Outpatient Support @ Hospitals/Clinics?
 

Hi.

I'm just not able to get comfortable with the idea of A.A. due to the religious component (as well as some other reasons that probably make sense only to me), and I'm wary of other organizations, too. For some reason, I'm most comfortable with the idea of attending groups that are affiliated with a hospital or health center. I don't know why this is, it just is.

Anyway, there's an Outpatient Addiction Services department at one of the two hospitals with which I'm affiliated (my medical care is all through one hospital network, and my weekly therapy and ED-related treatment has been through another). My therapist gave me the phone number so that I can set up an intake appointment, but I haven't made the call yet. Some questions:

1. Has anyone here attended addiction-related groups in a hospital/clinical setting on an outpatient basis?
2. If so, how -- in your opinion -- do they compare to organizations like A.A.? (Assuming you have experience with both.) Is there a different vibe? Are the general formats of meetings very different?

Thank you for answering.

:You_Rock_

PS: Mods, if you think this topic is better suited elsewhere, I understand. I wasn't sure, myself.

Hi Bella,
about twelve years or so ago, I went to a weekly group run by an alcohol consultant at a university hospital. I was very young, but already steaming down the path to alcoholism, and coming out of a massive depressive period - the therapist had sensed that there was a lake of booze at the bottom of it all and sent me to the consultant. I was as green as the grass too, didn't know much about anything, and least of all about myself.

Once a week we would gather together in a room and just shoot the breeze about how our weeks had been. Big mix of people, ages, races, DOCs. I was still drinking (not too bad then - one-two day benders just) and I lied about it. There was very little alcohol-related content, and, looking back, I wonder if it really mostly served as a checking-in function.

The consultant I remember as very impressive, though - tough-minded and no-******** compassionate. He sent me to AA to check out a couple of meetings. I was still drinking and lied about it there too.

Which tells you something about me but not so much about non-AA groups. Good luck finding a group that suits you, though,
NL.

Thanks for your honesty, NL. :)

I think I'll still give it a try. I finally came clean to my mom that I'm struggling again. She's an R.N. case manager for the HMO that I belong to, so she's going to ask around at work about the best OP programs in the state. I just still don't think A.A. is for me... so, I guess we'll see.