McGowdog

So you disagree with another poster, but to say "Please do not fall prey to the message that Boleo is selling." is a bit harsh.

Boleo is gung ho about recovery. He may be coming from the place of mad-dog dangerously anti-social alcoholic. I still don't think he's selling anything, but stating his experience and giving a low-bottom perspective.

To look at 12 step work as we see it today maybe perhaps different than what those guys way back in 1935 faced. There was not a lot of people willing to work with or help the alcoholic as we know it today. I think there still exists a lot of frustration and misunderstanding, but there is hope.

There became a guy who just couldn't seem to kick the sauce and he became acquainted with doctors, clergy members, other folks with a hardline-Christain fellowship, but there was no A.A. So this guy went out and approached other drunks to try to help himself stay sober for yet another day. This became a way of life for him and he learned to do this with improved results when he talked to other drunks about his own drinking. Kind of like what we do in here. I don't think we are necessarily "telling" anybody else what to do or "selling" anything.

I'd agree that no one else can diagnose me, but I am given the dignity to diagnose myself. In fact, there are instructions for doing just that in the program that I belong to. One way involves drinking and the other, safer method, is to see if I can stay stopped and away from the 1st drink for something like a year on my own power.