IOM or IOS
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 296
IOM or IOS
Go to enough meetings and you hear people spout off all the time IOM!
Every time I hear that statement now, I am reminded of this fellow who seemed to be relapsing all the time.
He was doing 3 or 4 meetings a day. Everyday! For a good year!
I asked him once, so this last slip what happend?
He said he was on his 5th meeting of the day.
Something in the meeting pissed him off.
Most likely cross talk!
He had a F-it moment.
He decided after the meeting to hit up the liquor store.
He got drunk.
I told him that was quite common actually. That he was no different then many. I proceeded to tell him meetings do not keep anyone sober. You can not get this program by just going to meetings all the time. Its like paying for a gym membership, and just hanging around not using the machines, not working out. Its like just standing around chit chatting with fellow gym members. While some may be actually working out and breaking a sweat, and others are not. I told him you were the one not working out. You were not working the steps.
I have yet to hear someone ever state IOS. Never ever. The other day I was at just such a meeting where someone brought up IOM with a newcomer in the room. Everyone was on the IOM wagon. Out of the 10 or so that shared and pounded their fist on IOM, two people connected that with working the steps.
Sure we have a connection to the group.
Sure we could have our conception of a HP within the group.
I surely believe that, god walks talks and shakes hands in the AA group.
But just sitting around chit chatting about the weather, or traffic or your boss or family. Doesnt cut it! See if we dive headfirst into the deep end of the AA pool, then working the steps becomes the pinnacle, not the social club of the room.
The steps are what keep us sober. By working the steps on a daily basis. By having a daily reprieve based on our spiritual condition. The steps acheive a HP, something other then ourselves. We dont have to get it in the beginning (Step 2), we get it later on.
We achieve a Spiritual Awakening by having done all 12 steps in order.
No one can do a step 12, when they have never done one.
We have Spiritual Expiriences throughout our journey of working each of the steps. Some get it quickly, some get it slowly. Something we call an educational variety. Some have the burning bush, others it comes more slowly.
So to conclude, I have heard many people, not just this one case I stated for you. I have heard many people state that they were doing 1 meeting a day, or 2 meetings a day. Something pissed them off and they left the meeting, maybe stayed sober for a bit, like an hour or 2, then drank. Or drank right away.
I have yet to hear any, anyone at all, state that they worked the steps and got drunk. Not one person has ever said that.
When I work with a fellow drunk. When I talk to newcomers after the meeting or rehabbers. When I help people. It makes me feel better. Selflessness. When I go to a hospital meeting and see a freshie come in, and I sit down with them in the cafeteria after the meeting and I crack open the Big Book and start reading the Doctors Opinion and explain to him/her the disease concept. How we obsess over alcohol when we are not drinking. How we give into the thought of the drink, and how the allergy of the body takes over. And the cravings get stronger and stronger. How I explain to them all of my DUI's, crashes, and fatalities, prison time, drunk tanks, totalled cars, ruined families. And I see their eyes open. How they can relate to me and my story. I ask them if they have any questions, and answer them if they do. Then we crack open the Big Book and read some more. Explaining to them what every paragraph means.
Its trully amazing to help these folks, why? It gets me out of my self. My problems go the the side, their problems are what matter. Thats basic common sense, that we dont have at first. Heck I do some stupid stuff even in sobriety, but I always pull through.
The true foundation of the 12 steps is helping another alcoholic. To get them the full picture of our disease. To see them work the steps, and recover. Thankfully we who keep working these steps on a daily basis, and have worked all 12 of these suggestions have recovered.
Amen
Every time I hear that statement now, I am reminded of this fellow who seemed to be relapsing all the time.
He was doing 3 or 4 meetings a day. Everyday! For a good year!
I asked him once, so this last slip what happend?
He said he was on his 5th meeting of the day.
Something in the meeting pissed him off.
Most likely cross talk!
He had a F-it moment.
He decided after the meeting to hit up the liquor store.
He got drunk.
I told him that was quite common actually. That he was no different then many. I proceeded to tell him meetings do not keep anyone sober. You can not get this program by just going to meetings all the time. Its like paying for a gym membership, and just hanging around not using the machines, not working out. Its like just standing around chit chatting with fellow gym members. While some may be actually working out and breaking a sweat, and others are not. I told him you were the one not working out. You were not working the steps.
I have yet to hear someone ever state IOS. Never ever. The other day I was at just such a meeting where someone brought up IOM with a newcomer in the room. Everyone was on the IOM wagon. Out of the 10 or so that shared and pounded their fist on IOM, two people connected that with working the steps.
Sure we have a connection to the group.
Sure we could have our conception of a HP within the group.
I surely believe that, god walks talks and shakes hands in the AA group.
But just sitting around chit chatting about the weather, or traffic or your boss or family. Doesnt cut it! See if we dive headfirst into the deep end of the AA pool, then working the steps becomes the pinnacle, not the social club of the room.
The steps are what keep us sober. By working the steps on a daily basis. By having a daily reprieve based on our spiritual condition. The steps acheive a HP, something other then ourselves. We dont have to get it in the beginning (Step 2), we get it later on.
We achieve a Spiritual Awakening by having done all 12 steps in order.
No one can do a step 12, when they have never done one.
We have Spiritual Expiriences throughout our journey of working each of the steps. Some get it quickly, some get it slowly. Something we call an educational variety. Some have the burning bush, others it comes more slowly.
So to conclude, I have heard many people, not just this one case I stated for you. I have heard many people state that they were doing 1 meeting a day, or 2 meetings a day. Something pissed them off and they left the meeting, maybe stayed sober for a bit, like an hour or 2, then drank. Or drank right away.
I have yet to hear any, anyone at all, state that they worked the steps and got drunk. Not one person has ever said that.
When I work with a fellow drunk. When I talk to newcomers after the meeting or rehabbers. When I help people. It makes me feel better. Selflessness. When I go to a hospital meeting and see a freshie come in, and I sit down with them in the cafeteria after the meeting and I crack open the Big Book and start reading the Doctors Opinion and explain to him/her the disease concept. How we obsess over alcohol when we are not drinking. How we give into the thought of the drink, and how the allergy of the body takes over. And the cravings get stronger and stronger. How I explain to them all of my DUI's, crashes, and fatalities, prison time, drunk tanks, totalled cars, ruined families. And I see their eyes open. How they can relate to me and my story. I ask them if they have any questions, and answer them if they do. Then we crack open the Big Book and read some more. Explaining to them what every paragraph means.
Its trully amazing to help these folks, why? It gets me out of my self. My problems go the the side, their problems are what matter. Thats basic common sense, that we dont have at first. Heck I do some stupid stuff even in sobriety, but I always pull through.
The true foundation of the 12 steps is helping another alcoholic. To get them the full picture of our disease. To see them work the steps, and recover. Thankfully we who keep working these steps on a daily basis, and have worked all 12 of these suggestions have recovered.
Amen
Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zion, Illinois
Posts: 3,411
Maybe I just haven't been around long enough, or maybe it's PC or today's lingo that's throwing me but I haven't a clue what IOM or IOS means. Please enlighten me.
At any rate, the guy drank because he wanted to drink. He can say whatever he wants to say, but people who don't want to drink.....don't drink. They do whatever it takes to "not drink".
At any rate, the guy drank because he wanted to drink. He can say whatever he wants to say, but people who don't want to drink.....don't drink. They do whatever it takes to "not drink".
Freethinker
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 32
There are some who never work the steps, and stay sober.
There are some who work a 12 step program to the best of their ability, and still relapse, for as many rasons as there are individuals who have done this. I am one of those.
I also have no idea what the acronyms stand for.
There are some who work a 12 step program to the best of their ability, and still relapse, for as many rasons as there are individuals who have done this. I am one of those.
I also have no idea what the acronyms stand for.
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: northern AZ
Posts: 796
I'm so glad to see other saying they don't know what those acronyms mean.... thought it was just me and I was going to have to be the loner with a red face.
Along this line, I haven't been here long but have done lots of reading. I guess that could be equated with attending meetings although what's read here goes way further in-depth than anything I've heard at meetings... but that was a ramble. A few days ago I read someone talking about slipping and giving how long they had been sober... that's no biggie but the excrutiatinly graphic pleas to God to save them was a biggie to me. I came away from it thinking... words to the affect... now that's just great for newcomers to read.... "God you've deserted me after what a good person I've been.... please stop rejecting me. You saved me before. Why aren't you helping me now?" (My summary of what I read of course.) My eyes about popped out of my head! Wow! I guess its the same as reading how someone has worked all the Steps, according to them, and continues to slip. I know, absolutely, that I'm an alcoholic but I just don't get it. No ego, superiority,... whatever.... I just really don't get it.
*retrieving eye balls from table, placing in pocket and sauntering away*
Along this line, I haven't been here long but have done lots of reading. I guess that could be equated with attending meetings although what's read here goes way further in-depth than anything I've heard at meetings... but that was a ramble. A few days ago I read someone talking about slipping and giving how long they had been sober... that's no biggie but the excrutiatinly graphic pleas to God to save them was a biggie to me. I came away from it thinking... words to the affect... now that's just great for newcomers to read.... "God you've deserted me after what a good person I've been.... please stop rejecting me. You saved me before. Why aren't you helping me now?" (My summary of what I read of course.) My eyes about popped out of my head! Wow! I guess its the same as reading how someone has worked all the Steps, according to them, and continues to slip. I know, absolutely, that I'm an alcoholic but I just don't get it. No ego, superiority,... whatever.... I just really don't get it.
*retrieving eye balls from table, placing in pocket and sauntering away*
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mgm, AL
Posts: 1,000
Nothing here. I can make some up if anyone cares to join in?
Incredible Outgoing Me... Infinitely Oustanding Self... Insecure, Opinionated and Myopic... Insincere, Overbearing, and Stubborn... Intense, Obtuse, Selfish...
Oh, wait, that's pre-Recovery...
Introspective, Open, and Measured... I Owe Sobriety.... Inside and Out Spirituality...
come on, little help here....
My favorite is T.R.U.S.T. --> Try Really Using Step Three...
Incredible Outgoing Me... Infinitely Oustanding Self... Insecure, Opinionated and Myopic... Insincere, Overbearing, and Stubborn... Intense, Obtuse, Selfish...
Oh, wait, that's pre-Recovery...
Introspective, Open, and Measured... I Owe Sobriety.... Inside and Out Spirituality...
come on, little help here....
My favorite is T.R.U.S.T. --> Try Really Using Step Three...
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
I think maybe fini and skg are on the right track...
The post seems to be about Meetings versus Steps, so...
"IO" = "I Owe" Meetings (for my sobriety) versus "I Owe" (the) Steps (for my sobriety).
Only the "OP" knows for sure!
The post seems to be about Meetings versus Steps, so...
"IO" = "I Owe" Meetings (for my sobriety) versus "I Owe" (the) Steps (for my sobriety).
Only the "OP" knows for sure!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,948
Originally Posted by Andante 
I think maybe fini and skg are on the right track...
The post seems to be about Meetings versus Steps, so...
"IO" = "I Owe" Meetings (for my sobriety) versus "I Owe" (the) Steps (for my sobriety).
Only the "OP" knows for sure!
The post seems to be about Meetings versus Steps, so...
"IO" = "I Owe" Meetings (for my sobriety) versus "I Owe" (the) Steps (for my sobriety).
Only the "OP" knows for sure!
This definitely makes sense. It serms to flow from IOAA.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
Posts: 3,697
Originally Posted by fini
AH!!
i never ever had a clue what IOAA stands for, either.
clueless innocent, much-yet-to-learn, naive fini.
but look how much power the silent OP has
i never ever had a clue what IOAA stands for, either.
clueless innocent, much-yet-to-learn, naive fini.
but look how much power the silent OP has
Try saying it out loud. Without it I could never have 13,000 days without a drink.
BE WELL
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