Originally Posted by digderidoo

Hello all
I have been browsing this site for a while and decided to register here tonight.
I'm in a dilemma at the moment. i have been attending AA since Jan 4 and found it to be really helpful with regards to abstinence, however i have many issues with it.
The main one is the spiritual aspect to it, i have been bought up in a strict religious environment, so do not want to hear that God or a higher power can cure me of this illness.
In saying that i also have issues as to whether its an illness at all, as this sort of makes me feel as though i have no control over drinking. Which i guess is the first step in the AA recovery programme.
In light of this i have started to attend counselling and a local alcoholic service group that go down the line of controlled drinking within a program. These follow a model that alcoholic drinking is a learned behaviour. they feel that this can be unlearned therefore enabling a person to drink moderately.
I do not know whether this will work for me but feel that i have to try it. i hate the idea that i will never be able to beat this thing so really want to have a go at controlling drinking within the confines of a medical program. I'd love to be able to drink like a 'normal' person, rather than having a desire to stop drinking, i have a desire not to be a drunk.
I wondered what people here thought. Could do with advice and comments fron recovering alcoholics.

Yours Paul