AA, what are your feelings?

[Darkest Diamond]

Just curious. What are your feelings?

I have had a mixed time with AA. Was sober with AA for one year 26 years ago. Then was sober with AA for more than 3 years about 10 years ago. In the last ten years I had gone back and forth to AA inbetween drinking bouts and felt that it was not for me.

However in the last five weeks I have been going to AA quite regularly and I am loving it, still having a problem stopping drinking completely but I really want to stop. .... for me AA is going to be part of my recovery, but also counselling is important too and walking, that is my favourite form of exercise......walking whilst looking at beautiful buildings.

[MossRose]

AA, what are your feelings?

DD & Mollyka - this is very interesting to me. I have managed to stay sober for lengths of time due to this board. Something I have never, ever been able to achieve on my own. But I've often wondered if AA would reinforce that in my "real" life. Keep me accountable to people face-to-face. I've never tried AA because I was worried about some of the rules - doing the steps, having to tell my embarrassing story, etc. But you have got me thinking. Can't hurt and it just might help. Thank you.

[sanchez]

AA, what are your feelings?

My counselor suggested I go to AA because of the high rate of success. I went to my first meeting last Tuesday. The folks were so friendly and kind - very much like this website. No judgement and I could choose to participate or just listen. My fear was that I would know someone and my secret would be divulged. (like my behaviour when drunk didn't give it away!) And, yes, I did know someone but after the meeting he came up to me and reminded me of the anonimity of it all and asked that I honor that as well. It was very reassuring. Listening to the stories of each person around the table, I could take excerpts from each one to make my own. Prior, I thought AA was for the truly al dependent crowd, not the abusers like me. But listening to their stories, I knew I belonged there. For me, I think it will be a good combination to have the face to face of AA, as well as this forum (it's amazing), plus I have a counselor to check in with. Family members supporting me are my brother and my mom as well as my best friend who to me is my sister. Exercise, diet and just staying busy is helping too! There's a lot ot avenues to choose from, and because we're all different, we each have to build the support system that works best for us. Hope that helps!

[Samstone]

AA, what are your feelings?

I've had mixed results. I was going about 25 years ago and found it very supportive, I was going through a divorce as well. I am not religious but I just brushed all that to the side, cause to each their own. One night I expressed that I was glad to be sober, wanting to tell me drinking friends how good I felt. An "elder" to this meeting told me that it was a sickness not to be proud of. That kind of stopped me in my tracks. For some reason it made me want to quit AA because to me not drinking was the cure. I did not want to carry a burden of being ill for life. What a burden it seemed to me.

Bottom line was I went back and forth drinking/not drinking till this year where I feel very firm that I don't drink. It has been more because of my commitment and finding some common ground here at MWO and because I knew I would feel so much better. I never went back to AA but I should add that like anything else, every meeting is different and each person's path is different. Do what works for you!!

[Struggles 106]

AA, what are your feelings?

HEY SANCHEZ

"High success rate?" AA? This is simply not the case.

Though of course it works for some and anyone who benefits from it should do that.

It's not for me, but obviously it benefits some people. The success rate, however, is not high by any stretch of the imagination. If by success you mean total sobriety lone term.

Like SamStone I've had various bad experiences in meetings. Frankly all my energy needs to be used by living fully sober and not being told by someone that I am sick. I kinda know that. LOL

[sanchez]

AA, what are your feelings?

Allow me to clarify. Should have said "higher" success rate than going it alone. That was more what he said. Use a combination of tools and see what works for you.

[YouKayBee]

AA, what are your feelings?

A lot of words of wisdom are said at AA meetings, their ODAT principle is fab and can be used in a whole host of life situations.

I found going to numerous meetings very stressful and impacted on my life. I also couldn't get on with their 12 steps although the process I've been through in counselling I think is very similar to doing a 'steps' type programme. I've also developed a belief system which works for me, hell if I didn't have something there'd be no point carrying on so this is something I think most people have in some form even if they don't recognise it.

AA didn't work for me however I have picked up several tools from there which did assist when I turned to TSM as my way out, and I still use those ideas right now.

I don't diss them, I say find what works for you, pick out what you can and make it your recovery.

[Neddy Merrill]

AA, what are your feelings?

Hi guys, just thought I'd throw my tuppence in here. I have gone to AA on and off for about 20 years - Sanchez, I loved your comment about your secret being divulged as if your behaviour didn't give it away; the way I behaved was terrible and the only one who didn't know I was an alcoholic was me! Anyway, like a lot of the posts here I found elements of it really good: it was initially very peaceful and supportive. Then I began getting a bit frustrated with some of the shares: people arguing over who would have drank who under the table in their heydays. The final straw for me was when I was asked to do the top table one night by a "gentleman." I told him I hadn't got 90 days sobriety under my belt which is, I believe, usually a prerequisite for doing the table. He told me that was okay so I told the audience my story. As soon as I finished the same gent tore into me saying that I had no right to be talking about alcohol as I didn't have the experience of sobriety. Obviously I was angry and hurt. There seems to me to be a lot of people in AA who are mentally ill and drinking is just a form of self-medicating. However, as they say at AA you can take the alcohol out of a fruitcake, but you ar still left with a f*****g fruitcake. That being said, I have actually been thinking about going back, so who knows?