If you were to spend the time reviewing past posts ... you'll find both the worst and the best an alcoholic has to offer ... many, many times, due to the distance between most of us, and our level of recovery, we've felt as good, if not more comfortable, about sharing some of our deepest, darkest secrets here ... But it will require a little work on your part ...
The further along as time passes, the 'less' comfortable some are to share their secrets ... you know, due to advanced technology recording everything written or said now-a-days ... unfortunately, that destroys what little anonymity we've enjoyed for so long ... and you bet it's starting to make a difference on what I say here now, or over any other type medium as well ...
Nothing, and I mean nothing is as good as a good ole local meeting to privately share with others ... you're bound to have lots of good groups around you that you could do 'one-on-ones' with, don't you ????
-- Edited by Pythonpappy on Saturday 26th of October 2013 12:09:01 PM
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
1st ... I don't come here and share my ESH in hopes of getting any money, I share my thoughts freely, in hopes it will come as aid to those seeking help ...
AND, if one were to review past posts here, years worth, and/or stick around for a few weeks, then one could get a very good grip on what this board is all about, without the need to do personal interviews ... that's just an opinion of an old drunk who hasn't had a drink today ...
And if your motive is entirely noble(meaning to help others, not for self), I wish you success in your endeavour ...
God Bless, Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I'm not big on surveys...And face to face meetings are my medicine.....I just like them. I consider this site more like family than a support group...And I've never even met any of these people. I'll tell you one thing that facinates me about online recovery as far as AA is concerned...You can carry the message to suffering alcoholics that may never have the courage to go to a meeting....We have a lot of guests that read here...Around the clock.....I'm guessing some don't even have the courage to register....It's a pretty frightening thing to admit....You can share something that they may read and not quite get at first...And they can come back and read it again....And again. They can learn about AA from the comfort of their home....See questions answered.....Maybe learn enough about it to actually read and understand the Big Book...The steps...Maybe attend a real meeting....Maybe recover from an illness that will kill you. We can save lives here and never even know it.....And have a little fun while we're doing it....Not a bad gig if you think about it.....Where else do you get the chance to do that?
-- Edited by Stepchild on Saturday 26th of October 2013 10:42:56 PM
Aloha J...one of the most critical characteristics I had which kept me out and away from recovery was the "differences". When I focused on them I secured justifications why I wasn't part and parcel of those working for social model recovery such as AA and Al-Anon Family Groups. Until I nodded to the similarities of the disease as it manifested itself within my life and the life of another affected fellow I remained different and to myself which of course is no recoverying group support at all. We did our best recovery using our similarities of experineces.
Former Behavioral Health Therapist CCCH Fresno CA., in and out patient all levels of the family dynamic; school district various grade levels.
Hey,Justin. Welcome to MIP. This is the place where we say stuff we don't say anywhere else. Ever. These threads and posts are the finest examples of recovery in action. Ever. Go ahead and read some of them. You'll find some pretty educational, enlightening, and entertaining stuff!
In defense of the OP - I know you cannot write a dissertation based on qualitative date alone. It has to be some sort of experimental research. So while I am sure he wants to "learn more" and would do so from reading prior threads. That only yields qualitative data and not quantitative which is needed for a study most often. In the end, I'm also focused on supporting an fellow 12 stepper that also wants to work in the field eventually because I am one of those. When I get time, I will do the survey.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
I'm not big on surveys...And face to face meetings are my medicine.....I just like them. I consider this site more like family than a support group...And I've never even met any of these people. I'll tell you one thing that facinates me about online recovery as far as AA is concerned...You can carry the message to suffering alcoholics that may never have the courage to go to a meeting....We have a lot of guests that read here...Around the clock.....I'm guessing some don't even have the courage to register....It's a pretty frightening thing to admit....You can share something that they may read and not quite get at first...And they can come back and read it again....And again. They can learn about AA from the comfort of their home....See questions answered.....Maybe learn enough about it to actually read and understand the Big Book...The steps...Maybe attend a real meeting....Maybe recover from an illness that will kill you. We can save lives here and never even know it.....And have a little fun while we're doing it....Not a bad gig if you think about it.....Where else do you get the chance to do that?
-- Edited by Stepchild on Saturday 26th of October 2013 10:42:56 PM
I attend meetings everyday, but have a fear of people, especially when there are a bunch of them crowded in one room. I have had to force myself to overcome this fear and go anyway. I have wondered just what you posted stepchild....about the alcoholics who are not able to overcome that fear--especially at first-- and thought that this board gives them the opportunity to hear from other people who dealing with their addiction and staying sober. And then, perhaps in time, they will be ready to attend meetings and be face to face with other alcoholics. If not, they still will have this board to come to 24/7.
Hi Justin,
I had a crack at your survey but found the questions seemed to show a lack of understanding of what it means to be a recovered alcoholic. Most of the questions could have applied to someone suffering from untreated alcoholism or in early recovery. For example, faced with an opportunity to drink, which happens almost daily, it just doesn't occur to me to take it up. There is no temptation, no choice is made, because the drink problem has been removed. It is not a choice I need to make.
Likewise, AA recovery is not about a lifetime needing support from a group. It is about a relationship with God, and service to others. We were beyond human aid which is why meetings alone do not treat alcoholism. I go to my group in service, with the idea of contributing something that might help someone else. I don't have "alcohol issues". I have experience as an active alcoholic which I may use to help someone, but the more important thing is that I have been led into a new way of life, infinitely better than the old, I have a new outlook, and as a result of this I no longer need to drink. Mostly I share about how this new way of life can be accomplished - the 12 steps.
The Big Book spells it out in the tenth step promises. "And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition."
Perhaps it should be considered that in AA and on this board there are two types of people, those seeking a solution needing help, and those who have found the solution, offering help. If recovered alcoholic doesn't suit you, the AMA has a definition "In stable recovery" which is the equivalent.
Also it might be worth considering that, for alcoholics of my type, alcohol is not the problem. If it was, our problems would go away when we stop drinking. But they do not, they often get worse when we stop.
I attend meetings everyday, but have a fear of people, especially when there are a bunch of them crowded in one room. I have had to force myself to overcome this fear and go anyway. I have wondered just what you posted stepchild....about the alcoholics who are not able to overcome that fear--especially at first-- and thought that this board gives them the opportunity to hear from other people who dealing with their addiction and staying sober. And then, perhaps in time, they will be ready to attend meetings and be face to face with other alcoholics. If not, they still will have this board to come to 24/7.
I was so loaded with fear when I came into AA...It was crippling. We address our fears in the fourth and fifth steps....They promise this on page 75 when completing step five....
We pocket our pride and go to it, illuminating every twist of character, every dark cranny of the past. Once we have taken this step, withholding nothing, we are delighted.We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease.Our fears fall from us.We begin to feel the nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience. The feeling that the drink problem has disappeared will often come strongly. We feel we are on the Broad Highway, walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.
And those promises materialize...If we work for them. That group of people that frighten you now....Keep showing up...Soon you will love them. And Mike H....Another gem of a post...I love it!
