“No Promises”: I wrote about AA and Sister Booze

for Plough:

Alcoholism often reveals itself first in broken promises.

If you are lucky, these are promises to yourself. I really need to cut back. Jesus, I’m never gonna do THAT again. I’m just going to have one last time – the Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles – and then I’m going to stop.

Some of these promises are unspoken: the I would nevers. But one of the most common experiences of addiction is learning that you’re capable of much more than you’ve ever realized. You can do anything! Nothing can stop you! You won’t like it.

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