dwtbd

The only delusion I suffered was that I didn't have the power to quit.

When I drank I meant to get drunk. After years of drinking I regretted that I drank , but
I felt trapped in the cycle of drinking, regret, and then eventually more drinking.

I thought there was something wrong with me, that it was beyond me to stop the cycle, I was wrong.

jdooner

I wonder if we lost the forest through the Trees with this thread? Any updates from the OP (Messedup12)? Looks like this thread was his last post a few weeks ago.

Raider

Yup can't see the forest any longer.....

DoubleBarrel

I see nowhere that he made that distinction. I agree there is a difference, but
You pointed it out, not cabo.

caboblanco

I didn't try to moderate..I just quit..and it was me not drinking not my higher power having supernatural control over me. Many people moderate their drinking. I know most people here deny that but it is a fact...so I guess they had control over their drinking even after they had a couple. They didn't become hypnotized by the alcohol devil and kept drinking till they passed out.

Joe Nerv

And many people aren't alcoholics. Not sure what the point is here.

My wife drank heavily and did lots of drugs when she was in her teens, then stopped. Now she drinks on average 5 drinks a year. I know a lot of people who drank like crazy during their late teens, early twenties, and then just reeled it in or quit. No problem.

I think we wind up in trouble on this forum because people don't understand that we all drank differently. And have different quitting experiences. Some people can just walk away from it, and I can understand it being difficult for those people to understand why others can't just do the same. Some, such as myself, tried countless times for years and it was virtually impossible. Until it wasn't. And for many of us the only thing that made it possible was a seeming intervention by a spiritual source, power, energy, god or whatever anyone wants to call it - outside ourselves. Others identify that power as being within themselves. Or themselves, period.

Me thinks trouble starts when any of us believe the only true path is the one that worked for us. And most of us believe that, whether we admit it or not. I think it's just a part of human nature. Or alcoholic nature maybe. I don't know. I'm really working at changing my perspective though.

Hope this post made sense... I'm not awake yet.... .

RobbyRobot

Clearly and sadly, it's no secret many people from all walks of life everyday die an alcoholic death directly attributed to their drinking. People claiming they have no comprehension of how seriously "out of control drinking" can become manifest, are in my opinion, being disingenuous (ie not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.)

Obviously each of those now dead drinkers did not happily, and with skillful use of their supposed control of alcohol just simply keep pouring it down their throat to their certain death. Obviously, more was going on then just wilfulness at its absolute worst. Not everybody dies from drinking, of course. Interesting. Nonetheless, too many drinkers do die from the many inter-weaved consequences of drinking alcohol.

Alcoholic drinking is not scientifically debated. The mechanism for addiction behaviour in humans and animals is well proven. What is still interesting is the variance in behaviours and of consequences of those who drink alcohol. Its amazing.

I suppose people like to be comfortable in their beliefs. Of course, people are also comfortable with having their beliefs tested and eventually proven too. Why believe in anything if not also desiring to be on the right side of whatever is being questioned and examined?

Sure I have choices. Sure I have controls. And sure I didn't die a drunken death. I'm sober today however, believing that my loss of control in my past alcoholic drinking was killing me, and unless I accepted that realization in a timely fashion, I was gonna be dead too just like so many others before me.

We all can only speak from our real life experiences, otherwise what is the point of having any other kind of non-personal discussion anyways in a recovery forum filled with first-person experiences? I, and many others too, can easily comprehend why people would and do uncontrollably pour alcohol down their throat. Been there. Done that.

foolsgold66

I'm putting this thread out of my misery. Goodbye, thread,

jdooner

I think this is a really important point or few points. One size does not fit all. We sometimes get too emotionally attached bc when a process or program works for us and we feel "saved" then human nature is to try and help others and defend our program. This is essentially how religion and to a large extent AA is setup. This is not bad. But we need to have tolerance that there are other ways and programs and understanding that does not mean we need to shift our own program that is working for us. Just refrain on preaching it to others.

BTW - this is not ddirected at anyone, just an observation.

I also think its important to note that not all people can be helped or lives saved. This is not bad, some will need to fall to this disease/illness/maladay whatever you want to call it. This is okay too.

KateL

Great post.

caboblanco

this is false. it is scientifically debated heavily and there is no proof of a genetic link or "mechanism" to addiction

Opinions are opinions but you can't play with facts. So I just go with the facts and that is not an opinion

Im out of this thread now too.

RobbyRobot

Addiction science is an already established reality. Science has already proven addicted humans and animals can abuse their addiction to their death. This is not mere opinion. What is still debated is the whys of such behaviors, not the actual idea that fatal addiction phenomena exists.

jdooner

You are actually incorrect CB. No disrespect intended. Just do a simple Google search here. The advent of gene sequencing has proven scientifically certain genes in humans (not just mice) will make them more prone to certain dopamine releasing drugs etc. What is debated is the activation, which is the nuture vs nature debate.

Nonsensical

I think the original question has been indirectly answered by the volume of posting in this thread.

Many people want to help. They aren't all good at it.

silentrun

Haven't most people in AA tried to quit other ways? I hear some say they where unable to quit on their own. While I may say SR would be the way to go for some it would not be enough. People who can quit in another way wouldn't even be in there to give the other side. For the people in the rooms the statement AA is the only way to quit would be 100% true from their point of view. It would be true for them and what they see to be true for others.

RobbyRobot

History is filled with numbers of people who quit drinking before, and since, AA was ever created. I'm AA. This does not mean for me AA is the only way, though. Common sense and experience informs me there are many ways and paths and otherwise events which can also bring success in quitting drinking. No disrespect to you, silentrun. We just disagree is all. No big deal otherwise.

silentrun

I know. I don't begrudge anyone anything that keeps them out of that hell either. The OP asked why SOME people push AA though. Maybe in fact they are not pushing it but it just seems that way from a newcomer's perspective. If in fact they are a little fanatical I could see why. NO NO NO I tried that and it almost killed me. You might not come back from that. It would be true as they know it.

KateL

Many people have got well without AA.

Johnston

I don't mind people pushing AA in an AA meeting. Makes sense. What bothers me is when someone says they tried everything before finding the solution in AA. You would have to live a few lifetimes to try everything I think.

DoubleBarrel

You keep saying that you don't believe in addiction science all over in different threads.

This is scientific fact. If you spent a tiny amount of time researching addiction and scientific studies, you would learn that.

You are entitled to your own opinion, but as they say, you are not entitled to your own facts.