Pitfalls of Addict Egotism/Step 4

The egocentric nature of the alcoholic/addict can produce two disastrous scenarios. Either we insist on dominating the people around us or we rely on them far too much. When we lean too heavily on people they will fail, after all they are only human. This in turn creates insecurity within us. When people see that we are trying to manipulate them they will revolt and resist us. Then in turn we develop a sense of persecution and a desire to retaliate. As we fortify our effort to control people, and continue to fail, our suffering becomes acute and constant. We had not put forth a significant effort to be one of the family, to be a friend among friends, to be a worker among workers, to be useful members of society. Many of us have driven to dominate at the top of the heap, or to hide beneath it. This type of self-centered behavior has blocked real partnership or relations with those around us. We have had little or no understanding of what genuine human relationship is about.