nervous. In this condition our tempers get
out of control, our feelings are easily wounded, and we get
back to the old and dangerous thought processes - "Oh, to Hell with it.
I'll get drunk and show 'em."

MANY MEMBERS of A.A. find it helpful, even after a long period of
sobriety, to add an extra ration of carbohydrates to their diet. Alcohol
turns into sugar in the body, and when we deprive ourselves of alcohol
our bodies cry for sugar. This often manifests itself in a form of
nervousness.

Carry candy in your pocket. Keep it in your home. Eat deserts. Try an
occasional ice cream soda or malted milk. You may find that it solves a
problem by calming your nerves.

MEETINGS

IT HAS BEEN found advisable to hold meetings at least once a week at a
specified time and place. Meetings provide a means for an exchange of
ideas, the renewing of friendships, opportunity to review the work being
carried on, a sense of security, and an additional reminder that we are
alcoholics and must be continuously on the alert against the temptation
to slip backward into the old drunken way of living.

In larger communities where there are several groups it is recommended
that the new member attend as many meetings as possible. He will find
that the more he is exposed to A.A. the sooner he will absorb its
principles, the easier it will become to remain sober, and the sooner
problems will shrink and tend to disappear.

As a newcomer you will be somewhat bewildered by your first meeting. It
is even possible that it will not make sense to you. Many have this
experience. But if you don't find yourself enjoying your first meeting,
pause to remember that you probably didn't care for the taste of your
first drink of whisky - particularly if it was in bootleg days. Again,
you may feel like a "country cousin" at your first meeting. Your sponsor
should see to it that this is not the case. But even if he neglects his
duty, don't feel too badly. Don't be afraid to "horn in." If you are
being neglected it is just an oversight, and you are entirely welcome. It
is possible that you may not even be recognized because your appearance
has changed for the better. In a week or two you will find yourself in
the middle of things - and very likely neglecting other newcomers.
So attend your first meeting with an open mind. Even if you aren't
impressed try it again. Before long you will genuinely enjoy attending
and a little later you will feel that the week has been incomplete if you
have not attended at least one A.A. meeting.
Remember that attendance at meetings is one of the most important
requisites of remaining sober.

A.A. OF AKRON gets many inquiries about how to conduct a meeting. Methods
differ in many parts of the country. There are discussion groups, study
groups, meeting where a leader takes up the entire time himself, etc.

Here, briefly, is how meetings are conducted in the dozen or more Akron
groups, a method that has been used since the founding of A.A.:
The speaker can be selected from the local group, someone from another
group or another city, or on occasion, a guest from the ranks of
clergymen, doctor, the judiciary, or anyone who may be of help. In the
case of such an outsider, he is generally introduced by the secretary or
some other member.

The leader opens the meeting with a prayer, or asks someone else to pray.
The prayer can be original, or it can be taken from a prayer book, or
from some publication such as "The Upper Room." The topic is entirely up
to the leader. He can tell of his drinking experiences, or what he has
done to keep sober, or he can advance his own theories on A.A. His talk
lasts from 20 to 40 minutes, at which time he asks for comment or
testimony from the floor. Just before the meeting closes - one hour in
Akron - the leader asks for announcements or reports (such as next week's
leader, social affairs, new members to be called on, etc.). In closing
the entire group stands and repeats the Lord's Prayer. It is courteous to
give the speaker enough advance notice so that he may prepare his talk if
he so desires.

The Physical set-up of groups varies in many cities. Those who are about
to start new groups may be interested in the method used by Akron Group
No l. It is merely a suggestion, however.

When there are but very few members it is customary to hold the meetings
in private homes of the members, on the same night of each week. When the
group becomes larger, however, it is desirable to hold the meeting in a
regular place. A school room, a room in a Y. M. C A or lodge, or hotel
will do.

It has been the experience throughout the country that the more fluid the
structure of the group the more successful the operation.

Akron Group No. 1 has a very simple set-up. There is a permanent
secretary, who makes announcements, keeps a list of the membership, and
takes care of correspondence. There is also a permanent treasurer, who
takes care of the money and pays bills. Then there is a rotating
committee of three members to take care of current affairs. Each member
serves for three months, but a new one is added and one dropped every
month. This committee takes care of providing leaders, supplying
refreshments, arranging parties, greeting newcomers, etc.

As the group grows older certain qualifications, in terms of length of
sobriety, can be made. Akron Group No. 1 requires a full year of
continuous sobriety as qualification to hold an office or serve. There
are no dues. There is a free-will offering at each meeting to take care
of expenses.

There is probably an older group in some community within easy traveling
distance of yours. Someone from that group will doubtless be happy to
help you get started.

THE TWELVE STEPS

Alcoholics Anonymous is based on a set of laws known as the Twelve Steps.
Years of experience have definitely proved that those who live up to
these rules remain sober. Those who gloss over or ignore any one rule are
in constant danger of returning to a life of drunkenness. Thousands of
words could be written on each rule. Lack of space prevents, so they are
merely listed here. It is suggested that they be explained by the
sponsor. If he cannot explain them he should provide someone who can.

THE TWELVE STEPS

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol -- that our lives had
become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us
to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God
as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact
nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do
so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly
admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact
with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for
us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we
tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these
principles in all our affairs.
The Twelve Steps are more fully explained in another pamphlet published
in Akron and available through writing to Post Office Box 932. It is
called "A Guide to the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous" The price is
12 cents per copy, 9 cents in lot of 25 to 499, and 7 1/2 cents in lots
of 500 or more. Checks or money orders can be made out to A.A. of Akron.