What are the possibilities?
 

Hello All,

I have been in recovery from my addictions for almost two years now and am now faced with an interesting challenge. I am trying to help someone who is not only an alcoholic/drug addict but also has Asperger's Syndrome and other co-occurring disorders. If you know anything about Asperger's the 12-step model does not really work well for people who think this way. "Powerlessness" is a concept that is hard to grasp when taken literally and the whole HP concept is vague at best. The town where I live and work has tons of 12-step meetings and not many of them (none that I know of actually) have a secular bent. The 12-step model has done wonders for me. In fact, it saved my life, but I need something else for my friend. I don't know where to begin. I know there are other programs out there, but I would love to get some feedback about them. What they are and how they work.

Thank you in advance for any responses!:c031:

good luck with that. i have no idea.

Hey phunky!

I know a little about Aspergers and can see how 12 step would be problematic. There are programs like rational recovery that might be better suited to your friend. I'm not sure but SMART also might work.

Ummm...maybe some reading about the science of addiction...there is a whole thread dedicated to it in this section.

Good luck and keep us posted!

I have been antiquated with a few Asperger's Syndrome people at the mental health clinic over my time being there for groups, education meetings and mingling outside the clinic.

The WRAP might help. It is an overall mental health wellness plan. Then add SMART Recovery meetings if available or just the SMART Tools with the WRAP, as I do, add some live support...its a good overall direction to go out of addiction and into better all around health.

People with Asperger's may not be amenable to a social support approach, but they do often have quite an analytical bent, and can often grasp such concepts better than most. There are plenty of people with Asperger's in IT, Engineering, and other fields that require such concentrated analytical thinking, for example.

There are alternatives for self-recovery out there, which are self-directed, and may better suit your friend.

Rational Recovery uses one such model. The book "Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction" by Jack Trimpey outlines the method.

SMART recovery has free online meetings, which tend to focus more on CBT/REBT. Your friend may be more comfortable using their online meetings.

Thank you all for your helpful post!

What about Soberrecovery? Many people with Aspergers find online interactions much more comfortable.