Religious aspects in aa/na or treatment
 

I am all for people using whatever works for them to help them get better. However, I don't know if it's right for me. I'm agnostic and my bf is atheist..it really pisses him off about it all. It doesn't bother me, but it makes me uncomfortable. It might be good for me especially if I don't go to intensive out patient.

Also, the sayings seem a bit overboard or corny to me. I'm not putting it down..it just doesn't seem like me.

Any thoughts?

i think you may have a misconception of both AA and NA. neither one are religious, unless i have missed something in the last 7 years. them sayings may seem corny, but the sayings i had got me drunk.
how bout sharing what you are doing to get and stay sober,eh? it could help others.

What's your goal?

There are ways to stay stopped that don't include 12 steps. Have you looked into Rational Recovery, AVRT, SMART, or Women for Recovery? They are all online. Intensive Out Patient for me did not include any 12 step program, that was for our own time away from the intensive therapy that was provided.

I wish you well on your recovery!

As an implicit atheist I get where your coming from. AA/NA dose come off as religious but its not a religion. It is however faith-based so IMO it is in the category of quasi-religious or new age or whatever. Massive amounts of people do get clean/sober in AA/NA and outside of AA/NA.

I go to open meetings of AA as AA dose not demand I believe or do anything if I need no to do such. I also use recovery tools like; Women for Sobriety, SOS, LifeRing, SMART, CBT, Urge Surfing, DBT and AVRT along with SR and other things to keep me track with my wellness journey.

So there's that, what do you think?

I happen to be Christian, but AA/NA is spiritual, not religious. Just heard someone in meeting say that the other day.

I have not encountered religion in treatment. However, much as it is denied, there is a religious element of 12-step recovery. God (albeit one of one's own understanding) and meetings in AA end with the Lord's Prayer.

However, if you are not willing to try EVERYTHING--even the religious or cornball--it is hard to find recovery. I am not in 12-step recovery anymore, but I did try it. The time I spent int he program gave me a vision of what my recovery could be, and I am grateful for that.

If it's not right for you, then find what is. There are many options. Using religion, or lack of, as a reason not to end your addiction is pure AV.

you might find these threads helpful

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-part-5-a.html

RR and AVRT has helped me. Good luck!

Love from Lenina

I felt similarly, but that's not unique - about half of the original fellowship of AA was agnostic or atheist. I am so grateful that I was open-minded enough to seek help in the rooms even though there were things I didn't understand. I continued to ask questions, learned to look for the similarities rather than the differences and trusted in the process. As it has been said, the 12 step fellowships are spiritual, not religious. I found a way of life for me that I truly love, and I hope you might give it a chance too. I wouldn't want to miss it for anything in the world.

The chapter called "We Agnostics" might help you to understand what's meant by a Higher Power in the rooms:

We Agnostics - Chapter 4

All my best wishes to you on your journey.

Let me correct my prior post. I inadvertently deleted some words so that it does not make sense. The first paragraph should read:

I have not encountered religion in treatment. However, much as it is denied, there is a religious element of 12-step recovery. God (albeit one of one's own understanding) appears in the steps and meetings in AA end with the Lord's Prayer.

Yeah, AA and NA can be religious...or it does'nt have to be religious or spiritual at all. It's up to you. There are actually agnostic/atheist AA meetings in some areas now. And I can almost guarantee you that if you stick around long enough you will discover that your not the only agnostic there. Sure, the big-book/basic text is chock full of references to G-d and "higher-powers", but alot of folks I know (including myself, an agnostic buddhist) have re-interpretated this stuff so that it works for us. And different groups have different flavors:I've been to old-school meetings where there's alot of spiritual talk and slogans and big-book quoting, and then I've attended meetings where I felt like I was in the studio audience of the Dr.Phil show! Some are progressive, some are like being inside the Jim-Jones cult compound, some just plain suck...but---depending how many groups are in your area---if you shop around enough you may be able to find a group that you feel comfortable with. Personally, I get what I need out of it and leave the rest. Peace.

if thats how you feel thats how you feel. i am sorry you feel that way.
ok, so you find it necessary to share you opinion of it. now lets get to the real problem:you.
are you doing something else to get sober? do you want help?

Here is the thing: yes, the Lord's Prayer is said at the end of meetings but you don't have to say it if you don't want to! The bigger issue is that AA actually works! I know this because I had a horrible drinking problem and AA worked for me. I never drank again! It was only when I stopped going to AA meetings, not working the program is when this narcotic pain medication thing snuck up on me. I am not trying to sound like some kind of AA zealot (maybe I am!) but it really does work. Just be honest with yourself. That is what I am trying to do. And yes, you have to REALLY want it.

tomsteve--

I am doing fine, thank you. Since leaving 12-step recovery two and a half years ago, I have finally been able to get the support I needed and have been clean ever since. You post sounds as if you might be having some difficulties. If you feel you need any help, please pm or post.

I do not think that there is anything wrong with the religious basis of 12-step recovery. But I do think it it important to be upfront and honest. I think when one closes meetings with Christian prayers and includes god in the very foundations of recovery, it is hard to claim that this program is not religious in any way.

That said, I think that for recovery to work one has to be willing to try ANYTHING. That includes religious recovery, secular recovery, therapy, or whatever. I do not regret the 7 or 8 years I spent in 12-step recovery and continue to recommend it to others. But I find people are much more open when they are told that there is a religious component that they may or may not want to buy into.

If I can say, I think the important thing in recovery is rigorous honesty, connection to something larger than yourself (usually expressed in service of some kind to others or the community), and openness to what life throws at you.

For me, I had to find people I could speak to openly about my addiction and the difficulties I had. I needed to be able to call on people when I was afraid I would use. Until I found that I could not get anywhere with recovery.

My Opinion, AA/NA are spirituality based and not religeous based. You hear God mentioned quite often but almost always as a 'God of your understanding'. I've heard God described as Good Orderly Direction. Faith based - sure I have faith that good orderly direction can take me down the path to true serenity and happiness.

As far as corny sayings go. Sure there's lots that can be coined as being corny, but every one of them have meaning well beyond the corny aspect. KISS - Keep it simple stupid. I'm somewhat of an intellectual. Most of us alkies are very very smart, or we wouldn't have survived. Most us us tend to take something that's very simple and complicate the heck out of it, so someone in the distant past came up with the saying KISS - telling me to back off on complicating things and take it step by step.

Corny sayings abound - but then I don't believe that's strictly within AA or NA.

actually, AA has been working quite well for 7 + years for me and i'm doin good. i'm not spending my time knockin any other recovery programs today, got all the support i need form my friends in AA and God, and am now one to live in the solution and help others.

as stated, now how about sharing your method of recovery to help others??? it could save someones life.

Lets get back to helping the OP guys:)

Personal discussions, chest beatings or antler clashings should be delivered over PM (if you must...)

Thanks

D

Star.. there's lots of ways to get and stay sober. I hope you check the links that Zen and Lenina posted. I didn't use 12 step programs in my recovery either.

Starlit84.....Welcome...:wave:

Please do try any and everything in order to find a clean and sober future....:yup:

There simply is no wrong way to recover.