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 keep hearing from one of the more windy members of our small group that "coerced attendance in AA" and "coerced treatment" never works. Now I hate to be one trying to argue the opposite, since I abhor coercion as a general principle. Yet I have known some in A.A. with many years of sobriety who were initially coerced into treatment and/or A.A. attendance.
There's also the famous case of former First Lady Betty Ford, wife of former President Ford who was coerced -- by a family intervention -- into treatment and the beginning of a sober life.
In my case, I would have not stayed sober this long (albeit only 4 1/2 months so far) without coerced abstinence (enforced by random urinalyses), coerced treatment, and coerced attendance at AA or other sober support groups. Soon after my DUI 4 1/2 months ago, I had planned to go back to drinking under strict Moderation Management guidelines (despite the fact that many attempts at controlled or moderated drinking had failed, albeit without any serious negative consequence until this (first) DUI).
(On the other hand, I previously had nearly 12 years of NON-coerced sobriety ending in March 2006).
Anyway, now that I am networked into some AA groups and a non-AA sober support group, and have nearly 4 1/2 months of sobriety, I do not plan on casually throwing my sobriety away. Plus I have sampled sober living for several months and found that while it isn't any paradise, it really is better than the un-sober living I did before. And that I perform as well socially without small amounts of alcohol (and a lot better than when I had a lot of alcohol).
All the above only because of coercion, as much as I hated the coercion.
I worry that those that say that coerced attendance at A.A. and/or coerced treatment "never works" are telling us coercees that we don't take you or your sobriety seriously, you will soon relapse, only people who walked into the door on their own free will have any chance to succeed.
Besides the example of Betty Ford, what other examples or statistics where a coerced beginning has led to successful long-term abstinence? I thought maybe Kitty Dukakis, but I don't think there was an intervention or other coercion there.
Thanks,
Jumiee
There's also the famous case of former First Lady Betty Ford, wife of former President Ford who was coerced -- by a family intervention -- into treatment and the beginning of a sober life.
In my case, I would have not stayed sober this long (albeit only 4 1/2 months so far) without coerced abstinence (enforced by random urinalyses), coerced treatment, and coerced attendance at AA or other sober support groups. Soon after my DUI 4 1/2 months ago, I had planned to go back to drinking under strict Moderation Management guidelines (despite the fact that many attempts at controlled or moderated drinking had failed, albeit without any serious negative consequence until this (first) DUI).
(On the other hand, I previously had nearly 12 years of NON-coerced sobriety ending in March 2006).
Anyway, now that I am networked into some AA groups and a non-AA sober support group, and have nearly 4 1/2 months of sobriety, I do not plan on casually throwing my sobriety away. Plus I have sampled sober living for several months and found that while it isn't any paradise, it really is better than the un-sober living I did before. And that I perform as well socially without small amounts of alcohol (and a lot better than when I had a lot of alcohol).
All the above only because of coercion, as much as I hated the coercion.
I worry that those that say that coerced attendance at A.A. and/or coerced treatment "never works" are telling us coercees that we don't take you or your sobriety seriously, you will soon relapse, only people who walked into the door on their own free will have any chance to succeed.
Besides the example of Betty Ford, what other examples or statistics where a coerced beginning has led to successful long-term abstinence? I thought maybe Kitty Dukakis, but I don't think there was an intervention or other coercion there.
Thanks,
Jumiee
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I have been here before, a long long time ago and now I am back.Forgive me for not just saying what I want to say,even under a triple dose of antidepressants it is still raw and seeping and I am hesitant at revealing it as at least under the bandages around my heart I don,t have to look at how raw and wounded.My child was cleaved from my heart by his own actions. my child of ten,turning eleven...
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Has anyone tried these supplements? Do they give MGers more quality of life by improving memory and overall well being?Thanks!Barbel
I'm not speaking for myself, but I have heard of many recovering alcoholics who came for the wrong reason and stayed for the right reason. The wrong reason being to get the spouse off your back, the courts, to learn how to drink in moderation...... The right reason is to want a better life for ourselves, and a willingness to do what it takes to get it.
I used to be against the court-ordered AA attendance, but now I'm for it because sometimes that's what it takes to plant the seed. There are also many cases of the court-ordered meeting attendees not getting sober at that time, but coming at another time when they are ready. I often encourage people on this site who are unsure to go to an open AA meeting and just listen.
There it is, you now have my humble opinion.