FIRST STEP WORKSHEETS

1 FIRST STEPWORKSHEETST hese WORKSHEETS are not officially produced or approved by Alcoholics can get the latest revision at 11/03/02 SUGGESTION& quot ;The Steps shall set you free, but FIRST they'll piss you off.& quot ; (modern, anon.) Don't be surprised ifyou get very angry while working through these over page 3 of these WORKSHEETS and see if you understand what the FirstStep is getting at. If you don't understand, fill out the rest of the pages in this guide anyway; you'llbe discussing all of this with your 's your FIRST opportunity in the program to be fearless and honest. You don't have to fill inevery blank or write well (in recovery you get no points for grace and style), but work hard to findplenty of examples.

2 Make sure your notes are clear, so that you can understand them later in yourrecovery, when you may want to review these sheets. People often review their FIRST Stepworksheets on their one year anniversary and notice how far they have come in their understandingof the disease of don't have to show these WORKSHEETS to anyone--they are to help you understand your personalexperience with alcohol or drugs. However, you will probably want to discuss with your sponsorsome of the incidents on these addition to doing these WORKSHEETS , read: Alcoholics Anonymous (the & quot ;Big Book& quot ;), Chapter 1 (16 pages) Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions (the & quot ;12 & 12& quot ;), step 1 (4 pages) Hazelden step 1 Guide, FIRST 14 pages.

3 Do not answer the questions in the rest ofthe book; these WORKSHEETS replace those in the Hazelden guide. You can buy theguide at recovery book shops such as Choices, 220 East 78th Street, New York,NY 10021 (212-794-3858).Any questions? Ask your sponsor or call 1We admitted we were powerless over alcohol that out lives hadbecome 1 CONCEPT 2 CONCEPT 3 Powerless over AMOUNTof alcohol I drankOnce I started drinking, sooner orlater I couldn't control or limit theamount I drank, over the badRESULTS of my drinkingWhen I drank too much I couldn'tcontrol or limit the bad effectswhich flowed from my drinking, results wereUNACCEPTABLEAs a result of my drinking, someaspect of my life becameunacceptable to I could be a control drinker anddrink wouldn't be any bad effectsof my I have tried over and over tocontrol the amount I drink.

4 And Ihave been if I could avoid the badresults which come when I have tried over and over tocontrol the bad results whichcome when I drink, and I havebeen a result my life is:unmanageableorunacceptable to the way to a slip, I rationalize:& quot ;I can have just one(a few) drinks.& quot ;(wrong)OR& quot ;I am smart enough (learnedenough in AA) that I can nowavoid the harmful results whichused to come with my drinking.& quot ;(wrong)OR& quot ;My life wasn't that bad.& quot ;(wrong)3 Concept 1: POWERLESSNESS over AMOUNT of Alcohol you ever tried to stop drinking/drugging completely? Giveexamples:a. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. you ever tried to limit or control the amount of alcohol or drugsyou used by limiting dosage (for instance, promising yourself orsomeone else you would have only 2 drinks at a party)?

5 Give examples:a. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. examples of how you tried to limit or control the amount ofalcohol or drugs you used by switching drinks (for instance, switchedfrom straight liquor to a mixed drink or beer, or switched to a drink youdo not like):a. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. examples of how you tried to limit or control the amount ofalcohol or drugs you used by limiting the time for drinking/drugging (forinstance, decided not to drink before a certain hour in the day):a. _____b. _____c _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. you ever awakened in the morning after drinking/drugging and found that you could not remember some part ofthe evening?

6 Give examples:a. _____b. _____c. _____Concept 2: POWERLESSNESS over BAD RESULTS from have you done to try to drink without bad results (for example, todrink only at home, or not to leave the house after starting to drink)a. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. have you done to try to limit or avoid the bad effects ofdrinking/drugging on your health (for example, take medication foralcohol-related high blood pressure or stomach problems):a. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. else did you try to control the results of your drinking/drugging,and were you successful?

7 A. _____b. _____c. _____What was the result?a. _____b. _____c. _____5 Concept 3: UNMANAGEABILITY:THE UNACCEPTABLE RESULTS OF MY was it in your life that was unacceptable to you and brought you to Alcoholics Anonymous?a. _____b. _____c. crisis other than the one that finally brought you into AA would eventually have occurred?a. _____b. _____c. has drinking/drugging affected your self-esteem, self-image or self-respect?a. _____b. _____c. you ever gotten into physical fights as a result of your drinking/drugging?a. _____b. _____c. you ever lost a job or a promotion as a result of your drinking/drugging? _____c. you ever lost a lover or significant friend as a result of your drinking/drugging?

8 _____c. you been hospitalized (regular or psychiatric) as a result of your drinking/drugging? _____c. you been very depressed and/or felt life was not worth living (alcohol and other drugs often cause severedepression)? Have you attempted suicide? _____c. How has drinking/drugging affected your goals for your life, and the progress you have made to achieve them? _____c. How has drinking/drugging affected your health (heart, liver, stomach, skin, nervous system [peripheral neuropathy,or tingling/pain/numbness in fingers or toes]? _____c. Give some examples of your drinking/drugging putting your life or the lives of others in danger?)

9 _____c. What is it about your behavior when you drink that your lover/family/friends object to most? _____c. Has any physical abuse happened to you or others as a result of your drinking/drugging? _____c. How has your drinking/drugging adversely affected you even when you are sober? _____c. convinces you that you can no longer use alcohol or drugs safely? _____c. you admitting or accepting? What is the difference between these two things? How are you accepting throughyour behavior? you an alcoholic or chemically dependent person? 15 reasons why you should continue in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous?1. _____2.

10 _____3. _____4. _____5. _____6. _____7. _____8. _____9. _____10. _____11. _____12. _____13. _____14. _____15. _____9