JigOvLife

In the spirit of your quote... :ghug3
I'm a little defensive about my unorthodox methods.
No hard feelings ?

JigOvLife

Kj, Lizw's earlier statement about crap recoverys was misinterpreted.

Sugah

I was on marijuana maintenance for awhile and going to meetings when I was about twenty. I got to the point where I'd make sure my morning joint was rolled the evening before, and I smoked it even before I had my first cup of coffee. After about three months, I was so gawd-awful bored with meetings (having been too stoned to get anything out of them) that I quit.

Later on in active addiction, I made a conscious decision to quit drinking and only do coke. And pills. And hallucinogenics. And pot. I was a plain old drug addict for about six years before deciding one night that I could safely drink again. Took me all of one night to remember that I'm allergic to booze, and that it makes me break out in handcuffs.

Responding to JigOfLife:

I have a Newport burning in the ashtray. Wish I didn't, but truthfully, I haven't hurt bad enough from my nicotine consumption. I'm also sipping on a Diet Coke, and my coffee in the morning is so much part of my ritual that when I was setting up my new apartment, the coffee pot that was a housewarming gift from a friend had to go. It had no programmable start or auto shut-off, two "musts" to get me going in the morning. Again, I haven't hurt badly enough. I haven't yet fought with my husband over the last cup in the pot. I haven't put my clothes on in the middle of the night to go to the convenience store twenty minutes away because I ran out.

I know what my drinking and drug use was like. So far, I have not rolled anyone for a pound of Columbian roast or compromised my morals for a pack of Newports. It gets to that, I trust that those around me who keep me accountable will help me see my way clear of them.

Justification? Perhaps, but it's a recovery I can live with.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

kj3880

heheh Sugah, I have run out to the convenience store at 2 a.m. for coffee when I remembered I didn't have any for the morning. They'll only get my coffee away from me when they pry it outta my cold, dead, shaky hands...lol.
KJ

lizw

None at all.

:ghug3

Tazman53

Actually Tommy I have yet to be to a single meeting where using any mind altering drug was considered being sober. To me and many others being alcohol free and being sober are 2 entirely different things.

Live

To some here coffee is a drug that is too exciting and does alter them. Coffee makes me and one other person here need more prescribed sedatives. So I drink decaf.

I am addicted to cigarettes and I consider it a deadly addiction, I hope I am able to quit them someday. I have asked for assistance from Dr., but Dr. wants me not to become stressed until I am stable long enough on medications prescribed.

Just and FYI

Tazman53

Coffee for me is a take it or leave it kind of deal along with tea. Neither of them do anything for me, I think it runs in my family, we drink coffee after dinner and still have no trouble going to sleep. When I was cramming years ago I did on occasion abuse coffee, could not get to sleep for 8-10 hours after that last cup.

Cigarettes I quit after I had one year sober. The hand to mouth deal was for me the toughest part, I really wanted something in my hand and kept messing with my mouth.

beingjenagain

all I can think of is ...yeah kinda like Ben & Jerrys ice cream stops me from eating Recess Peanut Butter cups!!!

lizw

I wanted to echo Taz and say AA (as a whole) does not encourage swapping alcohol for another drug. There maybe certain groups or individuals in AA who do but not AA, per say.

AA has no opinion on this kinda of thing BUT in their phamplet 'the AA member and other drugs' there is a story about a guy who got sober via AA then took to smoking pot and ended up in the nuthouse....

One of the things I like about AA is they say (as a whole) here is our ESH, make your own decisions. Hence the story in the phamplet about the pot smoking guy.

I know a few people in my area who smoke pot and attend AA and if it worked for them, I'd say more power to them. But it doesn't and I know this because (despite some years in soberity) they are very unhappy, live highly unmangeable lives and are still hurting themselves and others. I.e. one guy I know goes and picks up drunk woman in bars for sex etc....

I don't want to 'not drink' and still live the same kind of life I had while drinking.

Tommyh

I could never take that 3rd step with a clear conscience while smoking weed,drinking near beer, or popping pills

CarolD

Perhaps the fact that not all members who shared
here are following the AA program of recovery
makes a difference in how we feel?

I would think so...

Dee74

Perhaps.

My own personal view aligns with AA in this case, but that doesn't necessarily give me any authority to speak on others programmes IMO.

I still maintain that, AA or not, too much looking at someone else's programme could make me neglect my own

D

doorknob

It sounded like everyone was in agreement to me??? Jig may have gotten defensive, but in his first post he stated that it made him want to drink and he had no desire to repeat the experience. I thought that sentiment was perfectly clear.

AW2486

What do you think when a pot smoking AA member gets a sobriety medallion at your AA meeting? I've seen it happen before.

Rob B

I think a few things, however, once I am done judging them and feeling superior, I usually pray for them and also ask God to remove my selfish self seeking defects. Although, on the side of progress I no longer talk about other people in the fellowship for the sake of Gossip, I have made many an amend for this. It's best that I practice the law of invitation, going only where I am invited, and soliciting advice or experience only when asked, life seems to flow better this way for me.

lizw

Haven't seen it, yet BUT a woman I sponsored smoked pot off and on for the first 2 years of her soberity, I wasn't sponsering her then, however when she reached 4 years without a drink, she wanted to celebrate 4 years sober at our home group and I told her how I felt.

She didn't feel the same way and still went ahead with her birthday at the meeting a few weeks later and even asked me to share (as her sponsor) during the meeting and I declined.

It certainly was weird but as is been expressed on this thread, each to his own, and I couldn't show support for something I don't believe is honest just so she'd 'like me' or so I could join in the 'happy feeling' birthday meetings carry.

For me it's: If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

Don't think I'd go so far as to get up and throw chairs or anything, if I was at a meeting and a person I knew smoked pot got a chip. Lol

AW2486

The end result was a few long time members of that group stop going, and others followed. They ended up having a Group Conscious meeting about it. This all happened years ago, If I remember right it got to the point of them saying This is an AA meeting, we only deal with alcohol here. NA is for drugs. Things must have cooled off, I have recently been attending it again and people announce themselves as addicts.

Guess I'm old school on this. Clean time means .. Clean from Alcohol and Drugs.

Tazman53

There was a time it got my goat, but I have come to realize that the only persons definition of sobriety I need to worry about is my own, thier sobriety is thiers.

I heard a guy a while back share that after 3 years on the Mary Jane Maintenance program he decided he needed to pick up a white chip, he said he knew as long as he was smoking dope he was not sober (in his opinion), he was simply alcohol free.

debs4321

I try not to think. My best thinking got me my own seat in AA. I do not take others inventory. It is none of my business. That is between them and their Higher Power.