Problem

According to the  Big Book,  our Problem to be two fold in nature: a physical allergy and a mental obsession.We have studied the Big Book sufficiently enough to demonstrate this to any person who claims otherwise in our Fellowship.

As a group, we do not enter the debating society or oppose any person or group which suggests a different position. We prefer to believe the original authors - The First One Hundred - who wrote the Big Book. 

All quotes from BB Pocket Sized 4 Ed:

Overview of Our Problem

Foreword to the First Edition

"We,of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of MIND and BODY"

Doctor's Opinion(pg xxii,par 2):

"In this statement he confirms what we who have suffered alcoholic torture must believe - that the BODY of the alcoholic is quite as abnormal as his MIND"

(pg xxiv, para 2):

"We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an ALLERGY" (Physical Aspect)

(same pg, para 4):

"They are restless, irritable and discontented,..." (Mental Aspect)

(pg xxvi, para 1):

"These men were not drinking to escape; they were drinking to overcome a craving beyond their MENTAL control" (Mental and Physical Aspects)

Bill's Story(Chp 1 pg 6, para 3):

"The Mind and Body are marvellous mechanisms..."

" Then came the night when the physical and mental torture..."

(pg 7, para 2):

"My brother-in-law is a physician, and through his kindness and that of my mother I was placed in a nationally-known hospital for the MENTAL and PHYSICAL rehabilitation of alcoholics."

There is a Solution(Chp 2, pg 20, para 2):

"...we have recovered from a hopeless state of MIND and BODY."

(Chp 2, pg 22, para 4)

" We are equally positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, both in the BODILY and MENTAL sense, which makes it virtually impossible to stop."

More About Alcoholism(Chp 3, pg 30, para 1):

"No person likes to think he is BODILY and MENTALLY different from his fellows."

Conclusion

Some folks  around our meetings treat the allergy by not drinking while sharing their experience (drunkathons) but do not share about the queer mental twist of the insidous mental insanity preceding the first drink.  Our problem is not stopping.  Its staying stopped and being serene in it! In some places, we hear the experience of drinking but there is no real Hope and Strength in a solution, except being a meeting maker and put the plug-in-the-jug on a daily basis.  That's not the legacy of our problem and solution left by Bill and the frst one hundred. Not even close.

Fact is, if we cannot drink safely because of the Body (Allergy) but we cannot quit entirely because the Mind (Obsession) - then we are POWERLESS over Alcohol!

There is NO Spiritual part in our FIRST STEP!

We use a Spiritual Solution to solve our Problem (the remaining eleven steps).

We recover by the steps we take, not solely by the meetings we make