"In the first years, those of
us who sobered up in A.A. had been grim and utterly hopeless cases, almost
without exception. But now younger folks began to appear. Lots of people turned
up who still had jobs and homes and health and even good social standing. These
in their turn were able to persuade others like themselves of the need for A.A.
Of course it was necessary for these types of newcomers to hit bottom
emotionally. But we found they did not have to hit every possible bottom there
was in order to admit that they were licked. When one of these mild cases
arrived at the conviction that he already had the principal symptoms of
alcoholism that was usually enough. He 'hit bottom' then and there and so was
spared years of anguish."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics
Anonymous Comes of Age, pg.
199