Thoughts on AA

Recovery
#53

Full Disclosure: I live in Los Angeles where we have hundreds of different meetings a day. Grasp this could be a very different situation in middle of no where Iowa.

Also not trying to urinate in your corn flakes - just my experience of why it works.

AA is 95% of the reason I’ve managed to stay sober the last 11 months. The God thing kept me away from AA for a long time. The very first meeting I found at my rock bottom was an agnostic/atheist meeting where I have met tons of wonderful people with decades of sobriety without a higher power.

I went to a SMART recovery rehab but their solution for me upon leaving was paying for classes or sober living or IOP. AA gave me a free solution, tools to help me out and an incredible community of men and women who have had my back during a very tough 11 months (almost lost a body part, divorce, death of friends etc).

AA doesn’t shoot their wounded if they go out and return. We welcome them with open arms and love.

AA gives you the ability to take what you need to take and give what you can give back. There are plenty of people I may not agree with at my meetings and that’s fine. It works if you work it and how you work it is none of my business.

I have been to meetings that are not my thing. So I don’t go back I find other ones.

With zoom you have the ability to find whatever you need. I’ve been to online meetings where the common theme is being a neurodivergent, a band we all love, agnostics etc.

I would love to have you share any other operation in the history of the world that has saved more lives and helped others change their lives than AA? I would be very willing to give it a chance

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#54

Well said :slight_smile:

#55

You're not urinating in anyone's corn flakes, bud. You're sharing your experience, and that's great. I'm glad it's helped you.

You obviously didn't read the rest of the thread (it's long, I don't blame you). I give AA its props. I mainly just disagree with certain people in the program that blame the person that it doesn't work for, and then use fear to keep them from seeking answers anywhere else.

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#57

Not sure how I was bashing AA. Maybe I didn't word things correctly?

I disagree with the methods used by some in the program when advising or sponsoring others.

I'm assuming you just read my original post, and read none of the comments in the last seven days, and the conversation went much deeper.

#58

I did actually read the entire thing and I don’t doubt those people exist. Just know they can avoid them.

Also curious if there are any programs that you use to help keep you sober out of AA? I’d love to learn more about them and give them a chance

#59

Oh, that last comment I left was a reply to someone else that deleted their comment. It wasn't to you, man. I was told that bashing AA wasn't helpful.

As far as what works for me...
I take prescription meds for my depression and anxiety, attend group therapy twice a week, individual therapy once a week, and I also attend a weekly AA speaker meeting that draws about 200-300 people.

The AA meeting is good to meet people, and I enjoy hearing the stories told by the speakers.

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