Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
I'm a member of AA and owe my life to it.
But some of the people here turn me off of AA. I think, "What an asshole!? Thank god that person is not in my home group!"
AA has a 3% success rate. People quitting on their own do slightly better -- about 10%. AA is actually detrimental. It's not because the AA program of recovery does not work, it is because the AA program of recovery is a secret in AA. First the newcomer has to wade through all the personalities. Only in AA will one find people who were once urinating on themselves in the gutter suddenly catapulted by their overgrown egos into saviors of mankind and pontificators of Truth.
Sheesh!
What happened to "we know but a little"?
In my AA experience the singular most valuable lesson has been humility. I used to know everything. Now, I am pretty certain I don't know squat.
But I do know a puffed up, self-righteous alcoholic when I see one! And my perennial question is, "If you know so much, what are you doing in AA? Surely you a better than a bunch of drunks swilling coffee in a church basement?"
But some of the people here turn me off of AA. I think, "What an asshole!? Thank god that person is not in my home group!"
AA has a 3% success rate. People quitting on their own do slightly better -- about 10%. AA is actually detrimental. It's not because the AA program of recovery does not work, it is because the AA program of recovery is a secret in AA. First the newcomer has to wade through all the personalities. Only in AA will one find people who were once urinating on themselves in the gutter suddenly catapulted by their overgrown egos into saviors of mankind and pontificators of Truth.
Sheesh!
What happened to "we know but a little"?
In my AA experience the singular most valuable lesson has been humility. I used to know everything. Now, I am pretty certain I don't know squat.
But I do know a puffed up, self-righteous alcoholic when I see one! And my perennial question is, "If you know so much, what are you doing in AA? Surely you a better than a bunch of drunks swilling coffee in a church basement?"
He makes Heaven's gate members look like heathens. You know, those dudes that shaved their heads and castrated themselves before killing themselves so Haley's comet could land on Earth and take them away. His devotion puts them to shame.
Jim would you care to explain on your comment about many zealots here?
Well exactly. It's not the giving of advice is it, it's the manner of delivery and self-righeousness.
But luckily even alkies can have an asshole radar, like Nemo pointed out LOL!
As for a percentage, it is 100% for me :) WAHOO
(getting all giggly - no I have NOT been drinking - think I have overdosed on tea and toast today, how I'll ever sleep I don't know ... but end of day Four tho' tonight was tough earlier)
I also agree that often times, it is the delivery, not the message. Just as with anything else, there will be egotistical assholes who think they've cornered the market in whatever subject and scare new folks into believing everyone is like that.
The AA assholes are likely assholes in every aspect and just happen to be in AA. I suspect that if you take the same "know it all", arrogant person and place them in a book club, they will also know everything there is to know about every author being discussed and insist their take on the book is right and anyone who disagrees with them is dead wrong.
The product or service they're "sellin" is irrelevant, it's their delivery that makes or breaks 'em and unfortunately, this is an alcoholism forum and "they" give off the impression that all AA members are as self righteous and arrogant as they are.
Assholes are everywhere....but a lot of them do seem to be here don't they? haha! :)
Wouldnt it be cool if it only fucked up people you liked? Gee then it would be like really cool and everything.
Chill out.
Andrew, I discovered that my perception of others tends to change as I work on my own attitude. I also wonder where you get your stats on AA success since attendance is not documented?
I'm not sure what that means
???
BTW, I was speaking in specific reference to AA-type forums on the Web. Seems to attract holier than though pontificators ... this is why I said, "some of the people here."
There seems to be a general lack of humility. Again, if you are alcoholic like me, you were probably able to look down at people while lying in a gutter. Sobriety does not give me special powers -- even though I am tempted to think it does. If I am sober and looking at down at other people, that takes a special kind of narcissism that seems to crop up too frequently around some AA folks -- bleeding deacons, I believe, it what Bill called them.
When someone criticizes me I can attack them, deflect or listen. But, agreed, the tone of the criticism makes a huge difference in my reaction.
For those of us who are in AA, are we not trying to attract rather than promote?
It's very unattractive to belittle and command someone. It's also pointless to argue with someone who clearly has no intention of seeking the help AA has to offer.
Just my $0.02.
I see assholes on this forum, they don't know they are assholes. It would be charming if it weren't so ugly.