I give AA and NA my full support. My step-mom was an alcoholic, but through AA I really think that she has beaten it, she's been sober for four years now. I'm really proud of her. For me, I really wish addictive drugs weren't such a huge part of the punk scene.
I think it's really important to have organizations like NA and AA for people who need help with addiction. My problem is these organizations make religion such an integral part of their program, they act like it's impossible to quit without it.
actually religion isn't an issue really, yes they make you focus on a 'higher power', but there is no specific definition of what that is. it can be yourself, god, a door knob, whatever. Athiesism could be your higher power for all anyone would care, and it's not like they make you tell what it is, or care.
I try to stay clear of drugs/cigarettes/excessive drink - I have an addictive personality and if I started on these, I know I wouldn't really be able to stop.
Well to get back on topic, starting today I'm gonna try and refrain from ingesting any alcoholic beverage, at least for a while. I'm getting out of hand 0.o Also I've been clean for quite a while now, about 3 months already, methinks
I have to say for the most part this was an epic fail of a thread. I started it because ive heard people in the anarcho scene describe it as pseudo religous bullshit. I personally have been clean for 13 monthes and i cant say i could have done it without the help. What id like to point out which most people dont realize is the purely anarchist structure of the fellowships. It is run only with the contributions of its members, each group is full autonomous to make there own decisions, they are "governed" only by 12 traditions each group is expected to uphold, there are no leaders just trusted servents who rotate every 3 monthes to a year depending on the commitment and the group its held at, people are free to come and go as they please, it is stated at the begining of each meeting that there are no "rules", part of the message is to identify and not compare which carried into your daily life makes any form of inequality (racism, sexism, homophobia...) completely impossible, the structure is described as a reverse pyramid, the group working to gether for the good of the individual. People working together to solve a common problem whats more supportive than anarchy than that. Of course there are its downfalls, men and women use it as a place to sexually exploit vulnerable people and yes i know women who do it too, some old timer nuts take the idea of not running on self will too far and repress free will in the process, and the literature talks about being socially acceptable which is definatley not a requirement for recovery.
AA is a basically an openly evangelical organisation which deliberately allows no study of its effectiveness. No independent sociologists or psychologists have ever been allowed by AA to study its effectiveness despite hundreds of requests. I very much support organisations that help people overcome addiction. But organisations which have no interest in evaluating their efficiency at overcoming addiction, but value a great deal how effective they are at making peope "surrender" themselves to a "higher power" I oppose, especially when governemnts force people to take part in them. Happily, there are a good many groups that provide evidence based support for people with addictions. These groups do not insist on surrendering one's will to a higher power, and predicate their methods on what has been shown to actually help people. In most of Europe these organisations are the norm because of public and governent support, but because of the cultural hegemony of the US it is assumed AA (and similar 12 step gropups) is the only route for helping addicts, despite their demonstrable lack of basis in proven effective technique.
Ive been drinking and doing all sorts of drugs I could lay my hands on since I was 12 (20 years already now)Ive been trying to get off heroin by my self two times and failed miserably. Finally I agreed to see a psychiatrist but didnt agree to a methadon therapy or other substitutes. Now Im on antidepressives and clean for 3 and a half weeks. I couldnt have done it without help, so much is clear. on the other hand Im not sure that I have done it. I still find myself daydreaming about scoring although I know that if i go back to it Im done. So, yes any Institution that can help can help, but not if you dont want it yourself (I remember being stupid enough to think I could live a happy life on heroin)-but forcing anyone to quit wont work, even if you lock em up they will get back to it as soon as they can. heroin makes you feel incredibly good and secure but when you regain your conciousness you find out that you turned into a piece of shit and dont care about anyone, so the conclusion is that you cant seriously be much of an anarchist if youre a dopefiend, at least thats my opinion. Im trying to become myself again and its anything but easy although I consider myself to have a strong will. So kids, dont mix things up and think you can demonstrate free will by doing drugs just because they are illegal. Do your drugs but keep your personality, dont turn into a zombie. I dont intend to lecture, nor quit smoking pot or drinking myself, but i felt the need to say it: HEROIN DESTROYS THE ANARCHIST IN YOU, believe me.
6 years clean in Sept and more active at 42 than ever, and I was able to do it myself without NA because NA didn't work for me the first time. I strongly applaud your courage to step away from your crutch and re-establish your true self \m/
people who bash AA as being evangelical are completely wrong, and i already said why, so i won't repeat it, but i assume those who say that never went to meetings to actually see what goes on there, which is just open talking.
I'm required to go to a NA / AA coulselor as part of my probation. At my own expense. I think it's crap if you don't want to do it. Just a way for them to get more of my money. I pretty much just go, say nothing, and agree with the dude for an hour a week. The funny thing is that I'm there on an alcohol related charge and have a rather extensive list of past offenses where alcohol was involved but cause I failed my first THC test, he tells me; "John, it looks like you're really doing great and realize that your drinking is causing you problems. What I'm more deeply concerned about is your marijuana use. In the next few months I'm going to help you realize how dangerous marijuana is." What a joke! I've never had a marijuana related charge. I'm by no means a stoner. I smoked (prior to probation) about three times a week or less. So now I get to pay this guy to tell me that I'm going to go insane or all marijuana is cut with PCP now and blah blah blah. Idiots. But yeah, I've seen AA / NA help quite a few people that actually want to do it. To each their own.
I've heard a lot of stories like yours as far as bad Mushroom trips go, I've never taken shrooms or acid and never plan to. THC is my one true love as far as getting high goes.
No independent sociologists or psychologists have ever been allowed by AA to study its effectiveness despite hundreds of requests Im sorry but this is a misinformed statement the AA basic text actually includes a letter from a doctor who worked in a detox stating his belief in its effectivenes over all other forms of treatment seen so far andas far as evaluating AA there are plenty of open meetings which independant sociologists and psychologists can attned but interogating people outside meetings wouldnt really go along with the anonymous part dont you think?
Reminds me of Coffee, God and Cigarettes by Mischief Brew. Love that song! I would personally avoid AA and NA if I were to ever get into that situation. I've never been so I'm not that knowledgeable about it but from my understanding, they do base the 12 steps and their program on the Judeo-Christian god. I don't support that aspect but I'm glad it's helped other people, like my mom. It does remind me though of a friend who told me his parents sent him to rehab for smoking weed (HA!). He said they would put you in some kind of solitary-confinement type of room to test your 'acceptance.' They gave you three books to read: AA, NA and the Bible.
it can definitely be effective. as someone who has been to meetings, i can say there is definitely an evangelical vibe in some of the ones that i have been to. like someone said earlier, the groups and the members have a pretty substantial amount of autonomy and any overtones in a particular group will not be so in other groups or the organization as a whole.
the worst acid trip i ever had i blacked out and dont rember it but i woke up on the other side of town my shoes wear still on tight but i dint have any pants lol
THANK YOU I WAS JUST ABOUT TO POSE THAT LOL but yes AA is great iv been sober for 6 months because of it
