A 4th Step Inventory: One of Its Many Benefits

The Big Book figuratively describes the importance of conducting a moral inventory when it compares the 4th Step process to a business owner taking inventory of the value of salable merchandise when referring to, "A business which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking a commercial inventory is a fact-finding and fact-facing process.... If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values." When we examine ourselves through the use of the metaphor of the business that could go broke if an inventory is not taken it is clear that our own "searching and fearless moral inventory" is needed so we do not end up spiritually bankrupt and looking for our "drug of choice".

I liked the concept of rigorous self-examination but knew little about how to begin it and more importantly I wanted someone to clarify for me what I could expect to gain from this seemingly arduous task. More specifically my question, plainly put was: what was in it for me?

I had received many opinions and admonitions about what would happen to me if I shirked this task but it was not until I completed my 4th and 5th Steps that I fully understood the personal payoff for me. All of us have known individual blessings that come with the successful completion of an inventory and the sharing of it with God, another human being, and ourselves but mine was so fundamental that I was surprised that I missed it.

I had spent many years managing my hurt and other emotional challenges by formulating ways of being superior to others or developing strategies that would allow me to get even with those that had hurt me. In the end, I was still hurt by what I had become and I had managed to injure many others, who really did not deserve it. The insights I acquired as a result of completing my 4th and 5th Step work helped me to take editorial liberty with an adage that I had heard many times growing up: "hurt people hurt people." While it is true that hurt people sometimes injure others, it is not true that hurt people have to deal with the hurt by mistreating others. My Step work helped me to translate the adage into a phrase the really made sense for me:

Hurt people oftentimes hurt people but it is not required!

My inventory helped me to acknowledge the hurts that I had endured in various circumstances and at the hands of numerous others. The analysis of those injuries and the resentments that evolved from them could now be addressed and not obscured by the wrongs that I had done in the name of "getting even". I did not have to get even with those that hurt me but I did need to understand what happened and the resentments that developed over time. Likewise the wrongs that I had perpetrated in the lives of others were no longer excused by the "eye for an eye" rule that I had used in the past to deal with the injuries I suffered. The "hurt people hurt people" proverb began to take on new meaning when I came to see those who had hurt me as "sick people". Being hurt was no longer going to be an excuse or justification for hurting others or withdrawing into my self-constructed prison of isolation. I would need to understand what drove me to hurt others and I was going to get those answers in an honest examination of my own defects of character.

If you would like to gain a richer understanding of Step 4 and learn more about what we feel are both the challenges and benefits to completing a 4th Step inventory I invite you to review Surveying the Wreckage: A Guide to the Fourth Step: www.facebook.com/surveyingthewreckage

To learn more about the author and Leadem Counseling & Consulting Services please go to: http://www.leademcounseling.com/

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Benefits Of Alcohol Treatment

The information that's circulating in regards to alcohol treatment can vary at times. In truth, there's a lot of misinformation and this often leads individuals to put off the idea of seeking help when they may need it desperately. Even so, those who do try this method often find that it can help for a variety of different reasons.

12-Step Program

When people think about this particular type of treatment, they sometimes automatically think about a 12-step program. Even though these programs can be effective for some individuals, it's not always something what will work or appeal to others. Many of these programs also tend to focus on a higher power or religious aspects, which is also something that may not appeal to everyone.

Some Resistance

Since some people may have other religious beliefs or are agnostic by nature, 12-step programs will often put them off. Since people often perceive treatment centers as being similar, many also tend to avoid these as well. As a result, many tend to go without getting help, whiles others may try to handle things on their own, often with very little success as a result.

Psychological Methods

Rather than focusing on religious beliefs as a 12-step program might, these centers focus more on psychological methods in order to help their clients get on their feet. This is because many people within the field view the addiction of drugs, such as alcohol, as a cognitive behavior. Because of this, cognitive behavioral therapy is usually practiced.

Cognitive Therapy

In short, cognitive therapy focuses directly on a person and their beliefs as well as their overall philosophy on life. This approach tends to be highly effective since it allows individuals and counselors alike to isolate any irrational thinking or beliefs that may lead to their initial addiction problem. Without being able to do this, people may not be able to cope or assess their everyday lives properly.

Support And Independence

Many 12-steps programs also tend to focus their treatment on those with codependency when it comes to others and mentors have been very helpful in this regard. Although this can be a wonderful support system in some cases, it doesn't always allow individuals to be able to work with their own problems independently. Not being able to do so can potentially prevent them from being able to stand on their own two feet.

Self Examination

Centers and programs that focus on this type of treatment help individuals gain the tools that they'll need to survive in the real world. They also help people to assess their lives, habits and behaviors so they can work toward self-improvement. Either way, people are generally given a safe, distraction-free environment so they are able to get where they need to be on a mental note, rather than a spiritual one.

In the end, a person's success in alcohol treatment will depend entirely on them. However, most people find that this method in particular can be quite beneficial. This is because most centers allow people to find their own way without having to depend on others to guide them along but they also offer the kind of support to help them get there and achieve success.

In the end, a person's success in alcohol treatment will depend entirely on them and perhaps a residential treatment program. However, most people find that this method in particular can be quite beneficial. This is because most centers allow people to find their own way without having to depend on others to guide them along but they also offer the kind of support to help them get there and achieve success.

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