Introspectator

Am searching area AA groups for tonight. I am on day 10 and feeling good.
I have to admit, AA freaks me out kinda. Not sure what my reservations are. I've went a couple times years ago, wasn't moved or convinced it would help, and then stopped.
The thing is, I know I need therapy, and I'm sure AA is great for that. I am going to find a therapist, but I would like AA to be an addition to my sobriety and therapy...guess I'm just thinking out loud...
Introspectator

Introspectator

Coldfusion

The success of AA just depends on your attitude. If you are honest, open-minded, and willing the program will work.

ScottFromWI

I would guess part of your reservations are simply your addiction clinging on for dear life. Any program of recovery presents a major change in your life and a major threat to your addiction - it doesn't want to let go. So yeah, it's bound to freak you out a little bit. But there's no reason to worry..it's all about getting better with people who have the exact same goal.

JeffreyAK

AA simply does not work for everyone, which is why there are so many alternative groups - you're free to use any or all that help you. Smart is maybe the most widely available, but there are many other groups including medical treatment outpatient groups. Use what works, take what you can use and leave the rest.

greens

Just use what you like from the program and if it really doesn't help you then that's fine. I used aa in the beginning but don't go anymore. The program worked best for me when I took it with a grain of salt. AA plus therapy sounds like a good combo.

sugarbear1

I often say this to my higher power before a meeting:



The Set Aside Prayer

God,

Please help me set aside

everything I think I know

about myself, my disease,

the 12 steps, and especially You;

So I may have an open mind

and a new experience

of all these things.

Please let me see the truth.

Grungehead

A good way to find out if AA is for you is to give it an honest try with an open mind for a few months. I would also suggest trying out different meetings to see if certain ones resonate with you more than others. If you decide it's not for you after that at least you will know you gave it a try. It's only an hour out of the day and you'll get a cup of coffee (and possibly a cookie) for your troubles. I know I put a lot more effort than that into my drinking every day.

fini

The thing is, I know I need therapy, and I'm sure AA is great for that.

Intro,
AA is not therapy.
it's important to keep that in mind.

and i had tons of reservations and such, as do lots of people who go and do the stuff.
it's not that AA works or doesn't work as much as you do that particular "work".

way to go on ten days!

24hrsAday

it often Freaks me out too!
and i love it Dearly..
we are people who would not Normally Mix..
it says that in our Big Book.

soberclover

I'm gingerly stepping back in to AA meetings again. I agree with the therapy component as I found it was really key to helping me in my sobriety. I get a lot of "therapy" too from SR My issues with drug/alcohol use were multilayered and I think it makes sense to have multi-layers of support too!

Soberwolf

Here's a meeting list for Michigan Intro congrats on day 10

AA Area 33 Meetings

tomsteve

have ya read the big book yet?

JeffreyAK

Surprisingly, 38 Smart meetings in MI, (SMART Recovery® - Meetings). Smart has grown a lot in recent years.

No SOS meetings, 3 Lifering meetings (http://lifering.org/wp-content/uploa...PDFUSnoCal.pdf).

24hrsAday

i like this thread.. Happy Thankgiving everyone!

Friend Of Bill

Well Jeff the phrase AA doesn't work for everybody AA doesn't work we work AA is the fellowship of men and women who share with one another to help solve their common problem which is thinking not drinking and to have others to recover... Not be sober if you want to be sober good luck with that that simply means not drunk we still act and react the same way we used to if you want to be in recovery we take the steps there's nothing to be afraid of if there is some fear walk through it there's a coffee pot a cigarette butt can in a bunch of handshakes you will not be unique we are all the same try not to compare yourself simply identify only we can help each other there isn't anything that you have done said that we haven't done the reason there are so many other fellowships it's because of resentment and fear if you realize they still take in use our steps and traditions then try to put their spin on it I'll book Alcoholics Anonymous printed and released in April of 1939 still is the only book that has the only directions for the 12 steps between pages 30 and 103 welcome happy Thanksgiving remember it's not a matter of looking at will AA work for me are you willing to work AA see there's the fellowship the meetings then there's the program the 12 steps we attend the meetings become a member of the fellowship and we take the steps we work the program anyone who honestly works the program will recover the people that say that the function doesn't work only got what they put into it there are lots of meetings we find the ones we like the talk about how to get better the talk about the message that the mess search are the best meetings like we searched at the best drugs and alcohol find the people who are happy and you can see it in their eyes ask for help be honest willing and open minded in your heavenly Father will not let you down and the nice thing about the fellowship you get to choose your own conception of a higher power

JeffreyAK

I can't quite follow that with no punctuation, but I gather you're arguing AA does work for everyone. That's simply wrong, if it works for you that's wonderful, but it does not work for others. There are many good reasons for this, you can dig around on this site or others for insights if you have the interest. Or not. But alternative support groups are filled with people who fled AA, and some of them have a deep burning hatred of the dogma. Their points of view are as right for them as yours is for you. Note, people are in all support groups, so AA doesn't have a monopoly on people - it's the AA program, the dogma, the philosophy, that causes some people to flee and never look back.

ScottFromWI

Folks....let's please remember that we are here to help each other and not debate/argue personal opinions about recovery methods.

fini

FriendofBill,
i'm sixty now.
my eyes are old.
i have soooo much trouble reading an entire block of writing which doesn't have some breaks in it.
in fact, i stop reading.

or don't even start.

would you consider splitting your posts up into a few paragraphs to make them more accessible, please; that would be great.