Step 2

Step 2: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could return us to sanity.

Step 2: Came to believe a power greater than ourselves could return us to sanity.

Goals:

· Identify and resolve any beliefs that block you from a belief in a power greater than yourself.

· Accept a faith in a power greater than yourself to return you to sanity

· Define your concept of a Higher Power.

Information:

Webster's dictionary defines sanity as “the ability to think and behave in a normal and rational manner, sound mental health, reasonable and rational behavior.” And it defins insanity as “extreme foolishness or irrationality; the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness.”

After completing step one, there is probably very little doubt that while in active addiction we were far from thinking and behaving in a normal and rational manner, and it was not rational of us to continue to use as long as we did given all of the evidence of unmanageability that drugs or alcohol created in our lives.

At an AA weekend retreat one old-timer explained that “if we have truly accepted complete powerless over drugs or alcohol than obtaining faith in a power greater than yourself is really easy because what other choice do you have?” If you have completely accepted your powerlessness and you are unable to find a power greater than yourself then the only option remaining is to continue with our addiction.

At this point, we are not asking you to “find religion”, or God, or even to suddenly become Spiritual. We are asking you to become WILLING TO BELIEVE that recovery is possible and become willing to accept help outside of yourself, from a higher power.

Before we get into a spiritual power greater than yourself, lets examine how drugs or alcohol was a power greater than yourself.

In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power to manage your emotions? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power to help you sleep or give you energy? ________________________________________________________________________________________________

In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power to damages the things that you value the most? _____________________________________________________________________________________

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In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power to destroy important relationships in your life? ___________________________________________________________________________________

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In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power to give you courage to do things you wouldn’t do without it? ______________________________________________________________________

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In what ways did drugs or alcohol have the power damage your self-resept, and self-esteem? ________________________________________________________________________________________

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In what ways did you worship drugs or alcohol? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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If you continue to worship drugs or alcohol, what do you believe will happen in your life? _____________________________________________________________________________________________

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A common definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” In your addiction, in what ways were you doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Ok, so I think you got the point. Drugs and alcohol was a power greater than yourself and this higher power resulted in a lot of damage to your lifef. So, if you are able to accept that concept, then it may help you with your willingness to believe in other, healther, and positive powers greater than yourself. Ones that will help to restore you to thinking and behaving in a normal and rational manner.

Do you believe that you CAN be restored to “thinking and behaving in a reasonable and rational manner.” Explain: ___________________________________________________________________

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In what areas of your life do you need sanity now, within the areas off:

Your thinking_____ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Your emotions____ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Your behaviors___ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Step 2 has three phases.

1. We first came to meetings or came to treatment

2. Then we came to see things more clearly

3. Then we came to believe

Since you started your recovery, what have you “come to see more clearly” ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Step 2 involves becoming willing to accept that your way of doing things, your-will, has blocked you from recovering from drugs or alcohol. In what ways has your way of doing things, your will, created issues with you in your life and in your recovery? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Step 2 involves becoming willing to consider that your way is not working and becoming willing to adopt a “higher powers” way of doing things. What obstacles do you have with surrendering your way of doing things or another way of doing things in the areas of:

Pride ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Control________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Fear____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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How has your thinking patterns in addiction blocked you from asking for help in the past? _______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Now lets start to look at the Higher Power element.

Make a list of five powers greater than yourself.

1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are attributes of a power greater than yourself that could help restore you to normal thinking and rational behavior?

1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Make a list of five powers greater than yourself that possess the attributes that can help restore you to normal thinking and rational behavior.

1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What issues or grievances might you have against a Spiritual Higher Power? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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How has your upbringing and family beliefs about a spirituality contributed to your current beliefs?

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How might past painful events, loss, or trauma contributed to any issues that you might have regarding a spiritual Higher Power? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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How might pride contribute to any issues you might have regarding a spiritual Higher Power? __________________________________________________________________________________________

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How might fear contribute to any issues you might have regarding a spiritual Higher Power? _______________________________________________________________________________________________

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How might control contribute to any issues you might have regarding a spiritual Higher Power? ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Make a list of five powers greter than yourself.

6. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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9. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________