Alcoholics Anonymous

[doombug]

Addiction as a spiritual bankruptcy.........So would all atheists be addicts?:sarcasm

Do you consider all Atheists spiritually bankrupt?

 

[hart]

No, some might be possessed.........

 

[doombug]

No, some might be possessed.........

Agreed! hahaha!

 

[Joe the meek]

I've read a good bit of this thread and would only like to add my 2 cents. I know some things about the subject and only offer my opinion based on my experience and what I have learned.

It is believed by many there are 3 broken relationships that need mending when it comes to addiction:

1) A person's relationship with themselves.
2) A person's relationship with other people.
3) A person's relationship with God. Not a religious God, a spiritual God.

From what I have seen I believe this to be true.

If an alcoholic "works the steps" then these three relationships can be mended making recovery possible.
I also believe many addicts need help from a professional as well. The physical aspects of addiction can be more than someone can take without professional help. Sometimes addicts need as much help and support as they can get but unless they want sobriety for themselves it won't work.

One of the better responses per this beaten thread.

 

[doombug]

Thank you Joe the Meek. I understand you have been involved in the program before and seem to understand it quite well. It is a mystery to those who haven't worked the steps before.

 

[MsPoppy]

No, some might be possessed.........

I am thinking that some very religious types can be possesed too

 

[BornReady]

I imagine you're speaking figuratively. But demon possession is just an old superstition. Psychiatrists have much better explanations today. It's past time to put superstition behind us. It's caused a lot of harm to innocent people.

 

[doombug]

I don't know about "possession" as a possibility but from what I know it seems that hopelessness and shame seem to be at the heart of addiction. That's why the 12 Steps are effective. It is a huge weight off the shoulders of an addict when they realize what they have and don't have control over. This is why the Serenity Prayer is used in these programs. Once an addict realizes what they can and can't control hope begins to be restored. Then by working the steps an addict learns the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is "I made a mistake" and shame is "I AM a mistake". You can do something about guilt, like making amends but what can you do with shame. There really is no way to resolve the feeling of being a mistake. Hopelessness and shame keep someone down and unmotivated to do anything other than mask their pain with some kind of addiction.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

I'm not saying that everyone has to agree with AA or that it's for everybody.

However, some folks bash it too much considering how many people it has helped over the years. It would be one thing if it's success rate was very low...

 

[Dana]

I hear it's only good if you're willing to commit. My uncle went to AA, joined a church and still went back to drinking.

 

[doombug]

I hear it's only good if you're willing to commit. My uncle went to AA, joined a church and still went back to drinking.

True. One of the sayings in the program is "it works if you work it". People get out of it what they put into it.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

Recovering addicts must realize that while a combination of religion and treatment can be effective, religion by itself isn't enough to overcome the power of addiction.

 

[doombug]

Recovering addicts must realize that while a combination of religion and treatment can be effective, religion by itself isn't enough to overcome the power of addiction.

I would probably say spirituality instead of religion but I get your point. Some addicts do need more help than others though so I agree with you.

 

[The Doc]

AA is a fail to me because most people end up showing to the meetings for the rest of their lives. its a treatment not a cure

 

[doombug]

AA is a fail to me because most people end up showing to the meetings for the rest of their lives. its a treatment not a cure

It isn't for everyone, I agree.

 

[Joe the meek]

AA is a fail to me because most people end up showing to the meetings for the rest of their lives. its a treatment not a cure

Once you've considered yourself a alcoholic, ANY drinking (no matter how small amount of alcohol) after the fact and you're playing russian roulette.

There is a saying "once and alcoholic, always an alcoholic". Perhaps to some it's not true, but very few can walk the fine line.

 

[The Doc]

I love alchohol as much as the soldier to my left and right... I am 21... but I mean you just need to puke your brains out and wake up alone in the back of someone elses car or some ugly girls room to figure out i should save this for special times.. I really think if you made an alchoholic drink until he puked for a whole week, and as soon as he woke up hung over and dehydrated make him continue drinking... i bet he would stop.

 

[porterjack]

I really think if you made an alchoholic drink until he puked for a whole week, and as soon as he woke up hung over and dehydrated make him continue drinking... i bet he would stop.

afraid not

 

[Panacea]

afraid not

Indeed. *Antabuse shakes its fists in defeat*

 

[Minor Axis]

I love alchohol as much as the soldier to my left and right... I am 21... but I mean you just need to puke your brains out and wake up alone in the back of someone elses car or some ugly girls room to figure out i should save this for special times.. I really think if you made an alchoholic drink until he puked for a whole week, and as soon as he woke up hung over and dehydrated make him continue drinking... i bet he would stop.

Maybe, maybe not. My first real bender was a teenager, drunk on a Sat night, when I laid down the room spun, slept away most of Sunday and still hung over on Monday morning. This one experience was enough to teach me that a little alcohol was good, but more did not equate to better. I never wanted to be like that again. Of possible interest my Dad is an alcoholic whose been on the wagon for over 20 years. It took him a long time to beat it. I have two other brothers and none of us has drinking issues.