questions.

[domans6195]

Couple of questions. I am new to soberrecovery, so if my etiquette is off, let me know. 1) Who wrote the 12 and 12 (AA.) I am consistently blown away by it. 2) Any thoughts on the difference between obsession and compulsion would be welcome. I don't think it is all that relevant, since when I do what I am told, I stay clean, but I would like to know more about it. Understand the disease concept and the physical, mental, and spiritual prongs better. Thanks!

[CAPTAINZING2000]

Welcome

keep coming back

Why is it you're wondering? Is it the same as a diabetic wondering why the need insulin? I look at it as an allergy. You every hear of people being allergic to bee stings? Keep it simple How long you been in the program? {{{{{SMILES}}}}}}

This program works a lot better if, you don't ask a lot of questions.

All you need to really know is, you can't drink. The reading {more about alcoholism}pretty much explains it. I think of it as, genetic. A lot of my family were affected by alcohol.

I just know, I haven't drank for a while and my life is good.

[domans6195]

Thanks for your repy Cap'n. My family is affected as well. My father, who has 20 years now gave me the definition or disease concept and also advised me to resign the debating society when I was 16. It took me several years of my own research to concede I have the disease. I got clean at 20, almost 10 years ago (9 years, 9 months and 20 days ago) thank you God and AA and NA.
The reason I want to know is sorta complicated (K.I.S.S. I know.) I go to NA, though I got clean in AA, and love the AA literature. In reading Step One in the NA version of the 12 and 12 (It Works: How and Why) I found the definition there of compulsion unsatisfying. That is my opinion of much of NA lit, no disrespect to those who worked their tails off writing it. Anyway, this prompted a discussion between myself and some others. I basically don't see the difference between obsession and compulsion. Truly, you are right, it is not really necessary to ask a lot of questions, and I believe as I read in someones posts "You can't be to dumb, but you can certainly be too smart for this program."

[nutz]

obsessive..me think that's thinking even when asleep.
complusive..I be doing it in me sleep.lol

lets see...
I can get obsessive about the 12 steps but not complusive about it.lol

pyhsically complusive
mentally obsessive
spiritually dead on the inside.

abstance is just the begining...that'll be the complusive.

Working the 12 steps. I think tha'll be an inside job.

I forget, cuase i read so much. I like all of it. 12 and 12 rocks !!
I think in the BIG BOOK it says,
If we take care of our spirits first , then our mental and body gets
better. In that order.

[domans6195]

Lol. You ARE nuts nutz. Thanks bro.

[grrl1]

hi domans, i think obsession is in our minds and compulsions in our actions, and that the first leads to the second.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by domans6195

Any thoughts on the difference between obsession and compulsion would be welcome.

Hi domans, and welcome to soberRecovery.
In the NA basic text, page 20...

"The physical aspect of our disease is the compulsive use of drugs; the inability to stop using once we have started.
The mental aspect of our disease is the obsession, or overpowering desire to use, even when we are destroying our lives."

That applies to my chronic alcoholism as well.

Glad you're here!

[nutz]

yeap, after I stopped drinking and using.

I urge to just mess stuff up, I be thinking crazy thoughts.
Thoughts be coming out of nowhere, sometimes I didn't like them.
But sometimes I entertain them thoughts and me brain gets going.

Then sometimes I found myself do crazy crap without even
thinking about it. Like I was compelled to do it.

Sometimes I get the urge and cravings going at the sametime.
At first it felt comfortable to me becuase I was used to it.
It was normal to me becuased I lived that way for so long.
But something deep inside of me or my gut was tell'in that's not right,
but I did it anyways. Sometimes I felt like crap becuase I didn't
want to do that anymore, but found myself do the samething
over and over again. Sometimes the consequences were almost
the same as when I was using.

It really scared the crap out of me and at first I didn't see any piont
of getting clean and sober if I was still doing crazy stuff that I
didn't want to. Being clean and sober made it even worst.lol
I'm more aware of these crazy things I was doing, now.
I was really sick and tired of it and sick and tired of me.

I finally got smart.lol
I dug the Big Book out from the bottom of my trunk and
started reading it and started to listen to them oldfarts.
I started working the 12 steps.
It hasn't been easy, but I'm not as sick of myself as I used to be.
I don't have an urge to mess up my life
I don't feel compelled to do beat myself up anymore either.
On a good day, anyways.
To makesure I get started off on a good note for the day,
I pray and trun my will and life over to my HP.
It's different....I want to !, I don't have too.