• The Dark Side 💕 Welcome Guest 💕
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Notable Threads Urgent Hotlines
    Bereavement Mindfulness
    Suicide Support Anger Management
  • TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android

AA /NA meetings make me nuts

I don't see why some of you harbor such strong feelings against AA/NA. What are you trying to accomplish with you negativity?
Click to expand...

The only people who are being negative here are people in the program itself. Any program that isn't AA/NA doesn't work as I've been told so many times. Most people aren't afraid of AA/NA's "simple" steps and traditions. The people that are fearful are the ones in the program already. They develop their sobriety with a foundation completely made up of a support system of addicts. How long does this last? Not very long at all. You may not relapse on narcotics, but from what I've seen, after 5 years, 10 years, hell maybe even 15 years they become fucking miserable. Now, in AA you people call them "dry drunks" or you'll say " oh, they were just bitter people even off drugs", you toss answers around like its set in stone. The truth is, these people realize their entire life, their new amazing sober life consists of nothing more than church basements and stale coffee. Nothing more, nothing less. If that were me, I'd be fucking miserable too.

But it gets better. When this misery comes on, your fellow AA friends tell you to attend more meetings! Thats the answer, MORE meetings. Be fearful for your life! You might relapse! Because addictive tendencies and compulsion are always allowed in AA. If its not negative obsession, it can't be bad right? Going to meetings excessively isn't a bad thing, it can't be!
 
If it doesn't work for you - and you've exhausted the groups in your area - stop going.

If it does work for you - and you are staying clean, growing - keep going.

the rest of it really does not matter a whole lot to me anymore, only two directions with addiction: getting better, getting worse. But how each of us individually reacts to different treatment is just that, different! Good luck all.
 
I had bad exp with these groups. I had people in it who would tell my business to their friends and kinda fuked my social life for a lil. I stoped going and do better when I'm on my own geting clean, I been "street" drug free for 3 years but still on pharms but nothing I can abuse.
 
When I was in military prison I had to go to their version of NA.

I believe that did absolutely no good for me whatsoever. We were all in prison, so there wasn't no way we could get drugs no way. And what the sessions amounted to was we sat around talking about drugs the whole time. See, I believe that if I could have just kept to myself and not talked about it, it would have been out of my mind by the end of my sentence. But after I got out, with all those "trigger sessions" as I called them, ALL I wanted to do was go find drugs.
 
lacey k said:
I aint judging shit. Im just telling the truth. Some people aint strong enough to get clean withut the help of NA. Its a fact.

If u feel like i shouldnt be sayin it, i dont know wat to tell you.
Click to expand...

Lacey thats a big fucking judgement right there. I know you are saying you arent judging but did you ever hear actions "speak louder than words"?.

Say whatever you wanna say a good debate is healthy.

Look man I also hate sitting in meetings and feel like its a mindless cult when im in their. Thats why im not a member. But it works for some people and that is cool. Some people in their are tools just like anywhere you go in the world. Bottom line it gets some people sober and that I support.

xxkcxx

"It is usually because when you are in the hell that is addiction, you cannot even picture what happiness is like or that it is possible."

That is the type of superior attitude that people hate about AA/NA members sometime. Thats a blanket statement - and its just so far from the truth how could you say it. Remember alot of people in AA/NA do pretend to be happy "fake it till you make it" attitude. Its crap. And its stuff like that which turns alot of people away from the program.
 
Another thing that never sat well with me about the AA/NA type of programs is the whole "Your addiction is stronger than you" and "You'll always be an addict" thing. I mean, I think beating an addiction on you own can give you a lot to be proud of. But if you keep thinking "This thing will always be stronger than me" it sorta takes away that pride, ya know?

Another thing I hate about it is that type of treatment is often FORCED on folks (like it was with me and the military prison). And look at the end result in my case.


Of course, I suppose I'm not the right person to give his opinion, because, hell, every time I've "beaten" an addiction, I've fallen right off the damned wagon anyway.
 
Binge Artist said:
Another thing that never sat well with me about the AA/NA type of programs is the whole "Your addiction is stronger than you" and "You'll always be an addict" thing. I mean, I think beating an addiction on you own can give you a lot to be proud of. But if you keep thinking "This thing will always be stronger than me" it sorta takes away that pride, ya know?
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that they are (mostly) referring to the strength of the addiction once you take that 'first one'. I see the legitimacy whenever I would do coke. I take that first shot and there isn't anything that can stop me from doing/getting more. So, for me at least, once I dive into my addiction than yes, it is stronger than me.

Everyone is different though and I value NA as an important aspect of helping me develop character.

Yes, there ARE a LOT of jerkoffs in the rooms.
Yes, there IS a LOT of hypocrisy.

but...

There are also MANY good, non-judgemental folks in the rooms as well.
There is a lot of validity in the concepts presented.

NA is like any group of people. When I stay away from the jerkoffs and 'do the right thing for the right reason', I find myself benefitting in a positive way.

I treat the meetings as an excellent place to practice some principles (tolerance, humility, acceptance, empathy, etc). When I leave a meeting I go about my life and attempt to be a better person outside the rooms as well.

NA is what has been working for me. Are there other options? Fuckin' right there are! Who cares how a person goes about finding 'a better way of life'? The 12 Steps are not all things to all people. If someone finds something that works for them than they should fuckin' chase that shit REGARDLESS of what it is.

Just my .02
 
I like to get high and then apply the principles to my life like "one day at a time' I will use just today , and then tomorow ill see if i have a way to use more
 
I like to get high as well. The problem is, I put all my energy and resources into it and end up jobless, homeless. The thought comes across sometimes to give 'just one more time' a try but it just isn't worth it for me.

Some folks can use recreationally. Sometimes I wish I was one of them. I've proven over and over again that I'm that dude that just can't put a spike in his arm 'every now and then'
 
OverDone said:
Keep in mind that they are (mostly) referring to the strength of the addiction once you take that 'first one'. I see the legitimacy whenever I would do coke. I take that first shot and there isn't anything that can stop me from doing/getting more. So, for me at least, once I dive into my addiction than yes, it is stronger than me.
Click to expand...



Oh, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. Believe me, EVERY single relapse I ever remember making ended in disaster.


STILL...the idea that the addiction has ANY power over me (even if it does), just doesn't sit well with me. I like to think of myself as having thoroughly whipped it into the dirt, and the idea of me being so weak as to have no power should I come across dope again, just kinda compromises that thought.
 
^I understand the desire to not want to admit the addiction has power, but if it doesn't, wouldn't that make your relapses a logical choice? I don't see that as preferable to the addiction being recognizably strong.

One could argue either you can abrogate responsibility through admitting the strength of the addiction OR admit you're a fool for CHOOSING to relapse.
 
Cane2theLeft said:
...if it doesn't, wouldn't that make your relapses a logical choice?
Click to expand...



Well, it's kinda hard to explain, but when I'm clean, sober, and feeling good about it, I sorta DETEST the idea of doing opiates; not so much because the relapse would readdict me, but because it would make me feel weak and lazy.



I remember one time when I had been clean for quite a while. I injured myself at work, and my boss gave me some PK's. When I took them, I felt anything BUT euphoric...indeed, I was pacing around the office, waiting for that "annoying" opiated feeling to end, so that I could feel more like my productive, motivated self.
 
Recently I had some trouble at probation. My officer tried to make it mandatory that I attend A.A. meetings. I go to private therapy instead of A.A. , and I also don't believe in A.A.'s Christian values. Thankfully, A.A/N.A. HAS been labeled a religious program by the government. Here is a list of court cases I presented to him.

Evans v. Tennessee Board of Paroles. Full text of the Nov. 1997 Tennessee Supreme Court opinion holding that a prisoner may not be required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous as a condition of parole insofar as AA is a religious program within the meaning of the First Amendment and no alternative secular program is available to him.
http://www.morerevealed.com/arc_fed_court_evans.jsp


Kerr v. Farrey. Full text of the 1996 Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals opinion holding that Narcotics Anonymous is a religious program and that a prisoner cannot be forced to attend NA without violating the Establishment Clause.
http://www.morerevealed.com/arc_fed_court_kerr.jsp


Warner v. Orange County Department of Probation. Full text of the 1996 Second Circuit Court of Appeals opinion holding that a prisoner's mandatory attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution because of the AA program's religious nature.
http://www.morerevealed.com/arc_fed_court_warner.jsp


Griffin v. Coughlin. Full text of the 1996 New York Court of Appeals opinion upholding the right of a prisoner to attend a secular alternative to AA on the ground that mandatory attendance at AA violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
http://www.morerevealed.com/arc_fed_court_griffin.jsp



Even after I presented this to him, he still was insistent that I go to A.A. After two weeks of this, and him threatening to violate me, I went to the head of my counties probationary unit and told him what was going on, and presented valid paperwork and sources for my complaint. Well, not only was my Christian preeching probation officer ripped off my case, he was sent to a two-week workshop ( I have no idea what is was about, my new probation officer told me it was with no pay though). I am an Atheist and part of the A.A.M, I don't bash on those who are religious or spiritual at all, but certainly don't feel comfortable when it is thrown in my face.
 
PureLife said:
Even after I presented this to him, he still was insistent that I go to A.A. After two weeks of this, and him threatening to violate me, I went to the head of my counties probationary unit and told him what was going on, and presented valid paperwork and sources for my complaint. Well, not only was my Christian preeching probation officer ripped off my case, he was sent to a two-week workshop ( I have no idea what is was about, my new probation officer told me it was with no pay though). I am an Atheist and part of the A.A.M, I don't bash on those who are religious or spiritual at all, but certainly don't feel comfortable when it is thrown in my face.
Click to expand...

That's awesome. I'm glad your officer got reprimanded for pushing AA on you. I've got court coming up in two weeks time for a number of drug-related charges. If I get forced to attend NA I will be furious. I'm non-spiritual and certainly don't feel comfortable at those groups, having to pray and have faith in a higher power that I don't believe in. It's just a pity that there aren't any (or many) secular alternatives.
 
Last edited:
^ You don't have to be forced to attend a religious recovery group, your government has no right to force ANY kind of religious or spiritual concepts on you. Here are some groups that are completely secular.:

Smart Recovery

Rational Recovery

SOS international

They are all great, and I'm sure if they were put more out in the open, would be just if not more popular than A.A. as a support group.
 
You said you were waiting for that annoying opiate feeling to end ? i never heard a dope user call the feeling annoying !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top