PJ that is a good suggestion.

it's your life. No one owns AA. Do what you feel is right for you, your sanity and health. You have my support

You have every right to attend any open AA meeting and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Closed meetings are for those their to address their own alcohol issues. You might also supplement with specific online recovery sites regarding your addictions

All right people, get a grip! An addiction is an addiction whether it be nail biting or drinking!!!! If a proven method of fighting an addiction is found to work 90% of the time then get off your stuck up asses and realize that the method can be used for other addictions as well.
I have been a sponcer in three of A.A.'s groups, A.A., N.A. and S.A., although there are subtle differences the main concepts are the same...

Eric,

Spoken like someone who doesn't understand the difference between alcoholism and addiction. Nothing new there.

If I had walked into Alcoholic's Anonymous back in Oct '92 and heard someone talking about cocaine, chocolate ice cream or other addictions, I dare say I would have left thinking well that's not for me. I have a pretty good hunch I would have been drunk in no time. Identification was key for me. I needed to hear other people talk about guzzling booze like I did, what they did about it and how different their lives were now. I needed hope that somehow I could learn how to live sober. I needed other alcoholics.

It's not about being stuck up, honestly. It's about relating to others who suffer from alcohol. I think it's a disservice to newcomers to suggest we can help addicts too. If there's no other 12 Step groups in town then I'm sure no one in an open meeting would ask someone to leave. Most important to find someone if possible in the meeting, get the right literature (NA,OEA, etc) and take the steps.

And Eric, I'm glad you go to the groups where you can identify. That's why there are so many different 12 Step groups.

Hey Eric,

Good to see you.

I have heard at many aa meetings that we are also supposed to avoid all mind-altering substances.

Essentially it is the obsessive activity that gets us in trouble.

I agree with Eric - it's a whole mind/attitude thing. At least I think that is what Eric was saying.

But I also see your point gr8tful - if I had only heard about chocolate at my first AA meeting - odds are I would not have gone back.

If AA had a finger in every pie it would reduce its effectiveness and that's why it sticks to what it is experienced with - alcoholism. It's a good idea to get to know the 12 Traditions and Singleness of Purpose Statement to understand why there are other fellowships for other addictions.

The group may choose not to discuss his specific non alcohol addictions as a topic, which I respect. However, he can attend any open AA meeting anywhere under our own guidelines.
AA has to be primarily about alcohol yet how many times have you heard someone share that in addition to sobriety they are grateful for a program for living.?
I'm not sure it matters but IMO alcoholism IS indeed an addiction. In fact it may be the mother of all addictions

Note: I don't say what my addictions are in the meetings. I just say "my addiction"/engaging in my addiction/abstaining from my addiction/etc. Everything I talk about is stuff others can identify with in the struggle of addiction; and as I have said, I identify with pretty much everything people say (except for reference to the material substance of alcohol, which although that reference may be plentiful, is not a significant factor of identification for me since I have learned by basic research and personal observation of myself and so many others at this point that the purpose of addiction (psychologically), the struggle with addiction, and the way to overcome it is almost completely the same regardless of the material focus of it.
My point is I don't sit there and say, "Well the other day I was really craving chocolate..(just using an example you all were interested in using)" I just talk about the general stuff that everyone identifies
with.
There are very few addictions from what I can see that are that unique. One exception that comes to mind is sex addiction (which I don't struggle with), which though it may have some differences still operates the same as all addiction. It's just there may be some underlying emotional stuff and really unique social experiences that only sex addicts could help each other out with. Other than that addiction, most are pretty basic and similar. Alcohol is just a substance. Could just as easily be a different substance (drug), or just an activity that zones you out in an excessive, hard-core way. Basic info by addiction specialists say that most alcoholics/drug addicts, once they give up that addiction/recover e.g. through rehab, pick up another one which often they lack the awareness and/or help to overcome.
Seems to me pretty obvious that it is recovery from addiction itself and all the thinking, emotions, and habits that go along with it that is needed for every addict, including alcoholics.
I don't even know if there are groups for the stuff I'm addicted to, which are pretty harmless activities (grew up pretty sheltered in a cult, wasn't much there to get addicted to). Trying to come out of this, I often feel like I need to be/fantasize about being a drug addict. I don't think the battle's over for anyone until the underlying addictive living and whatever is triggering it emotionally gets taken care of and healed. The 12 steps are for that and the related groups offer support with people who identify--support is probably the most powerful way to overcome an emotional problem that there is.

Dear Grateful,
If you go to an A.A. meeting and alcohol is not your problem then you chose not to share. What you do learn is how to overcome an addiction as all addictions share certain traits. This is common sense not rocket science...

I too feel that the "a drug is a drug is a drug" reduces things to a simplicity that doesn't take into account the specifics and the nuances of the DOC (drug of choice...or no choice, really). I understand the sentiment that if you have an issue with food, debting, working, codependency of a sex addict, gambling, lip balming (yes, you heard that right) and AA is the only choice around, then sure, I suppose going to an open AA meeting is perhaps a way to get an introduction to the 12 steps.

BUT - it's limiting.

Identification is the key to the fellowship and in working the program. If I have a thing with cluttering (aka hoarding), listening to others going on about their drunkalogues and the solution for that, I may not completely identify. I need to hear from those who hoarded like I did, who collected scraps, who hit bottoms by being on hands and knees scraping the bottom of dumpsters for more stuff for the living room, or not being able to shower or eat in their house, etc. I can't identify when people are discussing benders in bars or DUI's. YES, there are underlying common factors in all addictions - isolation, fears, resentments, etc. I understand that. But partial identification will only give partial results, and in our program, half measures avail us nothing.

There might be some online support for your addiction. Perhaps someone that you can regularly call who has been through that, and can perhaps sponsor you remotely. I sponsor men in the States (I am Canadian) and it's worked out wonderfully - skype is a lovely thing.

There ARE commonalities, but they only go so far. Singleness of purpose is there for a reason - not to exclude, but to keep the group well and alive. The Washingtonian movement and the Oxford group tried to cover all bases with their groups / programs, and they went the way of the dodo. Bill and Dr. Bob realized that they needed to keep the focus on alcohol to keep this thing going.

NA is a good catch all group, and they are quite open to any sort of narcotic, including alcohol. Perhaps finding out what literature the group you are interested uses, and order it online. You will find identification so much greater, and know that you are truly not alone. Sure, hit AA meetings if you want, and you say you identify to a point...but you need full immersion to get the benefits.

Yes, you're right that alcoholics often switch to something else. But they don't go to AA for those outside issues. People do share about them, but detract from the real purpose of being there. I don't share about my food issues in AA (I have heard many people do that, amongst other things), but I certainly would at OA. I wouldn't go to OA and talk about my vodka days.

Good luck!

From what I have read and heard, each meeting is different in regards to if non-alcoholics can speak. (Again, obviously talking ONLY about open meetings.)

I think you would really be surprised how much everything about addiction (including alcoholism) is the same. As you mentioned, the differences are generally (slight) nuances. Hoarding would probably be an example of something, like I was saying, that involves particularly unique struggles. I feel like you used a unique example like that to try illustrate the point that addictions are different, but it seems most are really not. Most addictions are simply spending (out-of-control) inordinate amounts of time engaging in something mind-altering. That is the general type of addiction I am referring to.

I have identified with EVERYTHING I've heard. With those I have spoken to, they have identified with everything I've said.
I've repeated that several times, and I feel like you guys don't believe me, lol.

The point about the fact that alcoholics are often overtaken by other addictions once they give up alcohol is that they are STILL left overpowered, miserable, and bound to addiction--except with little awareness for what they are struggling with and often NO help.

Modern addiction specialists all say that it really does not matter what the addiction is. It operates almost exactly the same. I was surprised myself that I have identified with everything.

Not every alcoholic finds a new addiction. Some do. Some don't. It's not a gimme. When we work the program of action, we are looking to address the causes and conditions that get us into getting out of our selves. If we do the work, clear the wreckage of the past, pray to have our character defects removed, make amends, improve conscious contact with our HP, etc. we find that the need to find a new "reach" dissipates. Of course, many (not all) of our kind have been engaging in other reaches in concert with alcohol. Again, not all. Many have been relieved of the bondage of self and no longer need anything else. There is balance.

And while there are nuances, there are some hard core differences too. I can never, ever relate to what a cystal meth user goes through - physically, mentally, emotionally when they are craving or using. Alcohol is legal. Crystal meth isn't. Alcohol is easy to buy. I don't know what it's like to buy crystal meth. Detox is different. The things you might go through to get crystal meth are considerably different than what you would do to get alcohol. I can go to the most innocent party and find beers easily. I am not sure where I hang out to chill and hang out with crystal meth. I could go on. And then compare that to sex, online porn, gambling, heroin, food, etc.

You see, what is missing is this: while we may start at some sort of similar starting place, a place of feeling isolated, of not feeling a part of, of not being complete, etc. we reach out to what we reach out...and THAT itself becomes a problem as well. And that's where we differ. That is where the problems about that specific addiction splay out from each other, occasionally intersecting, but are borne out of specific things in line with those specific addictions.

I cannot nor will I not sponsor a drug addict. Or a gambler. Or an over eater. Why? I don't know what it's like to do drugs, or hit the casino and gamble my house away, or go to different drive throughs on the same night to binge on burgers. So say what you will about addictions all being the same - they aren't. They certainly have core issues that cross across all addictions, but it stops there. We deal with the core issues, but we also have to acknowledge that all addictions come with their own unique brand of suffering and consequences.

As for your original query in the initial post - no meetings that I know of in AA encourage non-alcoholics to share about other issues. It's not AA, period. Not to sound harsh about it, but if we allowed people with eating disorders, heroin addictions, cluttering problems, etc. to share about those problems in particular, it's not AA. You may seek someone before or after the meeting and ask about that stuff, but unless you get lucky and find someone with that same addiction, you would probably be referred to another fellowship. There are many of us who belong to other fellowships, and that's great, but they are very careful to not bring the one into the other. And vice versa.

It sounds perhaps you are very keen to want to open up at an AA meeting about something that is not alcohol related. I am glad that you relate, but there is a point where it goes off into something else.

Cheers

Threefold illness....that is why I need AA. I need to hear that if I do not work the steps to the best of my ability and do not stay spiritually well then my recovery will suffer.

Of course, other addictions do not have that yet, as you say, there are similarities. Yes it is about emotions and not wanting to feel yet, what I learnt in AA was that the drink was taking me long before I took it. I had to learn about alcoholism in order to recover. How it manifests in my mind long before picking up.

I'm now thinking...if I desperately needed a meeting would I go to an NA one or overeaters if no AA was available? Food for thought for me that one.

Couple of things here reading back through all this - are you seeking a spiritual solution to your unnamed addictions or are you viewing your attendance at AA open meetings as a kind of self-help strategy?

Nothing wrong with that if you are and maybe you will find an AA who can help you in some way if they have outside addictions similar to yours apart from their alcoholism. I think that would be great for both of you..

Alcoholism, according to AA, is an illness as has been pointed out and manifests as a physical allergy, mental illness and spiritual sickness. That's why AA never calls it an addiction. My recovered status is a permanent state as long as I have ongoing spiritual fitness.