But while step four will, in fact, contain some things we aren’t proud of; is that the point of the step? The amends don’t come for another five steps after step four, so is four mostly about inventorying what we did? Is it about the what? Support the show

Unable to stop drinking and unable to keep drinking, I committed suicide. Opiates and alcohol are a deadly mix. There’s no reason I should have been found, resuscitated or still be here, but I woke up the next morning in an ICU anyway, and angry - very angry.Support the show

There is often a difference between what the Twelve Step fellowship says versus what the Twelve Step program says. Sometimes the differences are inconsequential, but sometimes they are serious distortions and lead new members in the wrong direction. This program vs fellowship series points out some of those differences.Support the show

There is often a difference between what the Twelve Step fellowship says versus what the Twelve Step program says. Sometimes the differences are inconsequential, but sometimes they are serious distortions of the program and lead new members in the wrong direction. This program vs fellowship series points out some of those differences.Support the show

But is the language really a deal breaker, or is it just a sign of unmet expectation?Support the show

Slogans are popular in Twelve Step rooms. You find then framed on the walls of clubhouses, and offered to newcomers like cotton candy. But slogans combine the hard-won wisdom of years, and these bite-sized “recovery” nuggets have little nutritional value, and are often completely misunderstood. Here are some of the ones that leave us wanting more.Support the show

Let’s recap part one of this two-part episode before we get into the second half in detail.Support the show

Symptoms of untreated trauma include restlessness, irritability and discontentedness, as do the effects of emotional abuse, physical abuse, and PTSD. It’s not a direct corollary - each of the above has additional symptoms that go beyond the three Silkworth mentions, but the similarity is striking in an age where addiction is more and more seen as rooted in some sort of pain.Support the show

Which came first - the program or the fellowship?The program came first, but some of you saw, “Which came first - the chicken or the chicken."Support the show

The God idea was born of circumstance, not necessity.Support the show