Thoughts on Recovery – No. 12 – The layout of the Big book

The big book is a textbook. It is laid out to describe the problem and then the solution. In the forward to the first edition the authors describe the problem as a hopeless condition of mind and body. Then they state the purpose of the book is to show the reader precisely how that was accomplished.

The first chapter in the original bigbook published in 1939 was called Drs. opinion. It started on page 1. In 1955 for reasons unclear they  changed the numbers to roman numerals . This chapter lays out our problem as seen by this physician which has been accepted by the medical community and is no longer considered an opinion but an accurate description of the problem. The good Dr. says all alcoholics have an allergy to alcohol. This is described as the phenomenon of craving for more alcohol once we take alcohol into our body. He also says we have an obsession of the mind that tells us we have to seek the ease and comfort of alcohol and we succumb to the desire and then the allergy becomes triggered.  He states this cycle is repeated over and over again.

The solution he calls an entire psychic change. He further states that by accepting the plan outlined in this book he has seen this change occur.  He advises every alcoholic to read this book through and although he perhaps came to scoff he remain to pray.

Next thought will go over Bills story.  Please share this site with your AA  friends and let me hear from you at mhurwitz50@gmail.com .