12 step bullshit

[Zephyn]

I've been using drugs for like 15 years but never really had a problem until I left a toxic relationship 3 years ago, and breaking codependency I got into hard drugs. I've been on and off coke meth and heroin, in and out of institutions like rehabs and now I'm at a halfway house. Thing is, I've never really gone hard or done meth or crack unless I either was already or was about to be homeless. I'm starting to think this is a systemic issue and a lot of these rehabs and halfway houses are just preying on people like me. I've got some money so its like why not get an apartment rather than paying someone 250 a week with a contract that they can kick me out whenever they want. Almost wound up homeless for drinking a single beer, and I've never been a big drinker. I feel like this is not the stability I need and could be dangerous as I might wind up homeless again. This will probably all blow over once I get a job.

Its also like, I've got ptsd these days and always had issues and cannabis is a serious medicine for me, especially coming off of antipsychotics and antidepressants that were pumped into me in rehab. Grrrr

 

[Jabberwocky]

there certainly are some exploitative practises out there. here in the UK homeless shelters charge councils close to a grand per week to house people.

if you don't think you're being offered a good service, then look elsewhere.

not sure how your post relates to the thread title?

 

[Zephyn]

Well I've found the most exploitive places to be 12 step based. I am working the NA program, as much as it can for an atypical addict like myself who has avoided chemical dependency thru poly drug use.

 

[Zephyn]

I'll update the thread sometime when I have more energy to ramble about the cult like aspects and negatives of 12 step methodology and the multibillion dollar industry its created

 

[Jabberwocky]

i am well aware of the cult like aspects of NA. but when i was probably weeks/months from death due to my addiction, joining a cult was the less shit option.

i've distanced myself from NA now i'm stable in recovery and am much more critical of them now, but in my early days out of rehab NA was instrumental in helping me not to relapse.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I'll update the thread sometime when I have more energy to ramble about the cult like aspects and negatives of 12 step methodology and the multibillion dollar industry its created

Hey, someone's got to pay for those sobriety chips ya'know?

 

[Joey]

I love how it's corporately unaffiliated in the hospital, the detox, the rehab, and the legal system too. I do my daily reflections while I think about the tradition for no press or radio or films... I do this as I read my pamphlet for for being X demographic in AA, and listen to the radio play the ad for the AA phoneline, while I watch my favorite Sandra Bullock goes to rehab and gets saved in AA movie called "28 Days". Pay It Forward by clapping for Sandra Bullock goes to AA!

I really enjoy narcissistic abuse too. I find it enthralling when good god fearing (oops i meant spiritual) old hand gaslights me extra aggressively because his program and THE program is the ONLY SOLUTION! And.., if I don't agree with anything I'll NEVER get sober just for today.. oh my God I'm POWERLESS! I listen to the messages, it cleans my brain of any individual thought I may have had, about how this program I'm in doesn't seem to resemble the actual literature.... which I've actually read many times, unlike this bird flapping his wings at me the ex-jailthug with an 8th grade education. He's been saved because he can ride his bike from his sober living house to the meeting every morning and night and continue to be institutionalized, on welfare, and be powerless too! Let go and let God!

It's especially awesome being targeted by every one of these vermin because I'm in my 20s and look young for my age too... so obviously I'm fresh and don't have a clue. I am really dumb. Powerless and stupid and if I even take an advil I am the junkie too. The cliques which have formed in the groups all talk shit about eachother, and me, judge eachothers programs, predict eachothers relapses, and writhe in ecstacy when they happen. The poor soul who's relapsed, who had 14 years clean comes back a month later with his tail between his legs and confesses that he knew NOTHING and has to really get the program now. He's been awoken! Those 14 years were obviously worthless dry drunk days or otherwise just fell short, so day 1 chip for you amigo! I hope I can be so cool someday.

AA! Yay!

 

[Zephyn]

I almost got attacked at one H&I meeting by another guy in the rehab because I said "allahu ackbar" after the lords prayer in this "non-religious" program

 

[Joey]

I hope to continue to address my addiction as a moral failure. I must take a moral inventory, confess, and let God remove these defects of character. I am such a villainous twit I don't know what to do except hold hands in a circle and say the lords prayer in this spiritual program to my higher power in cognitive dissonance because my christian prayer to my higher power is actually to my pet rock.....

my pet crack rock!

 

[Joey]

I feel a little better now. Don't get me wrong I don't truly hate everything AA, it does help some. I have some issues though, to say the least.

 

[Bella Figura]

dry drunk

oh man, you just reminded me of a therapist I once saw when I was trying to come off heroin/subs. He kept trying to explain the concept of a dry drunk to me and I was like, dafuq does that have to do with me tho.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I hope to continue to address my addiction as a moral failure.

come on man you know 12 steps don't do that. at least not in the UK, here people focus too much on it being a disease and don't address any of their moral failures.

they also say take what's useful and leave the rest. i've not seen anyone in NA claim its the only solution.

 

[Bella Figura]

here people focus too much on it being a disease

I also saw another therapist who tried to drill the disease model into me, unbeknownst to him I'm more of a Marc Lewis Biology of Desire kinda guy...

 

[Jabberwocky]

I'm more of a Marc Lewis Biology of Desire kinda guy...

i love that book! luckily, my therapist lent it to me. she is nuts into NA too in her personal life but doesn't shove it down her clients throats and is openly sceptical about the disease model.

 

[Bella Figura]

I might give it another read actually it's been a few years, that's awesome she lent it to you I think my mother recommended it to me.