Doctors endorsed cigarettes back in the day. Now we know it causes cancer. Dont fool yourself! |
Originally Posted by Taking5
(Post 4879269)
90 in 90 urge the newcomer if serious to do 90 in 90 gives one a good taste of sobriety and AA MM |
Originally Posted by alumni
(Post 4879231)
As I said before, call it whatever works for you. I have found that applying the disease model is easier for people to understand and more effective for addicts/alcoholics recovering long-term. |
But it has only found wide acceptance fairly recently because of increased research into the very complicated nature of the condition. |
Originally Posted by Taking5
(Post 4879238)
This actually IS the choice in some areas, California for certain. I did not get sentenced to attend AA, I got sentence to attend alcohol meetings. So there is an alternative, but then practicality that comes into play. There is no practical alternative to AA for the number of meetings. Many smaller or even medium sized towns have nothing except AA. |
Originally Posted by Mountainmanbob
(Post 4879340)
many AA old timers here in San Diego urge the newcomer if serious to do 90 in 90 gives one a good taste of sobriety and AA MM |
Originally Posted by matt4x4
(Post 4880236)
What happens on day 91? Graduated!!! MM |
In my county, those who have committed a crime and are found or plead guilty complete an investigatory survey before being sentenced and some of the questions revolve around alcohol and drug abuse/dependence. Many non-violent offenders who are found to have a substance problem are offered "treatment in lieu" which normally consists of outpatient treatment (at taxpayer cost) which normally requires attending 2 or more AA meetings per week (free to all!) I can appreciate that someone in trouble with the law may not like their choices; AA or jail, but they do have a choice. |
Originally Posted by Mountainmanbob
(Post 4879340)
many AA old timers here in San Diego urge the newcomer if serious to do 90 in 90 gives one a good taste of sobriety and AA MM |
Originally Posted by freshstart57
(Post 4880144)
Ok, I missed this 'wide acceptance due to increased research'. I stated the sources that formed my point of view. What you referring to, specifically? I'll read your references and learn from them. And 'more effective long term'? How do you support that one? Congratulations on your self-administered recovery. My experience is that this is not typically successful. The odds are not good. Also, explaining the "disease" concept seems to give recovering addicts more of an understanding that their condition is not necessarily caused by a character flaw or being a bad person. And it drives home the point that the nature of the disease almost always prevents them from returning to casual or recreational use of their substance of choice. It doesn't get cured but it must continue to be controlled like any chronic affliction. |
I won't question your experience, but remind you that it is nothing but anecdotal, providing no information about a larger population. I will point out that, contrary to your statement that self recovery is the exception, it is in fact the norm. 80% of alcoholics quit without a recovery program. They stopped drinking and got on with their lives. I am sure you can find the source for this statement, should you choose to do so. Addiction can be seen as a disease, I suppose, or it can be seen as a character flaw or being a bad person, both conditions purportedly treatable by spiritual means. There is an obvious flaw in this statement though, and that this either or statement is not exhaustive, there are other ways of seeing alcoholism. A third option of viewing it as a problematic behavior is ultimately empowering and provides the simplest way forward. |
Wow, with 80% of the alcoholics recovering, there shouldnt be such a wide-spread society out there that is still drinking, 80% should have recovered on their own. And the courts/prisons shouldnt be packed full, because most of the problems of people hittin the jail system is from addictions. |
The ones in court and prisons? That would be part of your 20% right there. |
If only that was true (80% successfully quit on their own), it would be a wonderful world. However it's not. At least the world in which I live. But, on the other hand, the Canadians I've known seem to have a very optimistic outlook on life. |
Very few quit on their own, I know that for a fact. I see it in the numerous sponsees that I sponsor. They want to quit, They need to quit......yet some of them dont quit!!!! All I have to do is go to an AA room and look around, if that 80% were true, then 8 out of 10 people would recover, but they dont. Very few recover on their own. The courts know this, multi-national multi-billion dollar corperations know this. |
There seems to e some kind of communication breakdown here. freshstart57 is correct with the 80% recovering without any program at all, but perhaps the sentence should read..............: 80% of those who have recovered, did so without any program. Sorry freshstart57, if this is not what you meant; it's what I've read......but plz, don't ask me where; I'm too old, and my memory sucks at times. (o: NoelleR |
NoelleR, you are both perceptive and precise. That is exactly what I should have said, as that is what I meant. Of those who quit, most do without a formal program. |
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