Is AA a selfish program?

Is AA a selfish program?

Alcoholics Anonymous is not a selfish program. At it’s core, it is quite the opposite. Selfishness is the root of our troubles, and we must be rid of it and practice selflessness at every opportunity if we are to remain happy, joyous, and free in sobriety.

What does AA say about selfishness?

That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate.

What is the difference between selfish and self-seeking?

Selfishness is usually apparent and we generally dislike selfish people. Self-seeking is a little more complicated. It’s possible to do good and still be self-seeking if you only do good to be praised for doing good. In a sense, it’s a higher order of selfishness.

What does the big book say about selfishness?

A passage in AA’s “Big Book” reads “Selfishness – self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles… Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us!” (AA, 2001, p.

What does the AA Big Book say about helping others?

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “Helping others is the foundation stone of recovery. A kindly act occasionally isn’t enough. We must act the Good Samaritan every day, if need be. It may mean the loss of many nights’ sleep, great interference with your pleasures, interruptions to your agenda.

What does it mean selfish?

1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others. 2 : arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others a selfish act.

What are the 8th step promises?

Promise 8: Self-seeking will slip away. Promise 9: Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Promise 10: Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. Promise 11: We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

What does the Big Book of AA say about fear?

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous tells us that we are driven by a hundred forms of fear. That it is “An evil corroding thread.” Again, not necessarily phobias, but the fear that is driven by our instinctual needs. When we act out of fear, it is commonly due to one of our three basic needs being threatened.

What are examples of self-seeking?

If you describe someone as self-seeking, you disapprove of them because they are interested only in doing things which give them an advantage over other people. He said that democracy would open the way for self-seeking politicians to abuse the situation.

What are self-seeking motives?

Self-seeking – seeking or pursuing only for oneself/ the act or practice of selfishly advancing one’s own desires and goals.

Why is resentment the number one offender?

The case is plainly stated in the Big Book: “Resentment is the number one offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.” A person mired in resentment has scant chances of recovering from addiction. And remember that many forms of addiction left unchecked are fatal.

What does the big book say about service work?

If nobody was doing any service work, the Alcoholics Anonymous program would simply cease to exist. Without the service work of those who came before us, none of us would be here now! One of the more common sayings you will hear at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting is that, “you have to give it away in order to keep it”.