Originally Posted by Macphisto

WOW, you seem to have all the answers right? And obviously someone that doesn't have a certain amount of time or done it the way you have has no right to give advice correct?

On the contrary...I'm still teachable, and still learning...daily. But, I do believe experience is a major criteria for offering advice.

It's obvious from your posts that you have one mindset and that is that if it's not done the AA way it's no good

I'm aware that other people claim to have stayed sober through other programs, I simply don't know them personally, nor do I have any personal knowledge of those other programs. However, I do know that AA works.

I would suggest to to anyone that maybe you shouldn't give up power and feel defeated, maybe you should think for yourselves instead of having this group "pack" mentality that tells you that if you don't think like the rest of them your comments or suggestions aren't welcome.

I would suggest that "there is strength in numbers", so that anyone who has the experience, strength, and hope of other AA's should feel empowered in their efforts to maintain sobriety.

I also don't believe that it's about the amount of sober time that gives you the ability to help others. How can you compare someone who has stuggled for years and has been sober but fighting every day to someone that just feels great in their sobriety no matter how long they've been sober?

I'm afraid you lost me a bit here. We are all here to help each other, regardless of the amount of sober time; but, there's a difference between helping and interfering. Just because one is sober and experiencing some times of serenity, doesn't guarantee that life will be struggle-free, no matter how long one remains sober.

And how do you gage success? Do you know me and can tell me I'm not successful in my sobriety because I don't have enough time under my belt? It's exactly this thinking that prevents me from attending AA.

No, I don't know you, nor am I in a position to judge the quality of your sobriety; and, of course, it is quality rather than number of years that really matters. However, I fail to see how my being a staunch supporter of the program of AA should deter anyone from attending AA meetings. It just doesn't compute.

Not knocking AA because it obviously helps allot of people but please don't say it's the only way, it's just not true.. and I know this from other people who are perfectly fine without AA

I have never disputed the fact that you know people who claim they are "perfectly fine without AA"; so, please allow me the same courtesy when I say I don't personally know anyone who has remained sober for any length of time without benefit of AA, although I've known hundreds who have.

Also, please re-read my above post and you'll see I'm not discouraging anyone, I'm simply stating an alternative viewpoint but maybe that's just not welcomed here

Originally Posted by odaat

Thanks for the advice Macphisto. I appreciate you offering the alternative point of view, but I'm quite keen to stick with AA. I did 9 months alone, and I wasn't getting any better. I'm not just in AA to avoid drinking, I'm in it to try and improve myself, find happiness and all that unlikely stuff.

Last year I was sober for 17 weeks. I felt fantastic. I was on a real high, didn't go to any meetings, just got on with doing it myself as it was so easy. Only problem was when a downer came - and I could not cope with it and I drank. I know that bad times are going to come again, and I want to give it my best shot, so I'm going to stick with the method that I've seen working.

Originally Posted by jinxblu

"When the student is ready the teacher will appear"