Look at this guy on here soliciting work. Ha ha jk
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I would also add that there are so many different ways to stop drinking/using…including will power. However, how do we stay stopped?? What happens after therapy?? Does one do therapy every day ODAAT for the rest of their lives??? I choose to believe the “Doctor’s Opinion” in the big book. Daniel didn’t say this, but it almost sounded like one can be “cured”, after completing therapy. Heck if therapy is the end all, then I suppose we go back to some controlled drinking now that we have healed???? In my 35 years of recovery experience, I have seen so many people “recover” for years, only to relapse later on. So while I believe therapy is amazing, and often times necessary, I believe it’s best used in addition to a daily spiritual program of growth, I think long term sobriety and happiness for “us” is very improbable without it. I would hope that any therapy for us alcoholics/addicts would borrow much of the principles in the 12 steps, and would heavily recommend a daily program…which is extremely difficult without the 12 step groups and sponsorship/fellowship.
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Therapy is expensive. Even with health insurance.
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The 12 steps as outlined in the AA “Big Book” is a proven successful method. It has guided many to a new, sober way of living for almost 90 years.
It’s a simple, free, fellowship that actually works.
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You don’t get community from a therapist. You get 50 minutes
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My therapist never called me and was like yo what up
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Disclaimer: I go to a therapist for years now. Not sure how I feel about it currently. But ask me in a few weeks
Honestly I think it might be almost terrible to meet with a group of therapists for coffee
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The amount of coffees I’ve purchased for ppl after a meeting never has the same feeling as paying my therapy invoice
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Not a single human has ever written anything down after I shared in a meeting
Ummmmm welp let’s see 
AA/NA is FREE!!!! Therapy is NOT. I have bipolar and a ton of other mental health issues and when I had insurance I was with my therapist for 3 years. What did she do once I lost insurance???? She went bye bye. Like I meant absolutely nothing to her. Wouldn’t even make an option for out of pocket payments. Can’t have my meds anymore either due to lack of insurance.
So, kind sir, that is why a lot of us rely on AA and the people surrounding it. Because we can go to meetings at ANYTIME of the day and if you reach out to someone they answer whether you have insurance or not!
My therapist was in it for the money like a lot of them are
So THATS WHY
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Raise your hand if you feel like your being punkd
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Ugh this thread is still going? This guy is a joke. Every singe thread I've ever seen of his is some AA bashing stuff. It's painfully obvious in everything he says he has some massive resentments towards 12 step programs, probably due to personal failure. I don't know of any therapists that I know that go around bragging that they're "dually licensed"? I know a therapist that has like 10 licenses and certifications and you'd never know or hear of them unless you were hiring her for a job. People in that profession don't scream that stuff from the rooftops. I'd really like to see his credentials and I certainly hope people that are paying him are doing there due diligence.
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Most of you are taking my post in your own way. I’ve never once bashed a program. Just because I state that there are other methods that can work doesn’t mean I’m bashing a program. Some of you seem to get hurt when someone says there are other ways that can work. Nobody is soliciting work on here, got plenty of it, as I’m sure you all know, people in the fields of mental health and addiction stay busy unfortunately. And yes, I don’t say this, but there is no “cure,” it’s a lifelong thing we deal with but in time it can and does get easier. I’ve also never said therapy was the end all for sobriety, but neither is a program, MAT, or any of the other types of groups out there. All I’ve ever said was it doesn’t work for everybody. It works for a lot, but so do other methods, you have to find which one, or ones, work best for you. That’s all I’ve ever said and tried to state. But many people take that as me bashing the program and saying it doesn’t work. Which is highly incorrect. In my day to day career, I let clients know what’s out there, but I don’t promote one over another, I let them know options and find one that fits them individually. We all struggle with similar things, but what gets us through them may be very different for each. If you know recovery, whether from substances or mental health, you’d know that it’s not a “one size fits all” type of deal. So me saying there are other ways should t be an issue, but for many of you it seems it is. Therapy can be expensive, insurance or not, but it also can be inexpensive and even free at many places. I get AA/NA has been proven to work, never denied that, but it also isn’t for everybody and there are people it hasn’t worked for. That should be ok as long as they find what works for them, isn’t that the goal, to get and stay sober however you can? In your own way? And yes, community comes from groups and meetings, as therapy is one on one and sometimes in groups. That’s why you get to choose what you wanna do to get healthy. Nobody forces it upon you. Amanda, I hope therapy works for you, and that whatever you find works for you in your own way. That’s all that matters. I’ve had coffee with a group of therapist before, depending on who exactly, it’s not terrible. I’ve also had coffee with a group of sponsors, and again, some were decent and some were arrogant thinking they were Gods gift to sobriety cause they had 20 years under their belt and it was their way or the highway. I’ve seen positives and negatives on both sides. Ash, I apologize for how your therapist did you. Some are like that. Not all, but some. I can only speak for myself, but for me it’s not about money, yes I do make money as it’s my career and how I support my family, but I’ve seen tons of clients for very inexpensive rates that they agree to and even more for free on my own time because I got into this field due to what I went through personally and as I have a passion and desire to help others regardless of cost. So for your therapist, I apologize you are done wrong. Again, I’ve never bashed the program, I do discuss it with clients but I also discuss all methods that can work that are available. Some of you wanna take that and turn it around to fit your narrative which is pretty much the point of my post. It works, but not for everyone and it, along with any method, is not a guarantee to stay sober. I’ve seen people 20 years sober going to meetings daily and weekly who relapse because of something happening in life, as I’ve also seen clients in therapy and sober for years relapse due to a triggering moment. Nothing is guaranteed. All that matters is finding what works for you, and if it doesn’t work for someone else then that should t be a problem, and if anybody really cared about another person getting sober, they would be supportive of whatever way that person did it regardless if it’s what you did or not.
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And for you sir, I’m a joke?! Who’s bashing now?? Show me where I’ve bashed AA/NA programs. Please, I’m waiting. Just because I say it doesn’t work for everybody isn’t me bashing it, cause if you actually read my posts and not just what you wanna hear, you’ll clearly see that I’ve also said it does work for a lot of people, just not everybody. As I would say the same thing about therapy, MAT, IOP, and whatever other ways a person uses to get and stay sober. Nothing is “one size fits all” and every fit is individual to what works for them. You’d know that if you actually knew how treatment worked. I have no resentment towards 12 step programs, all I’ve said was they didn’t work for me. Shouldn’t be an issue for you or anybody else, and if you truly cared for someone’s sobriety, you’d encourage them to do what works for them, not just cause it worked for you. I can say it didn’t work for me and still encourage others to do what’s best for them. You seem to be closed minded if someone goes against what you feel is best. You seem to think you know what’s best for everybody based on what I’m reading here. And again, bashing me saying the program didn’t work for me due to personal failure!! You’re a comedian. You’re not the first person to try and say the program didn’t work for me cause of my own failure and lack of effort in it. Funny, were you in any of the meetings I attended? Were you in my life during the time I went through the program, cause you don’t look familiar to me so I’m taking that as a no. And being sober for a long time now, I’d say there’s no personal failure there, but I guess since I got sober different than you did, I failed right?! How can you blame an individual just because something didn’t work for them when they went through the process, and you weren’t even a part of it? Nice, you really seem to be a decent person. So to call me a joke because I think different than you and then to say the program didn’t work for me due to my own personal failure shows your true character and kinda proves some of my point to begin with. You say I bash the program, which again I’ve never done that and you can’t show me the words to say I have, and in the same comment bash me personally because you don’t like someone who has differing thoughts. I’ve got the words from you that bash me personally, where are my words that bash the program? Saying it didn’t work for me and doesn’t always work for everybody isn’t bashing something. Especially when I’ve also literally said it does work for many and is good. So maybe re-read what I’ve said and evaluate it differently and not how you want to read it. And if you take me stating that I’m dually licensed as bragging, then that’s your issue. I’m not bragging, but when I’ve accomplished what I’ve accomplished in my life coming from where I was starting back in my teens and have earned what I have now when looking at my life then, I should either be in prison or a grave. So yes, I sometimes share that I have what I have for my carer because I’m proud of what I’ve earned with what I’ve gone through. Nothing wrong with being proud for your accomplishments and humbly sharing them. I’ve never been like “I’m a therapist listen to me and only me cause everybody else is wrong!” I’m open to hearing what works for others, whether it worked for me or not. There are many ways people get help. I also share because if someone wants to reach out, I’m always here to chat and help anyway I can. It’s not about screaming it from the rooftops, but it is about being proud of what you’ve earned and busting your tail to earn it. If that’s a problem for you, then that’s your issue, not mine. I don’t need to prove anything to you. I know who I am and how I got here. And if people wanna do their due diligence before coming to me for therapy, I encourage that, as they should do before going anywhere, including the program. I bet you don’t like hearing that do you?! Getting hurt cause you think I bash something you obviously are die hard about is your problem because you take it in a way you wanna take it and not how it’s actually stated. And then to bash me personally when doing it really shows character, I hope you’re not someone sponsored and if you are, I hope they did their due diligence. Again, my post has always been to find what works for you. If it works for you, awesome, but that doesn’t mean it works for everybody or is meant for everybody. Is that bashing it for saying that?? Take care and I wish you well in your continued recovery journey.
12 step programs don't work for some people but it does work for alot of people. So does therapy, faith, medical care, some combination is needed but everyone is different. All that matters is you find what works for you.
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What do you mean you figured a therapist would be better in shape against addiction? How do you figure I’m not in shape against addiction? CBT/DBT methods work very well for many people, not all, but many. I’m glad they helped you through your previous concerns
That’s all I’ve been trying to say.