What Is ‘Drop the Rock’ in Recovery?

“Drop the Rock” is a parable told in Alcoholics Anonymous that illustrates steps six and seven in the Twelve-Step Program. The term comes from a book in AA literature entitled Drop the Rock: Removing Character Defects. [1] This book was written by AA members referred to as Bill P., Sara S., and Todd W.

The Parable “Drop the Rock”

The parable “Drop the Rock” tells the story of a group of AA members who are taking a boat to the Island of Serenity. As they are leaving the shore, they look back to see their friend Mary swimming to the boat to catch a ride. She’s struggling in the water and making little progress. The AA members notice she has a rock tied around her neck, weighing her down as she tries to swim. They all begin shouting in her direction, “Drop the rock!”

Mary looks down and notices the large, heavy rock she’s been carrying. She recognizes it as a combination of her fear, resentment, self-pity, anger, and a slew of other negative emotions she’d been dragging around with her. Mary utters a simple prayer: “God help me get rid of the rock.”

She then begins disentangling herself from the rock, letting go of the unnecessary burden that had been preventing her from making meaningful progress. She starts to notice herself feeling lighter and freer. As soon as the rock is released, she easily swims to the boat and joins her friends.

Mary is about to let herself enjoy a little R&R when she looks back in the water and sees another person bobbing in the water, trying to stay afloat to catch up with the boat. She leans over and shouts, “Hey, friend! Drop the rock!”

The Symbol of the Rock

In the parable, “Drop the Rock,” the primary symbol is the rock that’s weighing Mary down. Once she realizes it’s there, she sees it for what it is: a representation of all of her “resentments, fear, dishonesty, self-pity, intolerance, and anger” as well as a ton of other negative emotions all working together to keep her from achieving her goal of getting to the Island of Serenity.

The lesson of the parable is clear for others on the recovery journey: In order to make progress towards long-term sobriety, you have to recognize and release your “defects of character,” which are the negative thoughts and feelings that are preventing you from moving forward on your journey.

AA Steps Six and Seven

“Drop the rock” is intended to be an illustration of steps six and seven  of AA’s 12-step program:[2]

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

AA Step Six

At first glance, the sixth step of the 12-step program appears fairly easy. It reads:

We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

However, the process of readying oneself to have character defects removed might be more challenging than you think. There are two reasons why this creates difficulty:

• We are all creatures of habit.
• Defects of character often serve us in some way.

When controlled by the forces of substance abuse and addiction, people often pick up bad habits aside from their addictive behaviors. It could take some time and effort to reverse old habits and begin behaving in new and healthier ways. This is the work of emotional sobriety.

Removing character defects often means leaving oneself exposed to emotional threats and taking real accountability. [3] For instance, if a defect of character is dishonesty, then a person stripped of that defect will need to learn to speak the truth going forward. A person who had previously used lies as a way to protect their ego, for instance, may suddenly feel vulnerable.

AA Step Seven

After reading ourselves to have character defects removed, the next step is step seven of the twelve-step program, which reads:

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings

Traditionally, “Him” refers to God, but this pronoun can be perceived as any higher power, according to your spiritual beliefs. The real work of step seven is not in the asking (though that’s an important part of the process); it’s in the patience and diligence required to keep working the program while waiting for character defects to be removed. It isn’t something that happens overnight, but according to AA principles, if you do the work and remain patient enough, one day, it does happen.

Drop the Rock Takeaways

There are many lessons that can be learned from the parable Drop the Rock. These lessons can be applied specifically to addiction recovery or more generally, to life itself. Here are some of the key takeaways from this treasured story:

• You’re not alone. Other people can help you through insight and encouragement.
• Self-awareness is important in order to resolve problems in life.
• It’s imperative to admit shortcomings in order to free yourself of them.
• Dropping bad habits and emotional obstacles is hard, but rewarding.
• Sometimes you feel like you’re spinning your wheels because you are; new perspectives are important and can be transformative.
• Admitting you’re not completely in control is an important part of the process; let yourself be led by a higher power.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Sometimes wanting to achieve your goals isn’t enough; you have to do the work.
• Be patient with yourself and don’t give up.
• Once you’ve helped yourself, you can help others achieve their goals.

Addiction Treatment

If you or a loved one is experiencing substance abuse or addiction, the Alcoholics Anonymous program can be a great resource. However, it may not be a substitute for evidence-based treatment. Many people in recovery experience success using AA as a complement to rehabilitation and treatment services. A qualified and compassionate substance use and rehabilitation counselor can help you explore your treatment options, including detox services, inpatient and outpatient treatment, and relapse prevention services.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drop the Rock