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Have you read the AA book?

T-Lo9999

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Joined
Apr 7, 2005
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141
I am wondering if some of you are familiar with the AA book, alcoholism and how it relates to drug addiction (the solution being the same for both and they are essentially the same disease)
 
Yeah, its a big book(s) of alchohal/drug bashing. It does have some qualitys if your wanting to be clean though. The outlook of AA/NA is you are either with us or againsts us, there is no middle ground. For instance marijuana has alot of positive medicenal resons to use it (and some negitive ones too), but those people dont want to hear anything thats benifical about any drug even if it may be true.
 
I read it with an open mind and tried to identify with it and I learned a lot about myself.
 
I read portions of it in rehab. The book struck me as extreme. The way people tout it is like its their Bible and for some people it really is.

If it works for some people though, it isn't a bad thing provided it doesn't hurt another person.

:\
 
^ I did this big old report on AA while in highschool, more so of the 12 step program in general. Its stats are startlingly shitty. Less than 17% of people stay straight for more than 5 years on it. 36% of people are clean for 6 months with it, after that relapse. I did this awhile ago though, so the exact numbers are fuzzy. I will find them again and repost it. Could be higher or lower. It was a year ago. It honestly works wonders for some people. Very few people that is, for most it may help for a short period, or not at all.
I find it myself far to religious based for my liking. AA teaches you that you'll NEVER be able to recover from your "disease". Theres no recovering point, and in my opinion, some hope of recovery is very necessary to actually recover. Telling someone their completely powerless over their "disease" to me just justifies their use.
 
T-Lo9999 said:
I am wondering if some of you are familiar with the AA book, alcoholism and how it relates to drug addiction (the solution being the same for both and they are essentially the same disease)

I read one page and I threw it across the room while in Detox.
 
yes i have read the book a few times. i was into it for a time but i kind of fell out because my outlook on addiction has changed over the years..
 
I read the book in rehab and was obligated to go to meetings when i lived in a halfway house. I cant really knock something that i have seen help so many people first hand. Saying that, its not for me. Very culty. Like someone said before, there is no grey area. But There are different levels of addicts and i think the most extreme addicts need the most extreme solution, being AA. (just my opinion)
 
I consider drug/alcohol addiction no more of a disease than an addiction to chocolate, its just a stupid way to look at things.

The religiousness of it really makes it useless to someone like me, I'm almost to the point of being anti-religious. Believe in whatever imaginary friends you want, but try and convert me or tell me how great god is, and i'll throw a bus at you
 
Yea, my fav story is the one with the kid and his "uncle". I went to a big book meeting and someone had to read that one and they couldnt finish the story without laughing their ass off. I know its evil but laughter is good medicine, almost as good as a fat bag.
 
I can't get the "disease part past me. No matter how many people tell me it is, and try to explain it, i still say "no". Is it is a disease? If you say yes, please give me a moment of time and enlighten me. Please :)
 
PureLife said:
I can't get the "disease part past me. No matter how many people tell me it is, and try to explain it, i still say "no". Is it is a disease? If you say yes, please give me a moment of time and enlighten me. Please :)

from wikipedia:

disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions,[1] associated with specific symptoms and signs.[2][3]

going by that definition, alcoholism can be considered a disease. i could go on and write a long post about this (and i have before) but both the people who say it is a disease and those who choose to view it as not a disease have valid points. you should pick whichever one helps you stay sober.

for example, if telling yourself alcoholism is a disease and you need to take certain steps to treat it helps you stay sober, then great, think of it as a disease. however, if thinking of it as a disease means you use that an excuse to say to yourself "well, i can't help myself, i have a disease" then i say you need to look at it as a choice.
 
I'm not an alcoholic, but honestly don't think its a disease. I don't think is should be viewed as one, just so you can recover easily. No offense to anyone, but classifying a disease because " it makes it easier to recover" just doesn't work for me.
 
PureLife said:
I'm not an alcoholic, but honestly don't think its a disease. I don't think is should be viewed as one, just so you can recover easily. No offense to anyone, but classifying a disease because " it makes it easier to recover" just doesn't work for me.

that's not the sole reason, from a biological standpoint it is a disease. it is also a disease of the mind.
 
Yes, I've read the entire AA book. If you haven't and would like to, here it is:

AA Big Book

While it's a bit dated, anybody who is truly an alcoholic will identify with much of it. If you don't need AA, that's fine. But it's a lifesaver for alot of hopeless alcoholics who can't stop drinking on their own and whose lives hit a bottom.

AA does not "bash" legitimate drug use. But it's very frank about drug abuse by alcoholics. This is AA literature on the subject:

medications and other drugs

I like what opitate3 said.
There are different levels of addicts and i think the most extreme addicts need the most extreme solution
 
I read it a couple of years ago. Although not an alcoholic, I am very familiar with opiate addiction and there are obvious similarities between any and all addictions. The case histories are a good read (very dated though) but the whole 12 step thing really isn't for me. Not one little bit. I personally don't think of addiction as a disease, or even as a weakness, more as a state of mind. But each to their own.
 
AfterGlow said:
But it's a lifesaver for alot of hopeless alcoholics who can't stop drinking on their own and whose lives hit a bottom.

Yeah, except it isnt. The stats a for "curing" someone are very low. LSD has a higher success rate in helping alcoholics get off the booze
 
I know MANY alcoholics whose lives were saved by AA. I can't say I know any whose life was saved by using LSD. That doesn't mean they aren't out there, but I've yet to come across any.

I don't believe that an alcoholic is ever "cured". But regardless of the success rate and how you choose to measure it, there are millions of people worldwide who credit their current sobriety to the help they get from AA.

Mr. White said:
Yeah, except it isnt. The stats a for "curing" someone are very low. LSD has a higher success rate in helping alcoholics get off the booze
 
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