best

Billy
Welcome to SR

AA isn't religious though some do pray at meetings.
AA is a spiritual program.
Ever go to a wedding in a church? If so, how did you handle it? Just blocked out what you didn't want to hear?
You do not need to pray at a meeting. What works best is to sit and listen so you find the solutions that we have found. As you see what has worked for others, you can try it for yourself.
No one who has done it the way we (those of us who are sober) have has failed.
A desire to quit and God of "your" understanding will get you there.

BillyBentham

Thanks Best. I appreciate your welcome and your reply. I just feel that not all of us who want to stop drinking necessarily want it to be a spiritual process. I hope that makes sense and I am not trying to be inflammatory.

I have read alot of the threads this morning, first time on this site, and I've noticed alot of other people that have the same binge-drinking problem. The more I read, the harder it is to deny my problem. I really want it to stick in my head this time. I really want to stay on the wagon. Just two days so far!

Anyway, this is Kiwis thread. It just sparked an interest because I really related to what he said.

Jimmy123

Don't worry about the religious stuff that's all voluntary but stop and think for a second you don't have time to quit drinking because your going out drinking with your friends? basically that's what you said? say that out loud after you hear how silly that is you'll realize it's just an excuse and don't try to be some sort of hero and lead the charge to get all your friends to quit or at least wait till after you quit then help them

Jimmy123

When you are ready here is some amazing info about the 12 steps you should expect to discuss this alot in AA
The 12 Steps | The Twelve Steps

CarolD

Hi Billy.....Welcome to SR!

This is from our Alcoholism Forum
about various recovery programs

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-programs.html

Good to see you here with us

CarolD

Jimmy123....Welcome!

Tazman53

Billy first welcome to SR.

Second of all as already said AA is not religous, if it was I darn sure would not be going there! There are folks who say it is, that is thier right, so be it.

If AA is a religous group it sure has a out of proportion group of athiest and agnostics in it, far higher then the general population.

I do have a Higher Power of my understanding who I call God just for simplicity, but my HP I find anywhere and every where, he is not part of any religion, sect or denomination.

If AA is not your bag there are some other fine recovery programs out there to check out, Carol provided a link to them.

Most people who stay sober for over a year are doing it using some sort of recovery program, not all of them, but most.

navysteve

Kiwi,

You can have a life beyond your wildest dreams. I got sober at 22. I have not missed a thing. I have travelled around the world. Been to your great city of Boston quite a few times. Give AA a chance. It works, it really does

kiwi22

Just an update - this is really my first time back to this forum since I created this thread about 3 months ago.

I went to AA, and I haven't drank since. 78 Days today! If anyone out there is having trouble getting sober, and hasn't tried AA yet, give it a shot. It's not for everybody, but it's working great for me. And what do you have to lose?

Taking5

kiwi,

How did you reconcile your atheism with AAs program? This was a non issue for me as I am not an atheist, but I know a lot of people struggle with this.

happy62

Kiwi, tell us more!! I'd love to hear how you got yourself to your first meeting and what kept you going back. I believe it's those first few steps. That one foot in front of the other thing. Once you get going, get a little momentum in the right direction, it's amazing. There are so many of us who struggle with just taking that first step, so your story about what made you go would be very interesting.

kiwi22

Good question. My Higher Power is the Good Orderly Direction that I get from going to meetings and talking to my sponsor. I am still an atheist in that I am not a part of organized religion, but I have accepted that there is something bigger than me helping to keep me sober.

For a long time I tried to do things my way, and get sober my way, and it didn't work. AA has helped me realize that I need to do things someone else's way. Specifically, someone who has gone through exactly what I'm going through now.

kiwi22

I had a very bad weekend of drinking and I knew I had no choice, so I picked a meeting and went. It was that simple. I was sweating and shaking and terrified, but all I had to do was walk through the door, and I did.

Once I made it in there I hear a lot of things that I needed to hear, and an individual came up to me afterward to tell me about a good meeting the next day where I'd be able to meet more people my age.

I keep going because going to meetings has helped to alleviate my obsession with alcohol, and my cravings are nothing compared to what they were before. I am not lonely knowing that there are so many people going through exactly what I'm going through.

I go to atleast one meeting per day, but sometimes I go to two. And as of today I have 91 days of sobriety. Considering that the longest I ever went on my own was a miserable 45 days, I'd say this program is working pretty well for me