Music

For same reason most of the worlds population deals with their condition with a bood that's over 4000 years old. It works!! And for someone like you who's barely scatched the surface of what recovery can and does mean, I'd suggest you take the cotton out of your ears and stuff it in your mouth. Then try not thinking. Just listen. In addition, you might take out a copy of that 4000 year old book....the other Big Book and learn a little from it too.

doorknob

SeaHorse

Doorknob...too funny! lmao! I don't respond well to that type of whatever that was either ....I can almost feel the ruler cracking against my knuckles!

Katie...sounds like you dont have that gift of desperation yet, you have been talking about going into rehab for what ...a week now..and are still HERE..

This is not something to play games with, your next drink may be your last. AA is not for people who need it, it's for people who want it.

And it is a program of attraction, not promotion. You don't want it..don't go. Very simple.

Try living in the solution..not the problem...otherwise it's a bunch of bla bla bla..and believe you me...I have done my share of bla bla blaing too!!!!! Til I got sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Personally, I love AA and I think it's wonderful when you can find something to believe in with all your heart and soul and totally change your life for the better. I hope you find the same. Happy trails to you!

collinsmi

The thing I'd be concerned about is after ponying up the greenbacks and going through the spin dry, their parting words would be "now go to AA meetings, get a sponsor, and work the steps". Where's the "value added"? That's been my experience, except for the paying part (U.S. taxpayers did that, thanks guys, by the way). Drank after every one of their rehabs too.

I had religion based issues, as well as other issues with AA. Was repelled by a lot of what I read (actually more what I heard was in) the bible. It just got to the point where I was wore out and afraid enough of what was coming down the road to give it an honest try (again). Hooked up with someone who demanded a lot in the way of step work and this time, it seems to be working (12 years). Still have almost all the ideas I used to have about religion, but a little more tolerant of others' ideas now.

kurtrambis

Personally I wouldn't use a rehab. I haven't found much on the net about its effectiveness.

Fortunately where I live
I can attend an AA meeting every night.
Have day care programs every day, that use alternative to 12 steps such as CBT.
Have support worker who can deal with any social issues
See my doctor once a month.
Can see a psychartrist who specializes in addiction and have access to any drugs such as naltrexone, campral and antabuse if I so desire
Plenty of opportunities to do voluntary work in my area. Which is personally important to me for a varity of reasons.
I live in a house free of booze and boozers.

So I don't really see what rehab could offer me personally apart from a big whole in my wallet! This is just my personal view.

Musics comments are priceless made me chuckle. Whose going to appear next the most hated family in the US.
YouTube - The Most Hated Family in America (1 of 8)

Katie I understand your sentiments but maybe this thread would have been better posted in the main alcoholism so as not to offend any sensitive 12 steppers. Personally I have decided not to post my grievances with AA in the 12 step forum from now on

michelle01

I know that I am a latecomer to all this. But is it that everyone who subscribes to such an 'antiquated method' so gullible and unintelligent? Do they know nothing, after several years of sobriety, when others with less than that accuse them?

michelle01

I think that we all wish that there was an instant, magic pill for all of this. Governments also, whether or not there were AA.

Alcoholism is a complex condition which may be a mixture of genealogy and social/environmnental conditions, and it may have various levels of progression - this is according to professionals dealing with the condition. It is difficult enough for a person needing help already without trying to sort out which side they are on with an idealogical debate!

jimhere

It lives!, it lives!

Somebody please kill this thread.

keithj

Funny, Jim. But I'm a latecomer and just saw this. Maybe you folks are sick of it, but I find it a little amusing and somewhat interesting. You and Rufus pretty much answered the question in the first round. Why is it that the majority of treatment centers recommend AA? Why do millions of recovered alcoholics recommend AA? Could it be because it has worked for millions of us? That we have solved the drink problem and been given a life better than we could have imagined?

I look at these two statements in the original post, and it tells the whole story.

If Katie really got the core principles of AA, she wouldn't be entering a rehab. She would be recovered. My own experience and my observation of others shows me that those who are able to lay aside their prejudices and take the steps, regardless of past beliefs, recover. Such is my faith in this program and way of life.

I don't see her post as any cause for offense, though. Maybe it's better to bring this up in the general alcoholism forum, but where better to get the AA perspective on AA than right here.

Music

I suppose if there were a shot, kimo, radiation or yoga that would solve the problem, we'd be using that method. Jim, I think you've got the right idea. Leaving this thread open is just going to prolong the agony of the horse. It's funny though that as many people who think AA should change, no one has ever come up with a way to change it for the better. It's always to change it to better suit their liking. I was the same way until I discovered that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

CarolD

If anyone is interested in finding recent shares/news
of Katie and Door......
rather than re-hash this thread.....

please go to the Secular Connections Forum.
They both could use some support.....
just not AA.



Thanks everyone

TTOSBT

First, AA saved my life. So I am predjiduced.
But I must say I get very frustrated with folks who "attended" AA for a length of time and think they "know" AA. Funny really. To attend one meeting a week and have coffee is not exactly throwing oneself into the program.
For me it still takes 3-4 meetings a week, working with my sponsor, taking the steps, and doing service work to get the whole experience.
But to be honest I talked to my sponsor about this, I feel badly for folks that don't find a program that works for them. I am very blessed!

tomvlll

"My question is how is it that we treat a condition based on a 70 year old book?"

It's a great question.

If you have some type of coronary disease, they wheel you into a room where they bedazzle you with multimillion dollar machines that can do things that boggle the mind.

But when it comes to alcoholism, all we have is a bunch of burn-out drunks in a church basement droning on about the Big Book , swigging coffee by the quart. The only significant advance since June 10 , 1935 is that they have removed cigarettes form the room.

That is not because we alikes are Luddites who refuse to accept modern technology. It's because medical science really has nothing for us.

espresso

My take on AA be it 70 years old...
"if it ain't broke don't fix it".

CarolD

Hmmm....
I don't drink coffee....my home roup has smoking meetings
I'm not burned out...nor do we meet in a church basement.

I have also benefitted from medicial information concerning
alcoholism since I quit drinking.


Should I return my new 20 year AA medallion?

McGowdog

That antiquated book from 70 years ago isn't the only spiritual gem from that era, IMO. It seems like a hotbed of other spiritual writings; some that helped inspire the BB as we know it. I think Corinthians and James predate some of those quite a bit though. But Emmitt Fox and Jung and William James and others...

So my understanding is this; alcohol hasn't changed, alcoholics haven't changed; so why should the solution change?

You can surely try a new scientific and modern approach if you'd like. Do that for some of us if you'd like, and please report back to us. But please don't report to us BEFORE you go drink-er I mean... go to the asylum-er... treatment center!

Report back to us with your positive results after you've been sober and happy, and joyous, and free... Then we'll be MOST interested.

I've already got a name for your new program once you find it; the one that's more effective and easier and more modern than AA; We'll call it "The Easier Softer Way".

You'll know where to find me; I'll be in Hellfire and Brimstone AA Corner.

FightingIrish

A treatment center is what brought me to A.A. We had meetings while I was there, we were required to find a sponsor and get started on the steps, and it was strongly suggested that we go to a meeting the first day we got out.

Don't really understand what is so bad about treatment centers here.

Rob B

Bingo..You hit the nail on the head. Funny thing about medical science, some of the wonder drugs that have been toted as a cure for alcoholism now have a 12 step program for that drug, I find that ironic.

The alcoholic of the hopeless variety, is doomed, they will die. This would be the whole deal about being beyond human aid, finding a power greater than oneself, and needing to live by spiritual principals. The twelve steps offer a fine path to get these results. Matter of fact, I have never seen it not work for people who have gone at it full tilt.

tiburon88

I believe that AA is helpful but far from perfect. I wish they came out with a new modern day Big Book. I'm glad there is no more smoking at the meetings though.

tib

hardcor

awesome.
That would be me...the burn-out in the church basement, droning on about the Big Book, swigging coffee...and I think it sucks ass that ya can't smoke anymore!!!
Modern technology can't do dick for a mental, physical, and spiritual malady. Although some dude at the meeting tonight was bragging on about some pill he's taking that has "removed his compulsion" to drink...this was after he stated how he's offened that the Big Book says "recovered" and not "recovering." Idiot.
Anyway...AA will be there if you need it. Rigorous honesty is not for everybody. If you're looking for a loophole...there's the door.
Alcoholism has been a problem since we learned to crush grapes...an age old problem that has not changed. AA has a solution. Scoff, pray, make fun of, or leave...it will still be here doing for alcoholics what they cannot do for themselves.
Trying to use medical science to combat alcoholism is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. It won't work.
Incidentally...I believe the common cold has been around longer than alcoholism...and doctors can't seem to do sh*t for that one either...?

glad AA was and still is here to save my drunken ass!

Oh, and I think there are some modern Big Books...isn't there one they advertise on CNN? The Cure for Alcoholism and Drug Addicton out of Malibu, Cali?