A.A.’s Step 10: A Way of Life

…WHEN WE WERE WRONG… –

Oct. 5, 2023 – Character defects such as impatience, irritability, avoidance, blaming, etc., are never fully abolished, especially when we are “hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.” Humans always have room for improvement, which is why people in recovery have the humility to strive for “progress, not perfection.” Life is messy and amends are naturally needed from time to time.

Let’s compare how a person with alcohol use disorder and a person working the tenth step respond to treating someone with unwarranted irritability to illustrate changes that occur in recovery.

To begin, a person with alcohol use disorder has far more reasons to be irritable than a person in recovery. In addition to the hunger, anger, loneliness, and fatigue we all experience, this person also has the physical realities of being too intoxicated to inhibit impulsive outbursts or to read social cues accurately. They may also be experiencing a growing hunger for their drug of choice as withdrawal begins dawning.