Alcoholics Anonymous

Desperado Deluxe

Desperado Deluxe

New member
Anybody have any experience with AA? Good or bad?

I've recently been going to meetings because I'm court ordered to do so. I haven't been drinking partially cause I'm sick of it and I've been meeting some cool people.
I'm finding that alcohol is fucking my life up and preventing opportunities from coming to myself and others. Just wondering about ya'lls experience. Maybe recommend some cool places to go to meetings in the future.
 
Awesome, keep coming back. it is a good place to meet people, get free coffee and to network. that being said, there was a guy from CA who sued the courts for making him go because their belief in a higher power infringed on his right to religious freedom (he was an atheist) he won and does not have to go .
 
dmac66 said:
Awesome, keep coming back. it is a good place to meet people, get free coffee and to network. that being said, there was a guy from CA who sued the courts for making him go because their belief in a higher power infringed on his right to religious freedom (he was an atheist) he won and does not have to go .
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I think it was funny to go to meetings in CA because the head guy wouldn't sign my paper because its supposed to be anonymous and I had to ask a random person to sign it making it easy to forge. But here in GA its different.
 
Hey man - good on you. I am not involved with it but bf has been involved for >5 years. I'm sending an IM. Good luck!
 
i went for a bit. Didn't personally get on with it. Mainly because of the whole doing it for a greater power than ourselves part of the 12 steps. i am not in any way spiritual so I found this counter intuitive to me. I felt that I should sort my issues out with alcohol for myself and the tangible people around me that my behaviour was effecting. I still drink, not every day and when I do its not to the point of obliteration. thats the best I can do right now and actually I am happy enough with that. In the future who knows...

That however is not me writing AA off. I have seen it doing wonders for other people. If it works for your then go for it. Well done on addressing your issues. So many people don't have the strength to respect themselves enough to do it. Good luck. ;)
 
landpirate said:
i went for a bit. Didn't personally get on with it. Mainly because of the whole doing it for a greater power than ourselves part of the 12 steps. i am not in any way spiritual so I found this counter intuitive to me. I felt that I should sort my issues out with alcohol for myself and the tangible people around me that my behaviour was effecting. I still drink, not every day and when I do its not to the point of obliteration. thats the best I can do right now and actually I am happy enough with that. In the future who knows...

That however is not me writing AA off. I have seen it doing wonders for other people. If it works for your then go for it. Well done on addressing your issues. So many people don't have the strength to respect themselves enough to do it. Good luck. ;)
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They actually have aithiest AA meetings haven't been to any of those yet so I'm not sure about the higher power thing with that. I've actually quit for about 2 years before and got into a shitty situation and started drinking again up until recently. I've just found that being among other people that don't drink and getting to know them creates a sort of community and can be encouraging.
 
AA can be cool, you meet.some.interesting people who are.obviously committed (when its not.court ordered).

But for me it didn't work out, it made me feel like I was a problem that needed to be fixed but never could. They once got mad at.me for having nothing to share one day, and I was a regular.

And all the talk about god, drove me crazy, I can't pray by someone elses religion and they do praying circles.

But it works for a good friend of mine. If its something you need, do it. And coffee and cookies are a plus.
 
I went for a while because I had to but didn't like it. Some people love it though. Personally, I find it too lala and whatnot. I don't want anyone telling me how to live act or think. I make those decisions for myself and if that decision is not to drink then I won't.
 
as an organization, AA/NA frustrates the hell out of me because- 1). it claims a monopoly on helping addicts, and 2). it refuses to grow and adapt new ideas/strategies/concepts. AA/NA is a stale and tired institution.

It's about time to do away with those "traditions" that the AA/NA acolytes insist on parroting over and over again. I would only be preaching to the choir if I warned you fine citizens of StP to ***BEWARE OF TRADITIONS***

AA/NA never did a goddamn thing for me but make me feel small and worthless. I'm a former opiate addict and I stopped getting high because I am powerFUL, not powerLESS. Don't even let these bastards try to tell you that you're powerless! If you let them sow that seed of thought of "powerlessness" in your brain then you better believe that there will always be a preacher/self help guru/con men right around the corner just waiting to harvest that shit.

I get angry when I think of the possibilities.... I get angry when I think of what could be. Addicts are my people, and goddamnit I LOVE them so much and it breaks my heart to see them fall into the AA/NA trap- where they are herded (all ALONE) back into a society that they had the decent and common sense to run away from in the first place!

I'll close with this: I think it's high time for someone to grab a hammer and a nail and go Martin Luther on these extraextra-regular mother fuckers. It's time for a Reformation.
 
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goldendose said:
as an organization, AA/NA frustrates the hell out of me because- 1). it claims a monopoly on helping addicts, and 2). it refuses to grow and adapt new ideas/strategies/concepts. AA/NA is a stale and tired institution.

It's about time to do away with those "traditions" that the AA/NA acolytes insist on parroting over and over again. I would only be preaching to the choir if I warned you fine citizens of StP to ***BEWARE OF TRADITIONS***

AA/NA never did a goddamn thing for me but make me feel small and worthless. I'm a former opiate addict and I stopped getting high because I am powerFUL, not powerLESS. Don't even let these bastards try to tell you that you're powerless! If you let them sow that seed of thought of "powerlessness" in your brain then you better believe that there will always be a preacher/self help guru/con men right around the corner just waiting to harvest that shit.

I get angry when I think of the possibilities.... I get angry when I think of what could be. Addicts are my people, and goddamnit I LOVE them so much and it breaks my heart to see them fall into the AA/NA trap- where the only place to go is to be herded (all ALONE) back into a society that they had the decent and common sense to run away from in the first place!

I'll close with this: I think it's high time for someone to grab a hammer and a nail and go Martin Luther on these extraextra-regular mother fuckers. It's time for a Reformation.
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Radical... But sound
 
I tried it out a few times, but it really more than anything just made me want to drink more, and in fact gives you an excuse to do so.. "I'm an addict, always will be an addict, have no control". I found that a with shift in my perspective, brutal honestly with self, and taking responsibility for where I'd allowed myself to end up, I was able to focus on the bigger things in life and thus free myself of the whole of the "addict" persona, so today it's not impossible for me to drink and stop when I want. Same thing with drugs. I'm not saying it's always easy, but is life really supposed to be easy all of the time? No. All I know is, I feel exponentially better about myself since I started viewing things this way. When it comes down to it though, it would be ridiculous to claim a one-size-fits-all fix in regards to the subject.
 
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goldendose said:
as an organization, AA/NA frustrates the hell out of me because- 1). it claims a monopoly on helping addicts, and 2). it refuses to grow and adapt new ideas/strategies/concepts. AA/NA is a stale and tired institution.

It's about time to do away with those "traditions" that the AA/NA acolytes insist on parroting over and over again. I would only be preaching to the choir if I warned you fine citizens of StP to ***BEWARE OF TRADITIONS***

AA/NA never did a goddamn thing for me but make me feel small and worthless. I'm a former opiate addict and I stopped getting high because I am powerFUL, not powerLESS. Don't even let these bastards try to tell you that you're powerless! If you let them sow that seed of thought of "powerlessness" in your brain then you better believe that there will always be a preacher/self help guru/con men right around the corner just waiting to harvest that shit.

I get angry when I think of the possibilities.... I get angry when I think of what could be. Addicts are my people, and goddamnit I LOVE them so much and it breaks my heart to see them fall into the AA/NA trap- where they are herded (all ALONE) back into a society that they had the decent and common sense to run away from in the first place!

I'll close with this: I think it's high time for someone to grab a hammer and a nail and go Martin Luther on these extraextra-regular mother fuckers. It's time for a Reformation.
Click to expand...

Yup, do your homework...

Dr. Lance Dodes is the most recent to wade into this debate in a new book, The Sober Truth: Debunking the Bad Science behind 12-Step Programs and the Rehab Industry. Dodes combed through more than 50 studies and found that the success rate for Alcoholics Anonymous is between 5 and 10 per cent, which he calls one of the worst in all of medicine.

http://www.thestar.com/life/2014/03...ible_success_rate_addiction_expert_finds.html

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the...ymous_theres_a_better_way_to_treat_addiction/

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/the-surprising-failures-of-12-steps/284616/
 
I have been to a few AA meetings. My mom used to have a deal with me when i was 15-16: each AA meeting i went to would score me 1 pack of cigarettes. I went to a couple but quit going. I also would go to them when i was like 4 or 5 because my Dad (rip) would go and had no one to watch us. I heard some crazy ass stories as a little kid, lol.
It can be a real supportive environment and it helps people stay sober. Yeah, their ideology is slightly skewed (You have no control over your drinking and you are a mere helpless alcoholic without us or a higher power), but it saves lives. Honestly im drunk right now and alcohol is an addictive and sneaky drug that can put your nuts in some vice grips before you even realize.
I quit going because i viewed it as a cult. That was just my pessimism and paranoia, though. Its a helpful community, it doesnt do miracles but it helps miracles happen. Some people just need to know there aee other people who feel the same way. I mean this website is meant for people who generally have few resources to come and talk, share ideas and support each other. Aa meetings are the same idea, pretty much. Cause when ypu realize youre not the only one in your predicament, it makes you more confident that you can work through it. Liquor destroys lives, so yay for AA, I guess?
 
AA really makes me want, no, not want, NEED a drink. Fun fact, Bill W's dying wish was for 3 shots of whiskey and was repeatedly denied it by his followers, here's a decent article about it http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/bill-wilson-drug-war . He was also a strong believer in LSD (something the program would now rather you forget) and was a raging sex addict his whole the life. He was also the original "13 stepper," the thirteenth step being when an elder AA member uses a vulnerable new member for sex. Here's another fun article on that subject http://www.alternatives-for-alcoholism.com/bill-wilson.html . In addition, AA is based off two concepts. One being that alcoholism is a craving caused by an allergic reaction to alcohol, and two being that the only way to deny such craving is to give in to the power of god. Despite this line being shoved down people's throats there's extremely little evidence to back this up scientifically. Personally, I think it's all a buncha suedo-science brainwashing bull designed to make you clock in on time at the factory week days and at the church on weekends.
 
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Yeah my experience was going with my rehab at the time and offing their entire coffee pot. Since we were in rehab, we only got decaf but when we went to meetings you bet we chugged that strong coffee lol
 
Interesting comments.For me AA is more about society and support.I have 3 yrs clean and sober.I didnt get sober in AA.That was a personal choice on my part.I go to meetings to connect with others and for the comaradery that is found there.When you want to get sober it happens but you have to want to be sober.I dont have a "God" but I do have a higher power of my understanding.To each their own,it works for me and thats all I know.
 
Been giving a lot of thought to this lately(just passed the 3 yr mark clean and sober)and its amazing how good life is now.In my experience any addiction/recovery program has a less then stellar success rate.Its about what you want and where you are at in your life,like anything else.I will always be there if someone needs help,which for me one of the best parts of AA yeas some meetings are very preachy and that shit can get old trust me.On the other side there are meetings that are straight up and are very open about Bill W issues.No one is perfect but to come down on one program seems a little narrow minded.I'm sorry to anyone that has had a shitty experience in AA,just remember what works for one doesnt work for another.Reminds me when I was in PTOWN at 18yo we used to got to meeting above the Burnside youth shelter to drink good coffee and cage free smokes too lol.
 
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