Kübler-Ross originally developed stages to describe the process that patients with serious injury or illness go through as they come to terms with their upcoming significant loss, which is their own deaths; it was later applied to grieving friends and family as well and divorcees, who seemed to undergo a similar process. Losing the bottle, to an alcoholic, fits very well into this scenario of significant loss. When we have our inborn Spirituality and take advantage of it, we discover that there is a way to positively deal with the situation.
Alcohol has been our savior, best friend, only companion, lover, end all, be all, so of course losing this avenue of escape is a significant loss. Whenever one suffers a similar loss, one must go through all of the stages of grief. Kubler-Ross first names 5 stages of this loss/grief recovery and reports that we all must go through the entire cycle in order to heal. Different people need to spend more or less time in each stage but must go through it.
The stages are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. This may explain why we can suddenly go into a deep depression or funk and not know where it came from. How does one work our way through these stages that affect us all?
This is where the Spiritual aspect of the program jumps in, loud and clear. Step 2, there is a Higher Power and I can use Him. Step 3, God Help Me through this and, as it says in How it Works, God could and would if He were sought. Step 11, daily reminders to talk with the Higher Power, not to the Higher Power, asking only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out. Step 12, by working these principles it will get better just as soon as I believe, truly believe, it to be true (faith).I am truly Happy, Joyous, and Free and, of course, have suffered much significant loss and you can be too. If you are new to AA or an “Old Timer,” dive head and heart first into the AA program and watch your life improve dramatically.