From "It Might Have Been Worse:"

"Most certainly I was powerless over
alcohol, and for me, my life had become
unmanageable. It wasn't how far I had gone,
but where I was headed. It was important
to me to see what alcohol had done to me
and would continue to do if I didn't have
help.
"At first it was a shock to realize I
was an alcoholic, but the realization that
there was hope made it easier. The baffling
problem of getting drunk when I had every
intention of staying sober was simplified.
It was a great relief to know I didn't HAVE
to drink any more."

c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 354