Posts Tagged ‘alcoholics anonymous’
Question by Tom: I have a love/hate relationship with alcoholics anonymous. Anyone else feel this way?
I like the fact that its a place where I can meet others that understand and support, but that’s about it. As far as almost everything within the big book and most of the steps, i think their bunk and cult-like. Does anyone else feel this way?
Best answer:
Answer by raysny
Sure do, except for the love part.
I bounced in and out of the rooms for years, never able to stop drinking for more than a few months at a time. I had to turn my back on AA and take responsibility for my alcoholism and my recovery. I had to unlearn the powerless nonsense, forget that I’m supposed to have a lifelong disease that I can never recover from.
I never received any support from members because I’m an atheist. They loudly predicted that I would die drunk in a gutter for refusing to find their God. Don’t believe their claims that your “Higher Power” can be anything you want, by their definition, their Higher Power is a pretty specific god, and one that is not entirely compatible with the Christian God or the God of any mainstream religion that I’m aware of.
I felt that if I could get help for the depression that fueled my drinking, I’d be able to stay stopped, but for years I couldn’t find anyone who would help unless I had a chunk of sober time through AA. So I’d try, I’d go to AA, get treated like dirt while my clinical depression merged with the chemical depression of early sobriety and I’d be suicidal.
Next month will be 11 years sober for me. I co-own the Yahoo group “without_aa”:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/without_aa/
which is about deprogramming from AA, alternatives, and the general weirdness of the rooms.
AA does NOT improve on the rate of natural remission, people quitting on their own. The vast majority of people quit without ANY type of treatment.
The NIAAA’s 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions interviewed over 43,000 people. Using the criteria for alcohol dependence found in the DSM-IV, they found:
“About 75 percent of persons who recover from alcohol dependence do so without seeking any kind of help, including specialty alcohol (rehab) programs and AA. Only 13 percent of people with alcohol dependence ever receive specialty alcohol treatment.”
http://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/features/alcoholism.aspx
Anyone having doubts about AA should do some poking around at this site:
The Orange Papers
http://www.orange-papers.org/
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Question by Angie: Will medicaid pay for alcohol rehab in Utah?
If you had a brother, sister, son, or daughter that needs help. Would you do anything you could to help them? This is a disease!
Best answer:
Answer by raysny
No. Although alcoholism is considered a disease by some, it is treated as a behavior by the government.
http://askjan.org/media/alcohol.html#ADA
Most rehabs are 12step-based, based on AA. Rehabs have a slightly better success rate than Alcoholics Anonymous which is estimated to be about 5%, the same as no treatment at all. People who fail in AA and 12step facilitation tend to fall harder than those who were not exposed to 12step treatment, which teaches people they are powerless to do anything about their addiction, that even God cannot cure alcoholism, only grant a daily reprieve from the desire to drink.
Dr. Brandsma found that A.A. increased the rate of binge drinking, and
Dr. Ditman found that A.A. increased the rate of rearrests for public drunkenness, and
Dr. Walsh found that “free A.A.” made later hospitalization more expensive, and
Doctors Orford and Edwards found that having a doctor talk to the patient for just one hour was just as effective as a whole year of A.A.-based treatment.
Dr. George E. Vaillant, the A.A. Trustee, found that A.A. treatment was completely ineffective, and raised the death rate in alcoholics. No other way of treating alcoholics produced such a high death rate as did Alcoholics Anonymous.
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-letters85.html
What works? A summary of alcohol treatment research:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm
“About 75 percent of persons who recover from alcohol dependence do so without seeking any kind of help, including specialty alcohol (rehab) programs and AA. Only 13 percent of people with alcohol dependence ever receive specialty alcohol treatment.”
Alcoholism Isn’t What It Used To Be:
http://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/features/alcoholism.aspx
Give your answer to this question below!
Question by Hello There: Is the recovery from bulimia in a 12 step program drastically different than Alcoholics Anonymous?
I had a friend tell me that in ABA for example- you don’t start counting days again if you purge again, and that the road to recovery isn’t complete abstinence from binging and purging, but reaching a level of manageability in which you ‘get back on the horse’ when you purge after a period of refraining. I was alarmed, but intrigued by her statements and wanted to find out if this was the case- since I’m so AA biased.
Best answer:
Answer by thebigz
there is over eaters antonymous in a 12 step program but as far as i know there is no program for bulimia you can make your program around the two where you are now and the oa program and see if that works if you like the 12 step program
Good Luck
What do you think? Answer below!
5 Tips for Managing Triggers during Addiction Recovery
… can lead you right to a drink. There is no need to test yourself. When you identify your current triggers, are aware of what you are working with, practice a plan, and employ good self-care, you are managing your triggers during recovery from … Read more on PsychCentral.com (blog)
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Navigating a Relationship with a Sex Addict
I let them know that their main tasks are to learn to focus on themselves, stop obsessing on the addict's behaviors, and practice self-care. In the early stages of recovery, partners often find it hard to believe what the addict says. That is why it is … Read more on PsychCentral.com (blog)
Fighting Addiction: National Drug, Alcohol Recovery Month emphasizes …
We always say we have it in us to take care of it ourselves.” The center … Arakaki said this includes both those seeking help in recovery of alcoholism and drug addiction as well as those taking classes about the lasting impacts of a substance abuse … Read more on DVIDS
The Hope and Hurt: Living and Dying in Addiction
I've knocked on death's door numerous times as a result of being an addict and spent more time in detoxes, rehabs, psychiatric hospitals and jails than I care to remember. And yet, for whatever … I attribute the better part of these past two years … Read more on Huffington Post
McArthur Alcoholics Anonymous celebrates 35 years
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they might solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism. Recovery is based on 12 steps. Anyone with a …
Read more on Vinton Courier
Dawn Farm celebrates 40th anniversary with jamboree
Dawn Farm will host its annual jamboree in celebration of recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 8 on the non-profit's 74-acre working farm, 6633 Stony Creek Road, Ypsilanti Township.
Read more on AnnArbor.com
Question by Angie: Will medicaid pay for alcohol rehab in Utah?
If you had a brother, sister, son, or daughter that needs help. Would you do anything you could to help them? This is a disease!
Best answer:
Answer by raysny
No. Although alcoholism is considered a disease by some, it is treated as a behavior by the government.
http://askjan.org/media/alcohol.html#ADA
Most rehabs are 12step-based, based on AA. Rehabs have a slightly better success rate than Alcoholics Anonymous which is estimated to be about 5%, the same as no treatment at all. People who fail in AA and 12step facilitation tend to fall harder than those who were not exposed to 12step treatment, which teaches people they are powerless to do anything about their addiction, that even God cannot cure alcoholism, only grant a daily reprieve from the desire to drink.
Dr. Brandsma found that A.A. increased the rate of binge drinking, and
Dr. Ditman found that A.A. increased the rate of rearrests for public drunkenness, and
Dr. Walsh found that “free A.A.” made later hospitalization more expensive, and
Doctors Orford and Edwards found that having a doctor talk to the patient for just one hour was just as effective as a whole year of A.A.-based treatment.
Dr. George E. Vaillant, the A.A. Trustee, found that A.A. treatment was completely ineffective, and raised the death rate in alcoholics. No other way of treating alcoholics produced such a high death rate as did Alcoholics Anonymous.
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-letters85.html
What works? A summary of alcohol treatment research:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm
“About 75 percent of persons who recover from alcohol dependence do so without seeking any kind of help, including specialty alcohol (rehab) programs and AA. Only 13 percent of people with alcohol dependence ever receive specialty alcohol treatment.”
Alcoholism Isn’t What It Used To Be:
http://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/features/alcoholism.aspx
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Question by Angie: Will medicaid pay for alcohol rehab in Utah?
If you had a brother, sister, son, or daughter that needs help. Would you do anything you could to help them? This is a disease!
Best answer:
Answer by raysny
No. Although alcoholism is considered a disease by some, it is treated as a behavior by the government.
http://askjan.org/media/alcohol.html#ADA
Most rehabs are 12step-based, based on AA. Rehabs have a slightly better success rate than Alcoholics Anonymous which is estimated to be about 5%, the same as no treatment at all. People who fail in AA and 12step facilitation tend to fall harder than those who were not exposed to 12step treatment, which teaches people they are powerless to do anything about their addiction, that even God cannot cure alcoholism, only grant a daily reprieve from the desire to drink.
Dr. Brandsma found that A.A. increased the rate of binge drinking, and
Dr. Ditman found that A.A. increased the rate of rearrests for public drunkenness, and
Dr. Walsh found that “free A.A.” made later hospitalization more expensive, and
Doctors Orford and Edwards found that having a doctor talk to the patient for just one hour was just as effective as a whole year of A.A.-based treatment.
Dr. George E. Vaillant, the A.A. Trustee, found that A.A. treatment was completely ineffective, and raised the death rate in alcoholics. No other way of treating alcoholics produced such a high death rate as did Alcoholics Anonymous.
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-letters85.html
What works? A summary of alcohol treatment research:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm
“About 75 percent of persons who recover from alcohol dependence do so without seeking any kind of help, including specialty alcohol (rehab) programs and AA. Only 13 percent of people with alcohol dependence ever receive specialty alcohol treatment.”
Alcoholism Isn’t What It Used To Be:
http://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/features/alcoholism.aspx
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!