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Mental Health thread
- Thread starter Subway
- Start date
Sorry this thread is a safe space and that came out rather more combative than intended. I just mean that for as many helpful and effective slogans and catchy phrases AA generated over the years to help drunks stay sober, there are probably an equal number of catchy phrases either playfully mocking AA and sobriety, or stating outright hostility and derision of the AA phenomena.
yeah the anxiety of trying to squeeze in even a few meetings a week, plus al the stuff you’re supposed to do above and beyond simply attending, caused me more harm than good after a few years. It was just what I needed for the first few years though.
I still think It’s a great place to start off with a 90 in 90 even, get a feel for it and hear the horror stories and the miracle recovery stories and get some of those slogans and behavioral changes battered into our stubborn drunk ass know it all brains. Then decide. Really I would say give it a full year or two before deciding whether regular meeting attendance is still helping, or becoming a possible hindrance in your overall development as a normal non drinking person.
Some people start off going as true hard core skeptics, perhaps ordered by a judge or whatever, and they become the biggest success stories. Others work a “great program” for years, have a bad slip after say 10 years of sobriety and sponsoring people and chairing meetings etc. and the guilt overwhelms them and their self loathing and shame drives them to put a shotgun in their Mouths.
please don’t be that guy. If AA “guilt” and any other negative feelings have you feeling dark, maybe take a break from meetings for a bit, see a real shrink with lots of experience in addiction, and pursue more personalized strategies for not only staying sober, but thriving sober
I still think It’s a great place to start off with a 90 in 90 even, get a feel for it and hear the horror stories and the miracle recovery stories and get some of those slogans and behavioral changes battered into our stubborn drunk ass know it all brains. Then decide. Really I would say give it a full year or two before deciding whether regular meeting attendance is still helping, or becoming a possible hindrance in your overall development as a normal non drinking person.
Some people start off going as true hard core skeptics, perhaps ordered by a judge or whatever, and they become the biggest success stories. Others work a “great program” for years, have a bad slip after say 10 years of sobriety and sponsoring people and chairing meetings etc. and the guilt overwhelms them and their self loathing and shame drives them to put a shotgun in their Mouths.
please don’t be that guy. If AA “guilt” and any other negative feelings have you feeling dark, maybe take a break from meetings for a bit, see a real shrink with lots of experience in addiction, and pursue more personalized strategies for not only staying sober, but thriving sober
AA saved more than a few family and friends. For some it became their new addiction/religion. For others it was just the gateway to a sober life. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but it has worked for many.
That’s a fair and accurate summary me thinks. My view as well
and the people who make it their new religion/addiction, well, sh!t at least they’re not causing nearly the same wreckage as when they were out drinking. they might get weird, and the program may get in the way of other important parts of their lives (there is a whole sub philosophy about how to maintain family relations when the spouse/children may get resentful of all the time spent on program activities and meetings) but mostly they just spend an awful lot of time in church basements, clubhouses, and synagogue auditoriums. Better than bars, jails, shelters, and early graves
and the people who make it their new religion/addiction, well, sh!t at least they’re not causing nearly the same wreckage as when they were out drinking. they might get weird, and the program may get in the way of other important parts of their lives (there is a whole sub philosophy about how to maintain family relations when the spouse/children may get resentful of all the time spent on program activities and meetings) but mostly they just spend an awful lot of time in church basements, clubhouses, and synagogue auditoriums. Better than bars, jails, shelters, and early graves
In Spain alcohol is a cultural thing.
They learn to drink young here, not sure how much of a good thing that is though.
And the phrase isn't antiAA, on the contrary, it uses humor to relieve some of that AA guilt you mentioned, and is regularly used as an ice breaker at meetings, or so I'm told.
Is anyone really against alcoholics staying sober?
Some people get preachy about AA and that is what might get them mocked.
An adult should be able withstand a little mockery.
I haven’t been addicted to alcohol
I’ve been addicted to cigarettes
There’s been many times where I was on the brink of relapsing, and there would be something someone would say where I’d be like “fvvk it, I’ll just smoke then”
I was overly sensitive and maybe was looking for an excuse to smoke, but if someone’s looking for a reason to relapse on whatever addiction their handling, I don’t want them to find that reason in something I say
And I’m not thinking cigarette addiction is the same as drug addiction including alcohol addiction, but it’s the only addiction I’ve personally dealt with
I’ve been addicted to cigarettes
There’s been many times where I was on the brink of relapsing, and there would be something someone would say where I’d be like “fvvk it, I’ll just smoke then”
I was overly sensitive and maybe was looking for an excuse to smoke, but if someone’s looking for a reason to relapse on whatever addiction their handling, I don’t want them to find that reason in something I say
And I’m not thinking cigarette addiction is the same as drug addiction including alcohol addiction, but it’s the only addiction I’ve personally dealt with
mockery is one thing. Outright derision and dismissiveness may prevent even just ONE alcoholic on this forum from seeking help through AA. And that guy may very well drink himself to death because he hears about how AA is a cult, and is super preachy, and religious, and he may be mocked to top it all off....
Words have power my friend. You're a teacher, you know this
Words have power my friend. You're a teacher, you know this
Perfectionism is a MF and is all over the rooms.
Take what you like and leave the rest.
From the rooms I've been in, MANY AA members benefit from sitting with some Al Anon for a while to turn a new leaf in their recovery. I've heard many a story about AA members that realize, after some recovery, that their detrimental decision making, and behavior defects did not stop when they stopped drinking. They needed to stop drinking, then they were able to start working on themselves. Reconciling more of their story was helpful in letting go of their story.
That being said, everyone who figures it out gets there on their own. People can walk with you (a big part of recovery fellowship) but no one else can walk it for you.
Though it'll most likely kill you...no one loses a job, steals, cheats, gets violent, abandons their families etc. b/c of cigarettes (or coffee). If you can partake in something 10-30 times per day and still live a normal life, I don't really see it as the same type of 'drug' addiction...IE your life will not become unmanageable smoking a pack a day.
Not sure what you mean, so is alcohol...as we've seen, banning substances doesn't really work (prohibition, reservations, DRUGS) - Addicts gonna addict.