lillamy

Has it been helpful to those of you who have read it, for your recovery? How?

My used book store usually has a whole stack of them and I've held it in my hand before but... I'm still resisting because I stubbornly feel like I did before I walked into my first Al-Anon meeting: "Why should I have to do this when I'm not the one who has a problem with alcohol?"

I guess I approach learning about alcoholism the same way I approach therapy: Spending time dissecting the past is important only if it affects how I approach my future.

And I just realized I'm lying. It's not that I don't want to waste my time. It's that I want to be done with alcoholism. I don't want to read something that's going to drag up painful memories of what I put up with during my first marriage.

So maybe I answered my own question?

akrasia

It wouldn't hurt to have a look, I guess. But yeah, you've already spent a lot of time and energy on alcohol and alcoholics, so don't worry if you want to put your energies elsewhere.

wicked

Maybe (if they are cheap) you could buy a few and drop them at the nearest AA meeting.
For those who don't have one but need one to follow at meetings.
Their "own" BB. When I go to the book store, I am going to look for some to give away.
Great idea lillamy!

Nope, I don't think you need one for yourself.
Maybe, like akrasia says, just look through it, otherwise nahhhhh.
I did use it for my recovery, but, I am an alcoholic!
<snicker>

Beth

PS,
Are there any nice sober men in Alaska? I have heard the ratio is good, men to women.
Sigh.....more cold weather I guess.

Taking5

Alcoholic here, that paid $20 for my first Big Book at Barbes & Noble before I realized they very nearly give them away at AA meetings. In fact one group I frequent has a lot of money and they actually do give them away.

wicked

Dang it! I was afraid of that!

dgillz,

I paid over ten dollars for mine, I thought I could get one to start with too. That has not been the case here. Coffee is free, but the books are sold at wholesale I think.

Wait! Any nice sober men in Alabama? Weather is probably good too?

lol
Beth

MsPINKAcres

I am an Al-anoner ~ 8 yrs and counting ~ I love love love my AA Big Book NOW!

I didn't the first few months of my recovery ~ it took me a while to be Open to it ~ I especially love the section on Acceptance and the Promises. AA's 12 & 12 is also a good book.

A good place to donate those books ~ Women's shelter, half-way houses and if you garage/yard sale ~ sometimes you can find books there ~ I have found several al-anon/alateen books and then donated them to my f2f group for members with financial difficulties.

PINK HUGS!

Rita

lillamy

You know what they say about men in Alaska? The odds are good but the goods are odd. I've imported my man from down south.

No, but seriously? Alcoholism is a HUGE problem here. We also have the dubious honor of leading the country in domestic violence, sexual abuse of minors, and rape. Good times. There are good single men here, sure -- but I don't think I'd necessarily come to Alaska looking for one. I can give you many other reasons why it's a great place to live, though -- and if you wait a couple of months to when there's more daylight and less frostbite, I'll have even more...

naive

well, i read the book. i didn't relate to the advice to the wives but i did benefit from reading the recovering alcoholics short stories because it increased my understanding and helped me find compassion.

wanttobehealthy

I have a copy of the big book bc AH handed it to me after his first go in rehab and told me I needed it more than him! LOL! Anyway, I liked reading it. It helped "normalize" a lot of AH's behaviors and help me see (this was back almost 2 yrs ago when I had no clue) that there are pretty predictable behaviors/attitudes to be expected on both the A's side and mine.

I found it educational and I read it and felt much less alone.

I haven't looked at it in a while though now...

wanttobehealthy

I have a copy of the big book bc AH handed it to me after his first go in rehab and told me I needed it more than him! LOL! Anyway, I liked reading it. It helped "normalize" a lot of AH's behaviors and help me see (this was back almost 2 yrs ago when I had no clue) that there are pretty predictable behaviors/attitudes to be expected on both the A's side and mine.

I found it educational and I read it and felt much less alone.

I haven't looked at it in a while though now...

DailyPeace

My son got a copy of the AA big book at rehab and when he got home, I enjoyed reading it but I like to gather information. I found the history of AA very interesting and the great lengths the initial members went to just to have a meeting was amazing. I also found the personal stories helpful in putting my own families problems into proper prespective. It also helped me be more compassionate toward the suffering alcoholics and there are really just sick sick sick.

wicked

:rotfxko

Alright, I will have to move south then. No more cold weather (well, just not 2 foot snowstorms that drop overnight) and pretty soon, there will be an azalea festival in Georgia. Beautiful place.

I have seen the problem with alcohol there in Alaska. There was a show about law enforcement in Alaska, and bringing bottled Scotch into the state illegally was a huge fine!

I am looking for a good place to live. I live on my monthly disability from the Army, and all medical care from the Veterans Administration.

Wait!!! Way off topic! Sorry.

Thank you Miss Pink Acres, you always have good ideas and you are so lovingly pinkful about it. How are you doing down there in Loozy-anna? hehehehehe
My ex lives there. some place called Deridder.

Anyway, thank you all.

Beth

NYCDoglvr

Recovering alcoholic here. What I think is useful is Bill Wilson describes alcoholics bluntly. If you're still unsure whether someone is an alcoholic this is a perfect description and also suggest remedy (12 Steps).

lillamy

Oh man. The only place (maybe apart from Cordova) that gets more rain than Juneau. And about twice the amount Seattle gets. I am amazed people don't go postal in that town more often than they do. So, do you have webbed feet?

lillamy

You did. I think I was depressed every day when I lived in Southeast. Every. Single. Day.

electricalguru

Wait a minute there are sober people in Alaska, at least one in Fairbanks.

lillamy

Yup, there are more AA meetings than Al-Anon meetings in Anchorage -- so there are sober people here.

mattparadise

It's up to you if you want to read it. I read it through a few times and I wouldn't recommend it. I'm better off without it. Seems like you are doing fine with things the way they are. Good luck.

akalacha

When my A's drinking escalated a friend in the U.S. (we live in another country) sent me some alanon literature. He also sent the Big Book in case my A was interested in reading it. He wasn't. But I was. At the time this whole alcoholism thing was pretty new to me. I didn't know much about it (except what I knew from living with it). So I read it and learned a lot. But that was two years ago. It's still in the bookcase if A ever changes his mind but I don't have a need to read it anymore. BUT- at the time i read it I did find it helpful.

wanttobehealthy

I have a copy of the big book bc AH handed it to me after his first go in rehab and told me I needed it more than him! LOL! Anyway, I liked reading it. It helped "normalize" a lot of AH's behaviors and help me see (this was back almost 2 yrs ago when I had no clue) that there are pretty predictable behaviors/attitudes to be expected on both the A's side and mine.

I found it educational and I read it and felt much less alone.

I haven't looked at it in a while though now...