MyOwnConception

Hi all I am an alcoholic and I am very comfortable with the big book and capable of working with others through it. I recently though have been asked to possibly sponsor a young man who has an addiction to heroin. He actually has worked in AA and attends meetings. Before I agree to sponsor him I want to get more comfortable with the differences and how specifically to work with other addiction in the big book.

Anyone have any insight on how to handle differences like in the doctors opinion. I know that I will be comfortable with it once we get to the spiritual program but I am not sure about the early chapters pertaining to alcohol specifically.

any advice or pointing to good threads or literature is greatly appreciated

AnvilheadII

i'd suggest getting the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous. here's the online version

http://www.coastalcarolinaarea.org/l.../books/b_t.pdf

good luck. carry the message.

MyOwnConception

yes, I meant to add in my OP that I am not opposed to reading NA text. That is one good option, thank you!

Gottalife

While we can't offer AA membership to non alcoholics, we can help them through the steps, except maybe step one. As a non addict alcoholic, I have no clue about heroin addiction, but I have some experience living the steps.

There is an organization called bigbooksponsorship which has a 32 page guide from the big book to take anyone suffering from any addiction through the steps.

There is another called all addictions anonymous (east ridge) which uses AA principles for the same purpose. It has very strong AA, like AA squared. Well worth a look.

cellardoor77

I'm sort of going through something similar. Currently attending AA meetings (a few NA as well) for what had turned primarily into a pill addiction. Although, looking back, I realize I did have a problem with alcohol before all of that started. I just had a problem with addiction.

From my experience, there are some differences, but also many similarities. The physical withdrawal is going to be different, of course, but the mindset and changes that need to be made are quite similar (the whole psychic change, inability to manage our own lives.. without meds/alcohol and now sober). I think many of the changes that need to be made, and the overall change in mindset are very similar. Just my two cents.

IvanMike

The spiritual malady is the same, so is the solution. (Full disclosure, I go to NA, but my sponsor got clean/sober in AA first 33 years ago as NA was in it's infancy here in CT). Getting the NA Basic Text and reading it is a good suggestion. You'll find that the disease & solution is the same. When I go to an NA meeting I identify myself as an addict, when I go to an AA meeting I identify myself as an Alcoholic. (Not an "and a". I was taught to respect the house I am in and use their language.) When I go to AA I talk about getting loaded, not drinking or using. It's general and everyone knows what I mean. I certainly qualify as an alcoholic, & NA lumps Alcohol in with all other drugs and uses the term addiction in an egalitarian manner.

Both programs tend to use the terms (alcoholism & addiction) a bit differently than the general public. In AA we talk about being recovered from alcoholism, but the understanding is that there is an underlying spiritual malady to address and that we must maintain our spiritual condition. We're not actively drinking, but our thinking is skewed and it takes effort to keep it on track via the steps. ~ NA talks about addiction in the same manner.

At some point I realized that in the context of recovery, addiction=alcoholism. The substance doesn't matter. We share the same spiritual malady and the same solution.

Where we as fellowships get into trouble is when we start warring over purity and which book or program is the one true way. (The steps are the steps). This is complicated as our traditions make us entirely unaffiliated with each other. Being careful not to break that tradition, one can still read both texts and realize that we are talking about what is essentially the same disease with the same solution. It's the steps, not the book.

The short chapters who is an addict (chapter one) & why are we here (chapter three) in the NA basic text should resonate almost instantly. You'll find that there is no real analogue to the good doctor's opinion. Everything in the basic text was written by recovering addicts. (We say recovering not recovered - semantics). Likewise, there is no we agnostics chapter. Page 56 in the NA book Living Clean (a very different book than Living Sober) goes into some detail about why there is no we agnostics chapter in a roundabout sort of way. (Even Atheists like me can practice the 12 steps as written and find a power of our understanding). But then again, I can look on the we agnostics chapter with fresh eyes now and glean something from it.

At the end of the day you'll do fine. We divide ourselves far too much. (which is how the disease wants it). I have friends who have found a home in one or the other fellowship, or both. We're not affiliated, but we can cooperate if we're careful and respectful.

larrylive

This recoveredcrackhead has had much success thanks to the program. So much so that I live to share it with others. The only problem I have with the "fellowship". seems there are a lot of sober ego's in this world. I do not "sponsor", nor do I have one, that is an ineffective NA concept. I do carry the message to the still sick and suffering. That keeps me sober. I will advise and assist newcomers to quickly work through the steps. Upon completion of step 8, I suggest they continue step 9 for as long as it takes, working 10-12 everyday from then on. It works for me. Seems to work for them.

Be Well,
Larry