Where do all the professional people go?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1
Their out there...
I'm thinking it may be where you live because I've honestly met professors(in fact he taught at the college I attended), many Doctors, Lawyers, psychologists, and lots of business owners/CEO types... Keep looking, they are out there! 
the main thing is the experiences though, try to look more for the similarities than the differences. Good luck!
the main thing is the experiences though, try to look more for the similarities than the differences. Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,901
Originally Posted by Jeni26 
... I've met teachers, journalists, police inspectors and wealthy business owners. Their stories are exactly the same as everyone else's. Being a teacher myself ...
I learn so much from listening to others though, irrespective of where they come from or what their life experiences are. It sort of enriches it for me. I love listening to the people who have been in the rooms a long time the best, they really know what they're talking about.
I don't think it matters truthfully what people do in their day jobs, it's identifying with how they feel that's important, and learning from those who've found their way ...
I learn so much from listening to others though, irrespective of where they come from or what their life experiences are. It sort of enriches it for me. I love listening to the people who have been in the rooms a long time the best, they really know what they're talking about.
I don't think it matters truthfully what people do in their day jobs, it's identifying with how they feel that's important, and learning from those who've found their way ...
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 600
The rooms of AA are filled with people from all kinds of backgrounds, because we all have one thing in common. We have an addiction. And we all follow the same exact solution to recover.
I'm quoting/paraphrasing an AA speaker I once heard on a podcast: "Park bench, Park Avenue, it's all the same."
Edit: I just realized this post is three years old. Why are old posts showing up under "new posts"?
I'm quoting/paraphrasing an AA speaker I once heard on a podcast: "Park bench, Park Avenue, it's all the same."
Edit: I just realized this post is three years old. Why are old posts showing up under "new posts"?
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Originally Posted by LiveInPeace
Edit: I just realized this post is three years old. Why are old posts showing up under "new posts"?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: West Tn
Posts: 3,043
My alcoholism almost kept me from getting into my profession.
I have learned a lot about AA, sobriety and living from people who spent time in hobo jungles and jail.
I go to lawyers in recovery meetings from time to time to check in with the local recovering lawyers, but it's not a substitute for AA.
I have learned a lot about AA, sobriety and living from people who spent time in hobo jungles and jail.
I go to lawyers in recovery meetings from time to time to check in with the local recovering lawyers, but it's not a substitute for AA.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,183
For my 5th anniversary, I went to an AA meeting last night, first time in years. What I noticed on the wall was the results from a 2007 member survey, listing the lines of work people are in. I believe this was a national AA-wide survey, not just local. The results were all over the map, but the single largest group was "retired".
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 204
I've also found it's dependent on the area. When I got sober, I had the opposite problem- EVERYONE was so educated and had such great jobs and such "high bottoms." However, I could still learn a lot from what they have to say.
I have a typical cubicle job these days. I live in a very blue collar area, so most of my meetings are filled with hairdressers, factory workers, carpenters, cleaning people, etc. But I don't care.
I also work in a restaurant. I tend to talk about this job at meetings, and not my full-time job. It's embarrassing to admit, here I am sharing that I was this hot mess and now oh- what do you do for a living? I am afraid to intermingle the two. No one in my professional life knows about my past and no one in my meetings knows about my professional life. Not everyone wants to share everything.
I have a typical cubicle job these days. I live in a very blue collar area, so most of my meetings are filled with hairdressers, factory workers, carpenters, cleaning people, etc. But I don't care.
I also work in a restaurant. I tend to talk about this job at meetings, and not my full-time job. It's embarrassing to admit, here I am sharing that I was this hot mess and now oh- what do you do for a living? I am afraid to intermingle the two. No one in my professional life knows about my past and no one in my meetings knows about my professional life. Not everyone wants to share everything.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: California
Posts: 7
I'm a professional myself and this is exactly the reason I refuse to go to an AA meeting. What if I run into someone I know? This could blackball my career, since the field I work in tends to be very political and judgmental. Ugh. Before I became an alcoholic, I judged active alcoholics and balked at those in recovery ("jeez..why can't/couldn't they just control themselves?" Silly me...) This seems to be the general public's attitude towards alcoholics. Now that I am a full blown alcoholic, I wish there wasn't so much stigma around alcoholics who are trying to help themselves.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,879
That guy over there wearing those funny looking shorts and t-shirt, he's a judge.....that lady over there? She's a politician, next to her is a doctor....that guy is a police officer, his wife, the attorney, and their neighbor, the airline pilot....that guy is a CEO of "X company" and next to him, well that guy is a priest......
Around me, most of the people sitting in a meeting are professionals!
Around me, most of the people sitting in a meeting are professionals!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 135
I had an issue with this too.
I'm told I'm a "high bottom drunk," and I am a professional.
I really couldn't relate much to the people at the first meeting I went to, (beyond alcohol struggles) so I went to different meetings in different parts of the city until I found people I related to.
I don't care if I run into someone I know at a meeting, they're there for the same reason I am - if anything it means we have something new to talk about.
CJ.
I'm told I'm a "high bottom drunk," and I am a professional.
I really couldn't relate much to the people at the first meeting I went to, (beyond alcohol struggles) so I went to different meetings in different parts of the city until I found people I related to.
I don't care if I run into someone I know at a meeting, they're there for the same reason I am - if anything it means we have something new to talk about.
CJ.
Friend of Jimmy B
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NYC
Posts: 667
I came in off a park bench. I was 22. Sometimes I sold my butt to make money. I once sold my blood. $6 for a pint. I'm grateful to the people who welcomed me to AA. I didn't ask what they did for a living and they didn't care where I came from.
That homeless guy at the meeting - maybe he's sober, maybe not. Ask him if he's had anything to eat today and buy him a meal if he hasn't. He could be your sponsor some day.
-allan
That homeless guy at the meeting - maybe he's sober, maybe not. Ask him if he's had anything to eat today and buy him a meal if he hasn't. He could be your sponsor some day.
-allan
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 32
I work in addictions. I have been in the profession for the past four years, I know there is complications of Anonymity and Confidentiality at times in terms of disclosing ones own program membership to seeing clients or former clients in program functions. The latter makes it impossible to share ones own deepest secrets or troubling affects in a meeting thus life's simpler for me to have a network of trusted friends, advisors, a sponsor and a Counsellor. Even trusting a Counsellor/Psychologist has been extremely difficult at times when having sensed the inability to trust these particular individuals, due to the fact I have experienced and have been guilty of that old term which is " Ruinous slander and character assassination."
So many professionals are not at liberty to discuss glaring details in detail due to the fact others have legal rights regarding there personal information to whatever extent the laws of the land permit, this does complicate matters for some it has for me. It is horribly tempting at times to gossip or vent to whatever available ears are near about perhaps situations in which laws and professional standards would be violated. It is a fine a line at times hence why A.A's traditions are of the utmost importance.
So many professionals are not at liberty to discuss glaring details in detail due to the fact others have legal rights regarding there personal information to whatever extent the laws of the land permit, this does complicate matters for some it has for me. It is horribly tempting at times to gossip or vent to whatever available ears are near about perhaps situations in which laws and professional standards would be violated. It is a fine a line at times hence why A.A's traditions are of the utmost importance.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Longwood
Posts: 4
glad you asked!
glad you asked! seems like you got some good answers in here.
allot more people in law enforcement and emergency services need aa than probably go due to embarrassment of being found out by their jobs, and negative career impact.
these concerns are real and, unfortunately, may keep many people away who would otherwise be benefitting society under the influence of aa rather than alcohol.
keep asking!
gv
QUOTE=CactusJill;3448491]I am asking this seriously - no intention to categorize people or
allot more people in law enforcement and emergency services need aa than probably go due to embarrassment of being found out by their jobs, and negative career impact.
these concerns are real and, unfortunately, may keep many people away who would otherwise be benefitting society under the influence of aa rather than alcohol.
keep asking!
gv
QUOTE=CactusJill;3448491]I am asking this seriously - no intention to categorize people or
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 12,907
Originally Posted by CactusJill
I am asking this seriously - no intention to categorize people or offend.
I have been in and out of AA meetings since 2004, and one thing I have had difficulty with is the fact that in nearly every meeting, the people there tend to have hit a very, very low bottom and I never meet anyone in my line of work or with my level of education. There is nothing wrong with that and I definitely don't have a superiority complex (my long term bf is a server in a restaurant).
But I am curious. Where do all the nerds like me go? I am a professor, and I have never, ever met anyone that was highly educated, or business owners, or anything like that in any meeting I have been to. And I have been to many, many meetings in 2 different states.
It may be possible that there are professional, educated people at meetings who just don't talk about it, but in my experience most people in AA are completely open about their jobs and almost everything else.
I like SR because I meet a much greater variety of people here than I do in f2f meetings. So please don't take my question personally. I know many people here are very educated or are very professionally successful. I just don't see that in f2f meetings.
Any ideas?
I have been in and out of AA meetings since 2004, and one thing I have had difficulty with is the fact that in nearly every meeting, the people there tend to have hit a very, very low bottom and I never meet anyone in my line of work or with my level of education. There is nothing wrong with that and I definitely don't have a superiority complex (my long term bf is a server in a restaurant).
But I am curious. Where do all the nerds like me go? I am a professor, and I have never, ever met anyone that was highly educated, or business owners, or anything like that in any meeting I have been to. And I have been to many, many meetings in 2 different states.
It may be possible that there are professional, educated people at meetings who just don't talk about it, but in my experience most people in AA are completely open about their jobs and almost everything else.
I like SR because I meet a much greater variety of people here than I do in f2f meetings. So please don't take my question personally. I know many people here are very educated or are very professionally successful. I just don't see that in f2f meetings.
Any ideas?
I am 14.5 months sober right now through this website, and a few other recovery tools. If the meetings are helping you stay sober I wouldn't focus on the positions others hold at work. Focus on you.
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