Would you really say that anyone who chooses the AA route is "free from addiction"? My personal experience with it is that AA teaches, based on reality, that it's a daily struggle no matter how many years sober someone is.
Would you really say that anyone who chooses the AA route is "free from addiction"? My personal experience with it is that AA teaches, based on reality, that it's a daily struggle no matter how many years sober someone is.
Absolutely and some people don't come to many AA meetings after they have been sober for a while. The way I look at and it says in the big book is that we are "recovered" as long as we are taking care of our recovery and our overall emotional and/or spiritual health. I haven't wanted to drink in 15+ years so I'd say yes, I am free from my alcohol addiction. However, I want to stay in recovery not so I don't drink again but because the AA program helps me grow and I bring value to myself and the people around me. If I don't continue my program to expand my mental health, emotional health and spiritual connection then I can get to a point where a drink sounds like a nice break from reality and an escape.
I continue to go to meetings and focus on my personal recovery so I can be there to help others That gives me a way to turn my alcoholism into a positive and a way to encourage and support new people instead of a curse that caused me and my loved ones pain in the past. Plus, people were in the meetings when I first started and they helped me so now it's my opportunity to show up for others and give back.
I can see what you mean, and I agree with you. This point is among my list of issues with AA. But Kelly also points out a list of pretty concrete positives from AA. I went to meetings everyday for my first 30 days, and off and on for awhile after. Ultimately, I found that AA wasnтАЩt for me, but I found my groove and my way to stay sober. I still drop in to meetings from time to time, and I am always glad to take people to their first few meetings, get them in the door and comfortable with a group going through the struggles of staying sober. Perhaps for some it really is a day-to-day struggle, forever. Perhaps IтАЩm fortunate that this ultimately wasnтАЩt the case for me. If there was a clear roadmap to beat alcoholism that worked for everyone, someone wouldтАЩve printed and made themselves rich from it. Everyone has a different path.
Would you really say that anyone who chooses the AA route is "free from addiction"? My personal experience with it is that AA teaches, based on reality, that it's a daily struggle no matter how many years sober someone is.
Absolutely and some people don't come to many AA meetings after they have been sober for a while. The way I look at and it says in the big book is that we are "recovered" as long as we are taking care of our recovery and our overall emotional and/or spiritual health. I haven't wanted to drink in 15+ years so I'd say yes, I am free from my alcohol addiction. However, I want to stay in recovery not so I don't drink again but because the AA program helps me grow and I bring value to myself and the people around me. If I don't continue my program to expand my mental health, emotional health and spiritual connection then I can get to a point where a drink sounds like a nice break from reality and an escape.
I continue to go to meetings and focus on my personal recovery so I can be there to help others That gives me a way to turn my alcoholism into a positive and a way to encourage and support new people instead of a curse that caused me and my loved ones pain in the past. Plus, people were in the meetings when I first started and they helped me so now it's my opportunity to show up for others and give back.
I can see what you mean, and I agree with you. This point is among my list of issues with AA. But Kelly also points out a list of pretty concrete positives from AA. I went to meetings everyday for my first 30 days, and off and on for awhile after. Ultimately, I found that AA wasnтАЩt for me, but I found my groove and my way to stay sober. I still drop in to meetings from time to time, and I am always glad to take people to their first few meetings, get them in the door and comfortable with a group going through the struggles of staying sober. Perhaps for some it really is a day-to-day struggle, forever. Perhaps IтАЩm fortunate that this ultimately wasnтАЩt the case for me. If there was a clear roadmap to beat alcoholism that worked for everyone, someone wouldтАЩve printed and made themselves rich from it. Everyone has a different path.