denny57

No, it isn't and I hope I made that clear in my post. Ok, here's my quick explanation: I would hate anyone (me included) to feel they could have done more if they had more "depth of spirit." IMHO it's an undue onus. Hey - my spirit runs real deep - still didn't cure the A in my life.

equus

It was no where near as tidy as that Mike, it was much more like somebody asked by someone else to go for help - went briefly and then continued without.

As for me offering something special - we were very fortunate in getting joint counselling aimed at us BOTH offering something a little special. It wasn't all by my own design, family CAN help but we all need to know HOW. That knowledge is available and for the record I think it's long overdue to be getting out there.

On the issue of medical help for withdrawal I agree - but I don't think this or many other threads were refering to that, often it's simply about missing meetings or just not wanting to go. At least that's my perception and that was what I was refering to.

DesertEyes

My deepest apologies. I did not intend that to be any kind of derogatory comment to anyone. I am sorry if I offended you or anybody else.

Mike

denny57

I know you didn't - I'm not offended - see my note.

DesertEyes

I think it's very important to remember that there are a large number of people who are quickly scanning these threads while in the midst of terrible family crisis. They are completely unfamiliar with the terminology we take for granted. They don't have the time to carefuly read every post, consider it's implications, and then go on to the next post. Many folks arrive here quite desperate, they find one thread with a title that is relevant to them, read what they can and then dash off. They may lurk for months before they participate, they may never return.

Certainly not for all, but there are some who for whom a brief pass thru a few threads might be the only exposure they have ever had to "recovery" of any kind. When I answer a post I keep in mind that in addition to the indviduals i am replying to, and in addition to the "regulars" who read my post, there's a large number of people who are desperately clinging to _any_ words of hope. It is for that reason that I take such care and insist on phrasing my posts such that I am addressing as broad an audience as possible.

Various of the "regular" folk here have stated that they "recovered on their own". I have spent some time reading about these folks and have come to understand a bit of their history. A brand new person who just arrived does not know that history, does not know that a particular "veteran poster" saw a physician and was checked out for withdrawls in _addition_ to "recovering on their own". That brand new person needs to be educated to all the fundamentals that us "old-timers" take for granted.

That is why I am so deliberate in my answers, and why I always nit-pick the details. Because I only have a few posts, maybe only _one_ post, in which to reach out to a new person and try to provide them as much information as possible. If I say "Yes, a person can do it on their own" you and I understand all the implications of that statement. But a brand new person with no information is going to make all kinds of incorrect assumptions, such as that a medical doctor is not needed, or that no "program" of any kind is needed.

That's why I nit-pic the meaning of "on their own", and the meaning of "recovery program", why I am so obstinate about addressing as broad an audience as possible, and why I always assume the worst case scenario. Even though the words I write are a response to yours, the people who read them with the greatest intensity are strangers in great pain whom I've never met.

Am I making sense?

Mike

equus

It makes sense Mike - but no matter how fast the scan the title here is about AA and they don't have any qualifications except personal stories and good intentions.

Look at the whole first page of responses - no-one was confusing AA with medical attention.