Thought about going to an AA or NA meeting...

Old 11-30-2006, 04:53 AM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Big Idiot Man Child
Thread Starter
 
windysan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
Thought about going to an AA or NA meeting...

But I just can't do it. I'm not feeling squirrely or nothing but I kinda wanted to go look at some desperate dopesick mofos in order to keep the memory of my own hell fresh in my head.

But I just can't deal with all the baggage AA/NA has with it. All that goofy chanting and all that religious crap. Old Timers ranting the same old cliches and crap. Ugh. That stuff depresses the hell outta me.

Seeing someone come in a meeting all grey-looking and dopesick always did wonders for me and my recovery though. I reckon I could visit the jail or something.

Keep Staying Away ! Works If I Don't Work It !

jeez
windysan is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 05:51 AM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Member
 
paulmh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 1,415
lol.
paulmh is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 06:44 AM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
BSPGirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Nowhere
Posts: 889
Keep Staying Away ! Works If I Don't Work It !
LOL Makin' your own slogans, huh?

Marte
BSPGirl is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 09:18 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Knucklehead
 
doorknob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
Windy,

I share your dilemma. I know the support would help me, but you can't get it without enduring a lot of religious/spiritual talk and sloganeering. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the internet!

D to da K
doorknob is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 10:38 AM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
 
Leo_the_Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicago IL
Posts: 67
I went to an AA meeting last Friday. I was hoping to "network" with a couple of acquaintences that are in the same profession as me. I didn't see them but the meeting was not too bad. It's one of the less doctrinaire meetings that I've been to. On the other hand, the meeting didn't do, much for me - it just kind of had no effect.

I do have a good friend that's a low bottom crack addict that just went back on the pipe. This guy works the program hard but this is another in a series of relapses. He's got a pretty good chance of a heart attack or stroke. I am sorry for him but it does help me see how crazy it is to start smoking again.
Leo_the_Cat is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 03:53 PM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 97
Hi

I believe in checking out meetings and seeing how stuck they are on the "Ole time AA setup" Find the most open minded group and if possible find one with no "old times" or even groups that are not part of the local intergroup. I would say go to as many step and big book meetings that it takes to learn which ones to skip.

AB

Originally Posted by Leo_the_Cat View Post
I went to an AA meeting last Friday. I was hoping to "network" with a couple of acquaintences that are in the same profession as me. I didn't see them but the meeting was not too bad. It's one of the less doctrinaire meetings that I've been to. On the other hand, the meeting didn't do, much for me - it just kind of had no effect.

I do have a good friend that's a low bottom crack addict that just went back on the pipe. This guy works the program hard but this is another in a series of relapses. He's got a pretty good chance of a heart attack or stroke. I am sorry for him but it does help me see how crazy it is to start smoking again.
Abbadun is offline  
Old 11-30-2006, 04:31 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Member
 
Mongo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 363
Actually, I've wanted to go to an AA meeting to check it out. I am leery of what I may face, I know no one currently attending AA so can't really ask which meetings are for the secularists. I do believe the group support could be helpful.

My uncle, who passed several years ago stayed sober with the help of AA for over twenty years. He made some good friends too.

Just my thoughts.

Ron

Ps Doorknob RAmen
Mongo is offline  
Old 12-01-2006, 05:07 AM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: .
Posts: 299
Oddly enough, in my experience, I prefer the more "doctrinaire", focussed AA meetings, even though I am an atheist.

I find that the looser, more "social" kind of meetings are sometimes dominated, to be a little harsh here, by people blabbing on narcissistically about their lives in general, and sometimes in love with the sound of their own voice. The 'Taliban' meetings, as I heard someone refer to the more 'doctrinaire' kind, seemed more concentrated on "sharing" in a more specific sense, on trying to communicate what we all can learn from each other about our problems with alcohol.

It's a kind of exaggerated distinction, but maybe someone can see what I'm vaguely getting at.
nolonger is offline  
Old 12-01-2006, 05:24 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Big Idiot Man Child
Thread Starter
 
windysan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
The meetings here are dominated by drug court bozos mandated to be there by the courts. Not much support there at all. Matter of fact, there's lots of dope floating around. I don't need to be around that zhit.
windysan is offline  
Old 12-01-2006, 06:57 AM
  # 10 (permalink)  
Member
 
Leo_the_Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicago IL
Posts: 67
Windysan - too bad that there's dope at the meetings by you. Not a good thing.

Nolonger - I know what you mean by people that love their own voice, I hate that. By "doctrinarie" I meant very tightly focused on the steps and the One to whom the steps lead. That doesn't work for me. I like meetings that share experience, strength and hope but that are not entirely focused on the steps and God. I also like a chair that will keep people from speaking too long.
Leo_the_Cat is offline  
Old 12-03-2006, 06:04 AM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 49
Windysan,
If the shoe does not fit, do not wear it.

A significant number of attendees at AA/NA are mandated. Perhaps the court mandates attendance to reduce jail overcrowding.
CAS116 is offline  
Old 12-03-2006, 09:24 AM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Reach Out and Touch Faith
 
shockozulu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
I did not know there was a lot of dope around my meeting. Recently my town was featured on a cable network show on addiction and they showed where I met (there is really only two places NA meets here) and by gosh, dope was everywhere.

A family member turned to me while watching this and said "there is a lot of drugs outside that meeting,and that is where we vote" . I just turned to her and said "That's also where I went to NA".

I think she got an understanding why I don't work NA anymore.
shockozulu is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 07:17 AM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Big Idiot Man Child
Thread Starter
 
windysan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
I saw an old timer aa dude I used to see at meetings. He's a scruffy old dude who never was one of those smug old timers. He was a gutter drunk homeless dude when he was drinking. He asked how I was and why I didn't do meetings no more. I told him there was too much dope at meetings due to the court mandated dopers in the meetings. He said that I should stay away. I always thought that old dude was smart.
windysan is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 08:08 AM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Member
 
michski's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: California
Posts: 972
Thumbs up

Originally Posted by nolonger View Post

I find that the looser, more "social" kind of meetings are sometimes dominated, to be a little harsh here, by people blabbing on narcissistically about their lives in general, and sometimes in love with the sound of their own voice. .

Oh that is SO TRUE... !

I went to AA every week or more for 3 years... One day I just couldn't stand the idea of going again. I really did get exhausted with listening to everyone tooting their own HP's horn. Still AA did help me a lot. I needed somewhere to go with understanding people so that I could practice my social skills sober. I remember hardly being able to complete a whole sentence when I first entered AA and I've got to say, those people were damn good to me and did love me until I learned to love myself.
I never thought of court ordered addicts having a stash at NA meetings but I know lots of court ordered AAers who went directly to the bar after getting their paper signed at the meeting. So, I can see where it would be dangerous for someone who has managed all by themselves to avoid being around drugs and druggies to go out and seek some out.
michski is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 09:08 AM
  # 15 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: West Monroe Louisiana
Posts: 4
I'm new at this, I'm only 23 and I have a drinking problem but its time to kick it..and I have alot of friends telling me that rehab will do me good or go to meetings. But i cant I dont want to, my dad and mom went for 10 or 15 years and it never help..so why should i waste my time I think I can do this on my own or at least without the meeting and rehab..I dont need all the prasing and stuff they do in there I get that at church..Am I wrong for that?
Christy112503 is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 11:44 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
Big Idiot Man Child
Thread Starter
 
windysan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
Originally Posted by Christy112503 View Post
I'm new at this, I'm only 23 and I have a drinking problem but its time to kick it..and I have alot of friends telling me that rehab will do me good or go to meetings. But i cant I dont want to, my dad and mom went for 10 or 15 years and it never help..so why should i waste my time I think I can do this on my own or at least without the meeting and rehab..I dont need all the prasing and stuff they do in there I get that at church..Am I wrong for that?

good thing about rehab is that you are AWAY from booze for about a month. rehab is a good place to get started.
windysan is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 03:24 PM
  # 17 (permalink)  
Member
 
paulmh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 1,415
In the UK we don't have anyone sent to meetings by a court. No-one is mandated to attend, so it's consistent with what the old-timers say - AA isn't for those that need it, it's for those that want it. And as I've read here, AA isn't for us to go along and share about what a ****** day we've had or how we're full of self pity. It's for us to share our experience strength and hope for the still suffering alcoholic. It's easy when we find a meeting that doesn't gel with us. We just don't go again. That type of meeting might be just what someone else needs to hear, but if it's not for us it's not for us.
paulmh is offline  
Old 12-05-2006, 05:57 PM
  # 18 (permalink)  
Member
 
Leo_the_Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicago IL
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by Christy112503 View Post
I'm new at this, I'm only 23 and I have a drinking problem but its time to kick it..and I have alot of friends telling me that rehab will do me good or go to meetings. But i cant I dont want to, my dad and mom went for 10 or 15 years and it never help..so why should i waste my time I think I can do this on my own or at least without the meeting and rehab..I dont need all the prasing and stuff they do in there I get that at church..Am I wrong for that?
I can't tell you whether you are right or wrong.

I can tell you I went to rehab and AA/CA when I first got sober and I think it helped me. The rehab kept me from drinking and drugging for a month. The support of people in AA/CA that were going through the same thing also helped. However, after a while, the emphasis on a higher power in AA/CA created alot of internal conflict in me and I was better off not going.

If you haven't tried to stop on your own yet, maybe try stopping on your own and, if you cannot, then go to rehab. You might also look at SMART.

Good luck.
Leo_the_Cat is offline  
Old 12-06-2006, 06:08 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: .
Posts: 299
Christy and others…

There are “religious” aspects of AA, and sometimes, as a non-religious person (=me), that can feel alienating.

But one thing which AA will give you that other options may not is a sense of the seriousness of the problem. If you’ve been seriously warped by alcoholism, the problem goes very very deep: even if its too biblical sometimes, AA gives me a sense of that, and also of just how much I need want and work at getting away from the mess I’m coming from. A sense that something difficult and serious has to happen within me. Some AAers will call that their Higher Power at work: whatever.

If I read the Big Book, there is a lot I hate – the aggressive godliness, the weird 1930s lingo, etc. But if I look, for example, at the humanist 12 steps (the B.S. Skinner version that someone linked to the other day), they don’t remotely seem to grasp how much difficulty and desperation all alcoholics will go through. They just seem glib.

That’s why I’m checking out as much as I can, listening to all I can: to find out what will help me move on from the unbelievably vicious circles alcoholism had/has me going around in.
nolonger is offline  
Old 12-14-2006, 11:12 AM
  # 20 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 49
Christy, this a place to learn about other options.

With the internet, you are able explore your options.

Some options include:

LifeRing
SOS
Smart Recovery
Rational recovery.
WFS

You may find it helpful to check these out.
CAS116 is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:52 AM.