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Alternative views?

Zachary18
Zachary18
As another thread seems to be in danger of being derailed and do immense damage to a newcomer I'm starting this new topic.

I would like to present an alternative view. We all experience discordant thinking meaning I want to drink, I don't want to drink existing at the same time time when we try to alter a damaging behavior. The ideas that lead us to get better, and the ones that will drag us down. It is very difficult at times to integrate these ideas into a successful whole, but with strength and commitment to change our addictive drinking it can be done. In time we get increasingly adept at identifying thoughts and actions that lead to the healthy resolution of conflicted thoughts about our drinking behavior.
It will take time, patience, and persistence to resolve our conflicted thoughts and rewire our thought processes to the point where our thoughts are not at war with each other.

It is well to note there is no mention of a disease. Admittedly what I outlined above may require support at times, but we are recovered the moment we put the plug in the jug and needn't commit to a lifetime of meetings or a spiritual experience to be recovered. Only the recognition of thoughts that maintain health and those that will drag us down by choosing to nurture the right thoughts.

This could be called a self directed approach as it all begins and ends with the individual. Some people like myself are more prone and amenable to this self directed approach, others toward a totally outside directed approach (i.e. reliance on a Higher Power), and most are to varying degrees a mish-mash of the two.

In conclusion, Go to AA, go a little, or don't go at all, or attend other types of support groups as frequently as one wants to deal with addictive drinking and the thinking behind it. Or just friggin stop pouring poison in your body. Do we really want to go down the road of rehashing which one is superior overall.

It boils down to I gotta be me. What else can I be but who I am. Any approach or combination an individual selects will work, with the prerequisite commitment, patience, and persistence.

Finally, for me AA can be a bit dangerous, because it is my view that on balance there is a lot of group think and suppression of free thought going on in AA. I am sure others feel much differently, They like to be a part of a group that emphasizes continued involvement, a road map to recovery (steps), and some type of spiritual experience as the well spring of of their recovery.

Let the games begin. It's open season on debate!!!
meblonde
meblonde
I don't see muckrakers and wannabe CLs( lol whatever that means) trying to spoil anything by posting their experience with AA no more than people that don't go to AA hearing all about it from those that do. Everything has 2 sides, two opinions and their own stories and their own way of staying sober. One shoe never has fit all. And to assume the board is less helpful because everyone does not feel the same is rather ridiculous.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Okay MB, it is ridiculous I agree, because no-one is saying one shoe fits all. You misread what I say most of the time and that's okay. Carry on...
Community Leaderbobinmaine
bobinmaine
I remember when I was in treatment, all the counselors emphasized the importance of only talking about what worked or didn't work, for me. Allow others the opportiunity to identify and to find their own path on the road to recovery. No giving advise, I am not a psychologist.

I am not sure if what I said has anything to do with this post but I had to get this out for some reason.

God Bless!
nickyj18022002
nickyj18022002
To me this is getting a bit boring now. Why can't people just share their experience without it having to involve a criticism of other methods.
Zachary18
Zachary18
The first 5 paragraphs say nothing about AA but describes a process. I did not use the word disease, so one could perceive that as a swipe at AA, but that's a stretch. Yes, I am presenting addictive drinking as not being a disease, but a mal-adapted response to life.

At the end there is one sentence, "Finally, for me AA can be a bit dangerous, because it is my view that on balance there is a lot of group think and suppression of free thought going on in AA." It's a statement out of my own experience, not encouraging anyone to adopt it, although some may feel a bit of it too. But I quickly go on to say, " I am sure others feel much differently. They like to be a part of a group that emphasizes continued involvement, a road map to recovery (steps), and some type of spiritual experience as the well spring of their recovery." That sentence is not even close to a condemnation of AA...
okiyoe1
okiyoe1
When I cook I follow directions to a point,pasta 6 minutes ....hate mushy... meat done but not leather....veggies lightly steamed..light salt, lots of pepper and Yes butter No stinking Oleo hehe

Practical experience and personal taste speaks loudly buttt it didn't really till i began to understand utilize what i had inside of me that was blocking off from even given moment at hand ....masking my emotional life became clear in my interactions in the fellowship and through my step work...from then on experiments were trial and trial ... whos2say...the.verdict is still out...pass me some of those collards greens and spinach and turn on Popeye the sailor man toot toot !!
Billy
nickyj18022002
nickyj18022002
The truth is that if I as an AA member picked a non AA method of recovery and termed it dangerous in whatever context I would be vilified on here for it.
okiyoe1
okiyoe1
blocking me off from any given moment.. toot toot lol
Zachary18
Zachary18
I am presenting an alternate view based on my experience. My previous response makes the point as to why it is not a criticism. Ya ever think there might be someone out there that may find this alternate approach or parts of it helpful. Let's lay it out on the table and call a spade a spade. Some think any alternate view is a criticism of AA...What part of the OP is openly critical of AA beyond person experience, "Finally, for me AA can be a bit dangerous, because it is my view that on balance there is a lot of group think and suppression of free thought going on in AA." And was quickly followed by acknowledgment that AA works who want that brand of recovery. There really was very little value judgment only outlining an alternative that helped me, and might be helpful in part to others.
CoogeeMum
CoogeeMum
"It will take time, patience, and persistence to resolve our conflicted thoughts and rewire our thought processes to the point where our thoughts are not at war with each other. " I found this to be a part of what helped to make change in my life. My thoughts had been dictating my life in a way that wasn't good and that needed to change. In rehab I was introduced to CBT and it helped me to recognise thoughts and gave me some tools to change the way my thoughts were directing my life. Time, patience and perseverence for sure. All words that took on new meaning in my life.
okiyoe1
okiyoe1
the hairbands knew dat Zach ary deep deep deep in da recesses of their noggin's(brain) heads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaQkMppiHic&list=PLv8qZZD4ctsANKjYw36UaRRGOZlQkYCKJ
okiyoe1
okiyoe1
Hi Coogs ...soon:))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J73wahSJAIA
nickyj18022002
nickyj18022002
An alternative view isn't anti AA until you bring AA into it. If you wanted to present an alternative view which might be helpful and isn't anything to with AA why does AA have to be mentioned at all. I don't tack I don't like SMART recovery onto every post I make.
okiyoe1
okiyoe1
:((
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbcZMocgYrk
nickyj18022002
nickyj18022002
In addition if someone posted on DS that they had been sober for two weeks by any method I would congratulate them. I wouldn't dream of telling them why they shouldn't be doing it the way they are.

My hope is that people get sober if they want to, not that they get sober the same way I did or they don't get sober a certain way because I don't like it for me.

This isn't directed at you Zachary, a more general point based on the other thread.
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