Can Willpower Help You Stop Drinking?

It’s time to give credit where credit is due

I can’t count how many times I heard an AA member say “You can’t quit drinking with willpower.” I understand the sentiment and that willing yourself to quit drinking can be an exercise in futility, but let’s not throw willpower out with the bath water.

The correct phrase regarding willpower and drinking should be “Willpower alone might make it difficult to stop drinking — so you’re probably going to want some help.”

Granted, that’s not the most succinct way of saying it, but you can see where I’m going with this. The key word is alone because, at some point in your quest for sobriety, you’re going to need some willpower.

Even if you believe that God and prayer are the answer, you’re still going to need a bit of willpower to put down the bottle and get on your knees.

For non-religious people like me, I don’t recommend using only your force of will either. But whether you need to seek professional help, talk to a therapist, take necessary medications, attend a support group meeting, or all of the above — a touch of willpower will be necessary to get your ass up and moving.

No one else can will you to do these things.