Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition

CHAPTER 5 - HOW IT WORKS

(including sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were
sore. We were "burned up."

On our grudge list we set opposite each name our
injuries. Was it our self-esteem, our security, our am­-
bitions, our personal, or sex relations, which had been
interfered with?

We were usually as definite as this example:

I'm resentful at:         The Cause                 Affects my:

Mr. Brown        His attention to my         Sex relations.
                               wife.                          Self-esteem (fear)
                          Told my wife of my       Sex relations.
                               mistress.                    Self-esteem (fear)
                          Brown may get my        Security.
                              job at the office.         Self-esteem (fear)
Mrs. Jones         She's a nut—she            Personal relation-
                              snubbed me. She          ship. Self-esteem
                              committed her hus-       (fear)
                              band for drinking.
                              He's my friend.
                              She's a gossip.
My employer    Unreasonable—Unjust  Self-esteem (fear)
                              — Overbearing —       Security.
                              Threatens to fire
                              me for drinking
                              and padding my ex-­
                              pense account.
My wife            Misunderstands and       Pride—Personal
                              nags. Likes Brown.      sex relations—
                              Wants house put in       Security (fear)
                              her name.

We went back through our lives. Nothing counted
but thoroughness and honesty. When we were fin­-
ished we considered it carefully. The first thing ap­-