What does everyone think of the AA Alcoholics Anonymous

[Tnmountains]

Anything that helps someone quit is a success for them is my opinion. What works for one may not work for all.Know a guy who quit through AA and then ran AA for years. He is now addicted to gambling.

 

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[Davers]

Denial ain't de river in Egypt!

Well......OK .
Good Luck in the UK

 

[Davers]

Anything that helps someone quit is a success for them is my opinion. What works for one may not work for all.Know a guy who quit through AA and then ran AA for years. He is now addicted to gambling.

Ahhhhh..
"Substitution" the Achilles Heel of a Addictive Personality .
Hope he quits the Gaming if he can not control it.
I no lot's of folks who In our part of the Country make Way to many Fruitless trips to Cherokee & now Murphy NC.

 

[Deft Tones]

Do they still claim it's a disease... as if a real and proper disease could be overcome by sheer will and group support?

Been to many meetings of both AA and NA as a supporter. Stopped being a supporter 10 years ago after 12 years of time wasted.

Met many wonderful addicts to alcohol and hard drugs. If you've personallykicked... 100 percent good on you!

 

[jjack9977]

I was a troubled drinker in my youth. I don't think I had so much a problem with drinking as WHEN I drank. But I was labeled an alcoholic and forced to go to meetings nonetheless. Later in life as I've slowed down in many ways I discovered that it was my way of thinking and my belief system that caused me trouble and not dependency. Once I changed that I no longer felt the need to drink constantly or to act out when I do. A lot of people sent to AA are not dependent and serve only to disrupt the atmosphere. For those that are dependent, AA is not for everyone. That's been my observation over a 13 year period. There are more people than AA would like to admit that can do it without them, and then there are those that do better in such a program. For those that think it's a joke and have no particular experience with it, it's a bit like opining on a minelab with no use behind you. It's not for you to say, although you're still entitled to say it.

 

[jjack9977]

The "disease" part of it has always troubled me. I don't like that terminology or any other approach that depreciates choice and responsibility in the matter. It is a chemical imbalance. Alcoholics are definitely wired differently. They experience a higher level of anxiety, and for a time alcohol helps to level them out. It becomes like a whole different world for them until the real world crumbles around them.

 

[Deft Tones]

A guy I know for 30 years, he would run out of alcohol and go into massive siezure...end up hospitalized for a week.

He couldn't stop drinking without intensive medical supervision...but upon release went right back at it - every damn time!

I tried to give him a job, but couldn't follow through when he showed upnthe first day at 8am shotgunning two tall-boys. So sad. Nicest guy ever just impossibly addicted.

 

[bowser]

If i had my life to live over. i'd live it over a liquor store

 

[diggummup]

Friend of mine recently passed from an alcohol related condition. He was 43. He couldn't get out of bed without a beer ever since I knew him. Nice guy, functioning alcoholic, but it killed him much too early. I have nothing against drinking in moderation even though I don't really indulge myself anymore.

 

[ARC]

" What does everyone think of the AA Alcoholics Anonymous " ?

It's the worst party / gathering I have ever been to...
And...
Everyone is only drinking in the bathroom from flasks... No bartender or anything. :P

 

[aa battery]

I flunked AA kicked out after four days. The judge asked me why and i told him i cant stop drinking. He then replied its gonna kill you. I still drink beer at 63 but know some people that AA helped. Who knows

 

[Msbeepbeep]

You have to be willing and "able" to help yourself, or nothing anyone can do will help.

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk

 

[ivan salis]

well my brother once said to a judge who was going to give him "probation" that included a clause that he had to attend so many AA meetings -- AA is for Quitters and I'm no quitter , I am a grown adult and I going to drink till the day I die ...if I am out of jail --and since I have to pay a monthly fee for probation to be out you might as well just gimme my time I gotta serve with no probation attached cuz I do not want to pay to be free ...I am hard headed that way he said --the judge said well if that's the way you want to be..and gave him "his time to serve"...true story

AA members understand "support groups" --drunks often band together --so that when one is broke another can give him some booze --drinking buddies are very very common --so are several drunks living together to attempt tp keep a roof over their head (many come from disfunctional families --where the mom is often a queen bee type and her children have low wage jobs or are on welfare and they all chip in a bit to keep a roof over their heads )

humor often comes from bleak dark places --some of the greatest humorist --had sad lives and died tragically

my dad told me 2 great things #1 never pick up a habit you can't put down #2 your brain is for thinking , your heart is for feeling --yes have a heart but leave the thinking to your brain

 

[claypile]

My gramps drank himself to death (liver cirrhosis), and no, AA didn't help.

 

[Kace]

I don't like the saying ." once a drunk always a drunk" BS!

I only have gone to 3 meetings in the last few years , to get a Chip No-body but me cares about.
It does seem a-lot of these folks are still Very Unhappy.

Anyway just wondering if one has not had a drink in 10 + years , but takes Xanax everyday. Does AA consider then sober?
IMO In AA one would be Sober.
But
In NA One would Not be Sober.
That's all

Divers....One of my uncles was in AA for 25+ years...He went to meetings everyday and wouldn't miss one... always had to schedule things around his 6:30pm AA meeting. He took Valium and Xanax daily along with A LOT of coffee and cigarettes. AA considered him sober even with taking the pills.

He was absolutely miserable after he quit drinking...he was physically, emotionally and verbally abusive/violent to both of his wives and his children when he drank, which was everyday and the only thing that changed was the physical abuse after quitting his whiskey.

I was a passenger in a single vehicle wreck involving alcohol and my friend who was driving was sentenced to 3 months of once a week AA meetings...kind of a shock type of punishment.. we were 18.. anyway, I went along every week just for support. The folks there seemed to get a lot out of it... but I'd say probably 90% of them were on their 3rd or more attempt at sobriety and at different groups before finding that one, so for them anyway it depended on the group. They all had become friends and did things together socially outside of the meetings.

Several of them compared AA Meetings to Weight Watchers Meetings in that some people do better having a group and sponsor for support... I've never been to a Weight Watchers Meeting so I have no idea if that is the same principle or not... just what they said. Those folks liked having others that understood their feelings and to be accountable to.

I think it's an individual thing whether or not group support is better than trying to stop by yourself. It's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed by if AA is what works. It sure doesn't make anyone weak if they go to AA.

I've lost 5 family members and two friends to drunk drivers and one family member was killed by a drunk of color hitting him for no reason except he was white...one blind sided punch that caused him to fall and hit his head on concrete and it killed him.

Just my opinion but if that chip matters to you... That's All That Matters. Forget Anyone Else..It's Your Life.

Kace

 

[boogeyman]

like a cult

like the "Kids for Cash" Scandal

I wonder what type of Kickbacks the judges get for forcing people to sign up

Same with half way houses. It's all about the money.

Don't care much for AA. They're all just a bunch of quitters.

Whoa!!! Slow down! I'm just joking!! It's just a joke.....

 

[scotter1]

that's the whole problem with alcoholics.they think as long as they work and make money everything is good.wrong imbeciles.that all comes crashing down soon.as all alcoholics find out.and no,you don't get or deserve a coin just because you haven't drank.that just means your a dry drunk.you need to be in and work the program and earn that coin.you ******s shouldn't even be discussing this issue anyway.this is for treasure hunting.not some self conscious ****** looking for an easy answer to his problems.

 

[scotter1]

had nothing to do with aa its all in how much you want to stop and have a better life.unfortunately most would wrather keep the misery of drinking until they die or kill someone else.aa isn't a magic wand.

 

[Davers]

A guy I know for 30 years, he would run out of alcohol and go into massive siezure...end up hospitalized for a week.

He couldn't stop drinking without intensive medical supervision...but upon release went right back at it - every damn time!

I tried to give him a job, but couldn't follow through when he showed upnthe first day at 8am shotgunning two tall-boys. So sad. Nicest guy ever just impossibly addicted.

I have not checked this Thread in 2 years (all still rings true) , Deft Tones ...I have met many just as you describe .
P.S. Thanks for all you years of trying to help.

 

[Davers]

Friend of mine recently passed from an alcohol related condition. He was 43. He couldn't get out of bed without a beer ever since I knew him. Nice guy, functioning alcoholic, but it killed him much too early. I have nothing against drinking in moderation even though I don't really indulge myself anymore.

Sorry to hear about your friend , even if it was 2 years ago , My friends Big brother (I may have mentioned him early in this thread was basically the same way ' He could still work & drink ' He moved to the Outer banks of NC 10 years ago with his wife , she passed away from Cancer about 2 years ago & He basically gave up on life (slept with her Ashes , Drove with them everywhere ) While drinking a Gallon of Vodka or More a Day , well I heard he 'pulled a "Leaving Las-Vegas" & passed away back in March ' Liver issues' I'm guessing he was 52 or so . Sad he was a party Van-Halen S-Cali Guy & he will be missed.