A fairly well-known personality in the U.K. is one year sober and has written a book about his experiences; it is being serialised in one of our newspapers.
He criticizes AA, saying that many sober people don't need meetings, and that he has no desire to open up his past to a sponsor who, he says, may well drink again. Throughout his writing there is a sneering journalistic tone.
I can't help but be angry and fearful for him. It seems like he is just attempting to avoid any pain and to try and make money fast. In my experience anyone who puts money or relationships first will drink again.
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The past is never over; it's not even past yet. William Faulkner, U.S. writer
UGH! There was a woman here in the U.S. who devised a plan for staying sober, and wrote books about it, I think it was based on "Moderation" drinking. She was very critical of AA.
Within a few years, she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, so there went the "anti-AA Moderation Program." These things have a way of taking care of themselves. Hate to see anyone publicly knock our program though.
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
I think it's the public knocking of AA which makes me angry. I don't want anyone to drink again, but I don't believe there is any real recovery outside AA.
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The past is never over; it's not even past yet. William Faulkner, U.S. writer
Hello Dreamnine! This is one of the reasons our Traditions are so important. I am not a spokesperson for A.A. As sure as I get on T.V., radio or press, I could get drunk and people might think that A.A. doesn't work. When you get a chance check out the 10th and 11th Traditions.
This works for me and many, many, others. 73years is a awesome record!!! People are "watching" what I'm doing to stay sober, not what I'm "saying" about it.
be glad the guy is knocking AA, instead of breaking his AA anonymity. He will likely drink again (odds are 20 to 1) and will then disprove his own theory.
Living the kind of life that AA suggests we strive for, one of rigorous honesty, service to others and times deep profound introspection is very difficult for some and when they find that they're unable they lash out at the program and find fault with it rather than with themselves. I know because I've been that person...there were times after a relapse when I would vehemently oppose anyone involved with or anything that had anything to do with AA in any way shape of form. As an argument I would use every cliche criticism that's ever been cast against AA and even made up a few new ones of my own. I believed that someone with a strong mind could quit on his/her own. When I failed at that I chose to believe that someone with my intelligence could learn to control my drinking like a normal person. That didn't work for long in my case and eventually I ended up where I had began, sick, miserable, feeling completely morally and spiritually bankrupt.
I sincerely hope the celebrity who is writing the book succeeds with his sobriety. I hope that he can find the peace and contentment that I was unable to attain on my own. It would be foolishly presumptuous of me to assume to or to claim that he won't succeed simply because he took a different path to getting well than I did. While I can't say for certain whether not he will remain sober, healthy and well, what I do know for sure is that if he ever decides that he can't do it alone he will always be welcome by our fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
That choice whether you went to aa or not is the same. Even if a person denounces aa, his steps to sobriety were the same. Maybe you want to describe it in a different way and write a book..."how I did it, without anyones help"...We'll see! Or not.
All that matters is that when we ail, we get help. When we get help, we try and we choose the course that will bring healing and health.
We weren't brought into this world to live just for one's self. It is a little more deep than the one man band theory.
I am so glad this is a program, whereby I am not responsible for how anyone else tries to get sober, I am only responsible for myself and my beliefs, and responsible to carry the message of what THIS program has done for ME. And when I see others coming up with alternatives to AA, I have to say to myself, "AA is working for me, and if it ain't broke, no need to fix it".
And Tipsy, very thoughtful and open-minded post.
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
To give her the benefit of the doubt, I think that she may be talking about the spiritual aspect since she mentioned going to church regularly. We are all hoping that she'll find out the differences by attending meetings some day.
