Has anyone ever been or still going? I would just like to know what to expect with the atmosphere. This forum helps me figure out other shit so why not this too. I know it’s supposed to be anonymous so please pm me if you feel the need.
AA?
- Thread starter mheimer_45
- Start date
i havent been and cant help, but be patient, some here have, and will help, give them enough time to see your thread.
good luck
good luck
I haven't been but I worked in an industry rife with substance abuse. Because most HR departments require it, we sent many employees to detox-treatment programs over the years with a notable lack of success and a significant expenditure of money. Conversely, I know a lot of folks who were successful staying clean and sober and all of them got there through AA.
Good thoughts for you man, tough it out, addiction is a tough thing for certain personalities to overcome but it can be done. Good luck, stay strong.
I haven't been either, I've got some friends that seriously need to go though. I do respect the fact that you have the intestinal fortitude to better yourself.
Thanks guys for the responses. I quit drinking the first time on March 9 2016. Went all the way up til two weeks ago without a drop. Relationship woes brought it running right back. I am not going to let this get me back to where I was before that date. I have reached out several places to find help including our local pastor. I can beat this. I have before.
Still just kind of wanting to know what to expect when I walk in that door for the first time.
Still just kind of wanting to know what to expect when I walk in that door for the first time.
I have a bud that has a few coins from AA.
His last was 25.
I haven't attended but am about 14 years into my commitment.
I would say everyone has their version of whats required to get it done.
Yours may include AA.
R
His last was 25.
I haven't attended but am about 14 years into my commitment.
I would say everyone has their version of whats required to get it done.
Yours may include AA.
R
Look into a philosophy called "rational recovery" in addition to AA. Most treatment programs use the AA model, and even though few treatment programs have a very high success rate, there just isn't much else out there.
There is no "rational recovery" program as that would go against their philosophy, but it is still well worth reading about rational recovery and it's underlying thoughts.
Until our society changes it's view of substance abuse, I think those with substance abuse problems will continue to suffer, and seek more successful ways to change their lives.
Many in law enforcement and the military can't/won't go to treatment because they fear admitting to a substance abuse problem will destroy their career. Other people such as gun owners don't want to admit to a substance abuse problem out of fear of problems with BATFE if they admit to any addiction.
Until our society changes some of these views, many people will continue to suffer.
There is no "rational recovery" program as that would go against their philosophy, but it is still well worth reading about rational recovery and it's underlying thoughts.
Until our society changes it's view of substance abuse, I think those with substance abuse problems will continue to suffer, and seek more successful ways to change their lives.
Many in law enforcement and the military can't/won't go to treatment because they fear admitting to a substance abuse problem will destroy their career. Other people such as gun owners don't want to admit to a substance abuse problem out of fear of problems with BATFE if they admit to any addiction.
Until our society changes some of these views, many people will continue to suffer.
Open meeting vs closed meeting.
Open meeting anybody can go. Google search your meetings, find the closest one and go. Walk in. 99% of the time somebody will greet you and talk you through the first meeting. You sit and listen. They give you literature. You leave the first meeting with an idea of what "a meeting" can be.
You go to a hundred different location meetings and you can have a hundred different meeting interpretations. After all, it's people just like you who have decided to first seek help with an addiction.
Some go because it's court ordered, some go because they are curious, some go because, somewhere they got the idea there was help there.
Picking the right meeting is important. If you are a dumbass redneck country boy like me, you don't want to go to a bankers/lawyers AA meeting...... find a meeting where you KNOW and FEEL like you fit in.
Sit and listen. When you feel comfortable with the group, talk to them, they will talk to you.
The group will help you realize you have a problem. The group will help you find the reason you have a problem. The group will help you find a solution. The group will encourage you to work the solution. If you are honest with you, and work the program, you will recognize your problem, your solution, and your future.
The group will offer you friendship, support, caring, and encouragement to continue recognizing the problems and pit falls, to institute your solution, and to daily follow your solution.
You do have to find your own solution and just do it, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year.
At some point, a sober person will volunteer to be your sponsor, to be there for you 24/7 until you find your balance, and you will get a couple of support buds. They will work with you, but YOU have to work the program.
You will find some of the best life long friends there who will cover your back forever as long as you are honest with yourself and honest with them. They are some of the best people I ever met in my life.
The Strykervet go fund me here last month is the exact kind of behavior you can expect from an AA group IF, IF, IF, you buy in, and work the program.
I give you this, to answer your question, best I can, so maybe you can start toward your first of the twelve steps to success.
Closed meetings are just that. Closed. You have to be invited in. Some closed meetings are beyond intense as people share their mental agony to find a path. Some closed meetings, 12-15 people give their total attention to help one person find a path. Some closed meetings for that one person may last lots of hours going into several days, as caring people who found sobriety, give up their time to help a struggling agonizing soul begging for help.
AA is built on addicts who have found sobriety giving themselves to addicts who want sobriety, and the found it guys and girls are willing to invest themselves for somebody else to find sobriety.
You find the right meeting and the right people, you can find your way, and find the team that will walk with you until death do you part.
Way more loyal than a partner whose to death will we part oath didn't mean shit.
Closest thing to it, is your combat buds, IF, IF, IF. IF, you buy in, invest yourself, and honestly work your program. Ultimately, it's all up to you, but AA will GIVE you the support team, if you will just take it.
Hope this helps.
Open meeting anybody can go. Google search your meetings, find the closest one and go. Walk in. 99% of the time somebody will greet you and talk you through the first meeting. You sit and listen. They give you literature. You leave the first meeting with an idea of what "a meeting" can be.
You go to a hundred different location meetings and you can have a hundred different meeting interpretations. After all, it's people just like you who have decided to first seek help with an addiction.
Some go because it's court ordered, some go because they are curious, some go because, somewhere they got the idea there was help there.
Picking the right meeting is important. If you are a dumbass redneck country boy like me, you don't want to go to a bankers/lawyers AA meeting...... find a meeting where you KNOW and FEEL like you fit in.
Sit and listen. When you feel comfortable with the group, talk to them, they will talk to you.
The group will help you realize you have a problem. The group will help you find the reason you have a problem. The group will help you find a solution. The group will encourage you to work the solution. If you are honest with you, and work the program, you will recognize your problem, your solution, and your future.
The group will offer you friendship, support, caring, and encouragement to continue recognizing the problems and pit falls, to institute your solution, and to daily follow your solution.
You do have to find your own solution and just do it, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year.
At some point, a sober person will volunteer to be your sponsor, to be there for you 24/7 until you find your balance, and you will get a couple of support buds. They will work with you, but YOU have to work the program.
You will find some of the best life long friends there who will cover your back forever as long as you are honest with yourself and honest with them. They are some of the best people I ever met in my life.
The Strykervet go fund me here last month is the exact kind of behavior you can expect from an AA group IF, IF, IF, you buy in, and work the program.
I give you this, to answer your question, best I can, so maybe you can start toward your first of the twelve steps to success.
Closed meetings are just that. Closed. You have to be invited in. Some closed meetings are beyond intense as people share their mental agony to find a path. Some closed meetings, 12-15 people give their total attention to help one person find a path. Some closed meetings for that one person may last lots of hours going into several days, as caring people who found sobriety, give up their time to help a struggling agonizing soul begging for help.
AA is built on addicts who have found sobriety giving themselves to addicts who want sobriety, and the found it guys and girls are willing to invest themselves for somebody else to find sobriety.
You find the right meeting and the right people, you can find your way, and find the team that will walk with you until death do you part.
Way more loyal than a partner whose to death will we part oath didn't mean shit.
Closest thing to it, is your combat buds, IF, IF, IF. IF, you buy in, invest yourself, and honestly work your program. Ultimately, it's all up to you, but AA will GIVE you the support team, if you will just take it.
Hope this helps.
For whatever it is worth to whom ever might need the info: I referred people to, and monitored compliance with treatment programs for 25 years. There is an outfit called "Oxford House" that is composed of people living in the community who are trying to get straight, and /or sober. They have houses donated to them, and may have a few, to over a dozen people living in a house in your area. Residents of the houses vote on who to take in. In 25 years of referring and monitoring people, I NEVER had any problems with anyone who remained at an Oxford house. Oxford houses will boot people out for violating the rules (sobriety), and they are run by the very people who want to stay sober, so it is damned near impossible to run the usual addiction games on them as they have heard and/or used them all.
Oxford houses are all over the country, and I highly recommend them for anyone who is sincerely looking for help. Although people live there, they want residents to be in the community, work, and be productive. They are not a locked down inpatient program.
Although I may be disillusioned with many treatment "programs", I cannot recommend Oxford houses highly enough.
Oxford houses are all over the country, and I highly recommend them for anyone who is sincerely looking for help. Although people live there, they want residents to be in the community, work, and be productive. They are not a locked down inpatient program.
Although I may be disillusioned with many treatment "programs", I cannot recommend Oxford houses highly enough.
My step dad has been going for 30 years. My brother and I got to give him his 30 year coin this past summer. He hasn’t touched a drink since the night before his first meeting. It can be done and congratulations for taking the first step and recognizing you need some help.
I've been going for a few months now. There's an app called meeting guide. It will show you all the meetings in your area. Hope that helps you and good luck.
One thing to watch out for (which it sounds like you aren’t a part of) is drinking can be caused by a neurochemical deficiency.
That chemical is GABA and if that’s why you drink it can be handled with quite good success through only chemical means.
This is one of the few issues that’s actually well understood in head shrinker land.
That chemical is GABA and if that’s why you drink it can be handled with quite good success through only chemical means.
This is one of the few issues that’s actually well understood in head shrinker land.
Well I had to leave town for a few days. Really found myself while I was away and remembered the life I don’t want to live. I went tonight for the first time. It was both like I expected and also not so much. I will say it was the right choice. So many helpful people. And anybody on the fence thinking about it should do it before it gets too late.
