Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

[retteacher]

I hope all is well w/everyone. I think about how the ups & downs of life used to get me completely unglued. They were my reason for drinking...any little thing that went wrong would send me straight to the bottle. One of the biggest lessons for me has been to learn how to take life on life's terms. I don't just mean the big things. It's the little things: bad moods, spats w/husb &/or kids, hooking up a new cable service, fender-bender, etc. After a while, it took less & less to drive me to drink. The program gives me tools to deal w/everyday life:
-ride it out.
-talk it out.
-walk away.
-process then discuss.
-etc.

I try to take into account that I have a part in every conflict. That isn't so easy when I think that I've been wronged. The 10th step is a good one for self-reflection & going to someone & taking responsibility for my part. That goes a long way to healing any situation.

We've been discussing service in our business meetings. Jan. 2012 will bring elections for the various offices: secretary, treasurer, etc. This will give newbies an opportunity to get more involved. I'm secretary for the weekend groups. It's an easy job...running the business meetings, taking notes, revising anything in the format which might need it. I hope someone will step forward. It's a great first step to getting more involved.

Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Hi Mary! Thanks for getting us started this week.

Went to the open speaker meeting Saturday night since my home group is providing the chairing and speakers this month. One of my pals spoke and it was good to be there to give support. I'm speaking this coming Saturday. Wow that is a big meeting! I bet there were 100 people there Saturday. I'm not going to think about that part!

Will be going to my home group tomorrow morning and picking up a sponsee on the way. Life if good.

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

DG: You'll be wonderful. Speak from your heart & you'll touch other hearts. M

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Went to a large speaker meeting last night. Lots of good stuff. One of the speakers I had heard already. She went from being a daily drinker, bartender, partyer to a addictions counselor. An incredible story.

I'm starting my 4th step. My sponsor is very laid back which is what I need right now. I think every time I do a 4th step, I'll learn a little more about myself. Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Mary, I'd love to hear how you are approaching your 4th step this time if you care to share.

The meeting this morning was very very good. Acceptance was the topic and people were sharing specific situations in their lives right now where acceptance is useful. It was very instructive - I'm glad I was there!!

Mary, I hope to one day be like the speaker you heard. I'm getting nervous with 2 mid terms, a final, and a paper to write over the next two weeks. Welcome to college life!

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

DG: This time on step 4:

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

DG: Sorry pressed the wrong button on the computer. This time on step 4, my sponsor gave me a booklet from Hazelden: Step 4 Getting Honest. Right now I'm reading that & taking notes which I'll discuss w/her as I go along. I also have a worksheet which follows the form on p.65 of the BB. I'll start that when I finish the booklet. My sponsor is having me work on my drinking years only. At this point in my sobriety, she feels that I don't need to go back to the beginning of my life.

Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

That makes sense Mary. I need to order some of the Hazelden booklets. I think they give some nice structure to working the steps. Something to guide the process is nice. My sponsor didn't use those kinds of tools with me, but I have seen them and I think I like them. The BB is the guide but there seem to be a variety of ways to do the work.

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

There are so many ways to go about it. I've heard speakers say they've done quite a few 4th steps. One AAer I know does a 4th step every year. For him, it keeps the channels clear.

I just finished reading & taking notes on the pamphlet I mentioned above. I'll get to the worksheet when I can, but the pamphlet gave me some background that I appreciated.

I went to a different women's meeting last night. I went w/a friend. I want to get out & branch out to different meetings. I tend to get too comfortable & complacent always staying with the same meetings. Also, I wanted to go to a meeting where I might meet up w/former colleagues or students & people I know from Alanon (which is exactly what happened). I still have that "I hope I don't see anyone I know from the outside" fear...my pride kicking up...& I really want to get myself out of hiding. That is a very stubborn pattern for me.

Anyhow, there's always work to do.

M

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Hi Mary. I will never forget the first time I saw someone from AA at a business event. HOLY COW. My heart rate went up and I'm sure my eyes were as big as saucers!!! For me, that whole issue was just one of those things where experience took care of it. I have now seen AA members outside of AA, and business contacts inside of AA enough times where it just doesn't bother me any more. It took a bit of conditioning though!

We had a quick overview of the 12 Steps today in school. AA is so often a recommended part of treatment. At first I really wasn't sure how I felt about that. (I didn't go through formal addiction treatment myself) I know there is a huge feeling out there that AA is "pushed" on people. It seems though, that in the world as it is today, treatment outcomes are improved for those who do. I've heard it, and read it, and can understand it from my own experience. But I would also like to see the studies that show this. Still need to look that up. Will link here once I get around to that. Our teacher said today that he is aware of current research studies that are trying to get to the "why" of it. What exactly is it about AA participation that improves outcomes? That will be interesting too when results are available.

At any rate, there will be some questions on the final about the 12 steps next week. A few of us in the class who are "out" as AA members were smiling thinking we at least should get a few questions right.

The video we saw about the 12 steps was very good. It was basically peoples reflections on each of the steps saying what that step meant to them. I enjoyed hearing a variety of thoughts on issues such as "higher power" etc. Confirming once again that there are many points of view besides a traditional Christian or religious one.

Well, I'm at school so I better get back to studying! Just thought it would be fun to check in from here. One of the cool things about being in Addiction studies is that as a student, I certainly don't care who knows I'm in recovery. It's great to be on this particular path knowing that no matter how far down the scale I went, I can see how my experience can benefit others.

DG

[Kimberley]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Hey AAers,

Hope you're all having a good week. I spent half of last week feeling pretty mental - I was thinking of acting out with a load of old negative behaviours - I didn't consider drinking thankfully, but just a load of very self-destructive negative thinking jumped in. It's a shame becuase I had felt I was doing really well so it was a bit of a shock to me that I was thinking that way.

Thankfully this week I am working through it and can even see the humour in it - I can laugh at how screwy my thinking is compared to 'normal' people's. Really it is ridiculous. But anyway made it to 9 months sober on Sunday so all is well. I'd never even have a chance to look at or address my issues if ~I was still drinking - it'd be a downward spiral.

I'm very tired right now so just a quick post, but I'll catch up with you guys soon.

K x

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Congratulations on 9 months Kimberly!!!! :yougo::yougo::yougo:

I know those "mental relapses" all too well.... It's nice to be so much more aware of what is up these days. The old me just went on and on following whatever self centered whim, without a clue what I was doing.

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

DG: I know so many program people who are addictions counselors. I guess the feeling is that this is another way to be of service. Was it that way for you? Anyhow, in my neck of the woods, when a person gets an arrest for dui, domestic violence, etc., they are mandated to AA for a period of time. I've had people come up to me after I've led a meeting & have me sign their meeting logs. I think that some people fall out of AA as soon as their record is cleared. But, there are definitely people who stay & become actual members of the fellowship. I'm for the mandated meetings if even one person stays & makes a full recovery...that is, doesn't just put down the drink but learns to live properly sober. M

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Mary, it's that way for our area too - lots of court mandated AA attendance. Even if recovery is not of interest the first time around, I think the exposure to recovery is good. I've heard many people come in and say that they attended a lot of meetings "under duress" when they didn't think they had a problem. But once they finally accepted a problem, they know where they can go. I think that's always good. I struggled for years with no outside guidance to help me figure out if I had a problem and if so, what I could do about it.

Another very successful program in our area is Drug Court, and more recently Mental Health Court (primarily dual diagnosis people (substance + mental health issue) as opposed to only mental health diagnosis) After convictions, some candidates are deemed better off in treatment than in jail. They have a shot at treatment and as long as they comply, no jail. If they go all the way to gradution, there is some reduction or elimination of criminal record. AA is often part of the treatment programs which are overseen by a judge as well as case workers. One of my sponsees is a recent graduate of drug court and the other is part of the mental health court program.

Yes - I too decided to pursue addiction counseling as an extension of my desire to help people in their recovery efforts.

DG

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 3 - Oct. 9

Greetings all.
I spent part of the week in Guadalajara. It can be done sober, I drank lots of Aqua Mineral.
Getting back to Texas yesterday and in desperate need of meeting, I decided to attend a 6pm outreach meeting at Millwood Hospital. Typically these folks are in for 3 to 5 days or maybe 28. So the idea is to present the idea of AA as a follow-up program for them, if interested.

Two local AA groups send a couple people each Mon, Wed and Friday to lead a beginner's type meeting for the patients.

Well, I arrive there early, get my visitor badge and wait for the meeting. At about 6:05 pm I ask the receptionist desk if they are having the AA meeting since I have not seen any other folks arrive to chair the meeting. The receptionist says "sure, if you're ready, I'll escort you back.".

So i end up running a meeting, without my big book and being the only male in the room. Fortunately there were only 6 attendees. A couple were there as of Friday, that is their first day. Lots of tears for them. Afterwards I realized the gift I had been given...the opportunity it do a meeting like it was 1938, no Book just your own experience, strength and hope. Once again I am blown away by this program and by God's sense of humor.