Theprince

Looking into different options.

I suppose the drugs would never have come if it wasn't for the alcohol.......if that helps.

I cannot do the group therapy thing (programme) that I wanted to do finally because of financial reasons (full time I kind of can't work and now I see I have to work)

However, I do see now that i need personal one to one therapy (zero doubt about that)

I've got a doctor's appointment next week. So see what the doctor can offer me as options too.

OpioPhobe

I have experience with both fellowships.
Personally, I chose NA for stepwork because I like the step working guide and I found a great sponsor there. I prefer the fellowship of AA though. It has been easier in AA to find people that I have things in common with (other than alcoholism/addiction).

You may want to check both of them out to see which one you like better. I would also say that the fellowships can vary by region. One area might have a lot of AA without much NA or vice versa. You won'the really know unless you see for yourself.

Eddiebuckle

The steps are the same, so find a group that speaks to you and get a sponsor who has what you want. And remember that the meetings are about fellowship, but the steps are the program. Too many folks try to stay sober through "assmosis" - sitting in the rooms but never actually working a program... it's rarely successful in the long run.

Good luck, keep posting!

Theprince

Makes sense, thanks.

I'm going to check both of them out. Just been reading both websites. There's an na relatively close by tomorrow that I'll go to. I've a doctor's appointment next Thursday but I could be dead by then, so why wait and prolong. Can't understand why an appointment is that far off.

Theprince

Thanks. I get what you mean, if you're just sitting there you're not really doing anything. They mentioned that in the group therapy that I was doing too. Change comes from action.

I made a brutal error a while ago thinking I could go back to alcohol once I overcame the other nasties. Wasn't so at all. Talk about denial and delusional thinking.

MindfulMan

A good friend of mine from inpatient rehab does both. She is a nurse who was caught doing IV Dilaudid at work and is in the nursing program to get a suspended license renewed and back to work. They insisted on both, and she gets something out of each (she was also an alcoholic).

Whatever works, I guess.

DontRemember

I've talked to some people at my old AA meeting and they do/try both. I was the type if you take alcohol out of the equation, I wouldn't do coke..get some booze in me and it was 'party time', so just AA worked for me.

Delizadee

Hey Theprince,
I like to go to both meetings. For me, the more the merrier.
I agree with Eddiebuckle and that gave me a chuckle (very true!)
Also one thing I try to remember is take what I want and leave the rest.

Any recovery plan can work if you work it. I am of the school of thought that the more tools we have in our recovery tool box, the better equipped we are.

Theprince

It's the conclusion that I'm coming to: alcohol has been the constant.

Impulsivity has become a major problem. One to one is needed too. See what doc says next week.

MindfulMan

Although booze (and other sedatives like benzos) were my DOC, I threw a lot of different things into the mix. I'm no longer doing 12 Step, but when I did I found AA to be inadequate, as it was only about alcohol. CA was much better for me, NA was a bit too hardcore and I was never into opiates.

In general I find it strange that AA doesn't acknowledge that many people who are primarily alcoholics will have secondary addictions along with their drinking, but I think AA has a much larger foot in the past and this arbitrary line in the addiction sand is kind of archaic and outdated. I always identified myself as an addict/alcoholic.

DontRemember

There's a comedian that talks about that..I'll PM you the link..it's true/funny and I related a lot.