Fubarcdn

I am with you 100% on this one Lovinme. Thanks for the post. My support is this forum and if that doesn't work I will look for other avenues.

C23

I have to say, I have gone to several AA meetings, and I usually leave feeling better about myself knowing that there are others going through the same things I am going through. It is nice to be able to talk to people about alcoholism and have them actually understand what you are talking about. I do believe there are many other ways to gain sobriety and like everyone else has said, however you choose to do it, more power to ya!

TTOSBT

I am an AA'er myself. I did it myself the first time around. I was unhappy and I got drunk again. But I too believe that there are many ways to get and stay sober. I do not believe that AA is the only way but it is my way and it works for me. Whatever works for you is great! Best of luck!!

ETA: If I ever went to an AA meeting where they bitched about alcohol, I would NOT go back to that meeting. The meetings I attend are full of hope, laughter, support & fellowship.

C23

One thing that is great to see is how happy people seem to be when they come out of the meetings. I was at a church for a seminar when i heard a meeting getting out, and I was a mazed at how happy everyone was when they left. They were laughing and joking with eachother. I wanted that happiness and still go back and forth on the meetings thing.

Tomas

AA is a program not for people who need it but for people who want it...Alcoholism is a recognized disease..and alcohol is but a symptom of that disease..The recovery is spiritual in nature..Most members have a enlightened feeling of well being through the fellowship

I believe anyone can stop drinking but to stay stopped requires help... For us AA's once we plug the jug..then we must adopt a methodology of life...That's where the steps come in...Very practical and morally good guide lines..any reasonable person might adopt...Nothing new or innovative..

Whether you agree or refuse to embrace the BiG Book of AA is unimportant..All it is is a consensus of how 100 or so drunks got sober and stayed that way..Whether you adopt their approach is your business.

AA needs no defending..It works for those who work it..If you find another method fine..No records are kept so you are welcome anytime if you find your other methods don't work There's never a recuitment drive..It's all based upon attraction rather than promotion

Good luck in your recovery efforts

doorknob

For me, doing AA would be akin to participating in a religion that I do not believe in. The assertion that alcoholism is a spiritual malady is supernatural dogma, IMO. I do go to meetings on occasion, for the f2f contact, and to help remind myself of why I quit drinking. And at the same time, it always reminds me why I don't do AA.

tellus

With all due respect, that is the kind of condescending attitude that keeps me out of AA.

getr345

I don't go to AA either (in other words I'm not advocating on their behalf) but I have gone to a meeting (with that open mind I was talking about) and I respect that it works for some people and I try very hard to keep an open mind about anything that will help me stay sober so I'm sorry if I came across like jerk but it's how I feel and that's just me expressing myself, honestly.

My belief from my experience and from reading & speaking with others is that an important part of getting sober is in opening up your mind to new possibilities (open mind for a different view) because clearly whatever was going on inside that addicted/alcoholic (closed) mind in the past was just not working, and alcohol worked very hard in fact to keep the mind closed to all possibilities except keep drinking.

tellus

I guess things like that just raise my hackles a bit. I was told so many times in AA that I wouldn't be able to succeed because of X, Y, or Z. None of us has the right to say that someone isn't ready or able to be sober. I was open-minded about AA for six months... when that wasn't reciprocated, I looked elsewhere for my recovery.

I have no problem with AA as a program, quite the opposite.

doorknob

I got the impression that the OP had enough experience with AA, upon which to base an opinion on whether or not it was right for them.

bugsworth

I think what is paramount in this discussion is that aa is NOT the only way to get sober.

If you have been around SR long enough you will know that the OP is not alone in their observations, many a thread have been very similar to this one.

I also agree with Tomas...this is a program for people who want it, the aa lifestyle. Many people who want to achieve permanent sobriety do not want a religious (spiritual) conversion. In that vein it does not mean that people who reject the theology do not want to correct their wrongs or become better people in the process. I also agree with Thomas when he says "the bb of aa is unimportant" if that is not your chosen method of achieving sobriety. Most of what is contained in the bb does not pertain to my thinking regarding my addiction to alcohol. In addition I believe we all learned good moral guidelines early in life...treat others as you want to be treated, being open minded does not mean adopting a way of life that will be in direct opposition of our core beliefs. Sobriety is an inside job...everyone is entitled to find their own path without judgement.

allport

You call that a rant?

I thought it was pretty restrained, I keep my thoughts on aa to myself most of the time because I feel I would be jumped on, no matter how resonable my comments might be.

Am i right?

Taking5

Agreed 100%. We do not need another thread to turn into a "Pros and Cons of AA" thread. That doesn't help anyone. The OP has been given several alternatives, and if they don't work out, AA will still be around.

In the meantime I support everyone's recovery, regardless of how they do it.

lunarise

I spent a few days at a detox center and there was very little information on anything besides AA and NA. I knew going in that most people believe it is the only way but I figured what the hell as long as I am getting sober and I am safe I can handle a little AA. Things went well and now that I am home I am looking up non AA based programs around my area and believe it or not I found 1. I havent been yet but I plan on going. I really agree with all you said about the AA program, I am glad it does work for some people though. I do not see how being powerless enables you to do anything, it just doesnt work for me. Anyway, I wish you the best and I hope you find the support your looking for.

Pinkcuda

Just as the condescending tone of the original post.

Pelican

Let's all keep our cool! I like you all better when you are smiling! So....

I found this post from our good friend Rusty Zipper down in the follies section, and I must say that I would be willing to attend an AA meeting with the following notes:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ouncement.html

Thanks for the smiles RZ!

Taking5

This thread has outlived its usefulness IMHO and I would like to suggest to one of the moderators that it be closed.

laurie6781

You know, being an old fart and having quite a few ODAATs (One Day At A Times) under my belt, I have to say:

When I tried for recovery, AA was the only game in town. I didn't know about any 'program' of '12 steps.' I heard a bit of that at the meetings, but I went to meetings because it was there I felt SAFE. It was there I found people who had been as bad as I was and had found sobriety. I started making some new friends. Getting tidbits of suggestions (which I know today were actually CBT) on how to change something I was doing. How to erase old tapes. Oh I got a sponsor, but didn't really start reading the book (actually couldn't read the book, I would read a sentence, it would sound good, but by the time I got to the end of the sentence............I couldn't tell you what it said, I was that far gone) at about 6 months maybe.

AA saved my azz those first 6 months, just having a SAFE place to be. I never heard 'b***hing' about alcohol. I heard people laughing and the laughter came all the way from their gut. I saw people smiling and the smile went all the way to their eyes.

So there is the 'sticky' for you to check out. I would only suggest you find something to help you in your recovery. Doing it "My Way" hasn't worked for the alkies I know.

Love and hugs,

JBones77

I agree with a lot of what you said. AA works for a lot of people, but I don't think it's for me. I just feel like I know myself pretty well and sitting in a room with a bunch of people I don't know and talking about hope and love and God isn't for me, in fact, it would probably drive me to drink. But that's just me. I'm going to stop drinking the same way I stopped smoking cigarettes...I've gotten to the point where I realize it's a bad habit that I'm doing out of compulsion....I'm fed up and I'm going to stop. I will hold myself accountable.

But by know means am I putting down anyone who does AA or plans to do AA...and I would never try to talk someone out of it...it obviously works for a whole lot of people...and I admit to having never been to a meeting so I really have no idea what it's really like.

Gypsy Feet

I think our paths to quitting will be as varied as the paths that led us to drink/use/over indulge, what ever. I quit being fat when I hated being fat enough, I quit smoking when I was ready, now I'm ready to quit drinking. I didn't need the patch, or self help books or groups, I just did it because I personally could.

I've read 2 AA based books since I quit, and just started a non AA book which makes more sense to me and is based on individual values and strengths, and I HAVE known lots of alkies and addicts "Doing it my way" has worked for, so heres to achieving peace within ourselves however we get there.