“One is Too Many, and a Thousand is Not Enough”

This self-assessment is designed to help individuals in recovery explore their relationship with the fundamental AA principle embodied in the saying "one is too many, a thousand is not enough." This paradoxical statement captures the essence of addiction's dual nature: the impossibility of controlled use ("one is too many") and the insatiable, never-satisfied quality of addictive craving ("a thousand is not enough").

The complexity of this principle lies in its challenge to common-sense thinking about moderation and control. For those without addiction, the idea of "just one" seems reasonable, manageable, even healthy. However, for individuals with addiction, this assessment explores how "one" represents not moderation but the gateway to complete loss of control, while simultaneously examining how no amount of the substance ever truly satisfies the underlying craving.