To begin with I resented the hell outtta the court ordered folks at AA. What the hell were they doing there?! They don't want to be here and they will not necessarily protect my anonymity.

My opinion has changed over time as I have seen several start embracing recovery now. Some are slow to start and some never do start. So what? Just like the rest of us really. Another thing that has changed is I am more interested in just helping a newcomer now than I am in protecting my anonymity. Whoever knows I'm a drunk knows I'm a drunk.

However and whomever comes in, my only concern is to help.

I agree my sponsee had it court ordered and she is embracing it. the right word in the right ear at the wrong time makes for the right time, if that made sense.

I can honestly say that I do not know of anyone in any of the meetings I go to that has been court ordered.

There are those that have walked in off the street or those coming through detox.

I wonder if there are any in the other UK areas ????????

i was never court ordered but i wish i had been. it might have spared me years of misery on the do it yourself plan. but then again, maybe not. i'm a hardheaded sob.

i do think that people who are court ordered some of them MAY see the light through the tunnel, i personally don't know of any- and one of the attorneys i work for is a DWI specialist and sometimes we see the same client' over and over - sadly. But I will say the 1st the atty does is tell his client, get into AA before we ever get to court, because ou will be ordered to go, IF you get probation. Depending on how many times and the severity of there recovery they are sometimes ordered to an All about You Recovery programs, which is drug and alcohol education classes, relapse classes, group counseling, etc. you are required to pay for an evlauation and pay for each class attended, minimum 12 - 1x a week, if you miss a week you have to start all over again - even these people don't get it - just as i've seen them behind bars attend AA, choice CADA (Christians against drug or alcohol abuse).

this is why i am a firm believer that may times ENVIROMENT has to be changed, even if these people were on teh right track but thrown back into their previous enviroment and no support from family and friends, it's almost a lost cause.

I do think some court orderd people "get it" but so many don't= but then on the other hand so many of us non court ordered people don't get it for a while either.

The ones who really want it will achieve it, other than that it won't happen.

Peace!

good thread. i was introduced to AA by official invitation about 10 years ago and I resented the hell out of it. I didn't think I had a problem and of course, I wasn't as bad as the rest of you were.(sheepish grin) after a few years passed, and i began to want out of the hole i'd dug myself into with my continued drinking and i knew where to come--so I too am grateful for a judge's order. although i personally wasn't ready at the time, i was introduced to recovery and when i was ready you all were still saving my seat for me. today, when i see the "consequencers"(i see alot) i try not judge whether or not they are sincere or wonder whether or not focved introduction to the progam is a good idea. i figure if i'm exactly where i'm supposed to be at this very moment, then so is every body else

In the UK people are 'ordered' to AA by their probation officers, it is not mandated by a judge. In some areas there is what is known as the 'chit system' whereby the meetings have agreed to provide evidence of attendance. In one or two areas it has been very successful and has been running for many years.

A few years ago, the local intergroup asked it's constituent members to vote on whether to embrace the 'chit system' and it was roundly voted against.

Some of those who dissented did so because of the attraction/promotion issue, others felt that the secretary of the meeting may come under undue pressure to sign chits when the meeting had not been fully attended etc

I hope that answers your question M8bear and hasn't hijacked the original thread.

I was in a Defence Force rehab and we were sent along to AA daily on a chit system. Had to get that card signed by the chair on completion of the meeting. Still have those chits, and the supportive little comments by each chair.

That was over 10 years ago and now I accompany Defence personnel to AA meetings with their chits. Dosnt matter how you get there. What does matter is how willing you are to do whatever it takes to stay sober.

I went to rehab and meetings before I obtained my first and only DUI. I was court ordered for one year to attend AA, along with DUI classes, victim panel events (where families stand for their family members killed by a drunk driver and tell you how it ruined their lives forever) - (also people spoke who killed people as a result of their drinking), community service, license suspension, random monthly UA & blow tests and financial penalties you wouldn't believe. All of this to avoid longer term jail time... but my HP showed me it was so much more.

I have always been an extremely rebellious person. Abused severely and beat until bloody as a kid. I eventually learned to fight literally for my life. I also became the non-conformist, an independent thinker and most definitely not the "herd bound" type. Much of this was developed out of an ignorant and lost young child who learned to trust no one. Survival of the fittest. Sink or swim.... And all on my own terms.

My court ordered stint was the best thing that happened to me with this disease. It made me pay attention. It got me out of myself. I saw how my disease affected others. And though I have a rebellious personality, I had learned to respect authority by mentors who were non abusive. So the judge in court along with my conscience (sp) made my head spin and say: "Yes your honor, I plead guilty."

When I first said the words: "Hi, I'm Julie and I'm an alcoholic" it was as if I had barfed out a portion of evil which had been resonating in my soul for almost a decade or a lifetime depending on how you look at it. It felt good and bad at the same time. It was a relief but nasty tasting. When I plead "guilty" it felt even worse. I was exposed and could hide no more. I was......one of "them." The denial had been broken. I no longer saw shame... I saw truth.

Who knows what your "truth" will be. Court ordered or not. You will eventually find it.

In my home group, there are quite a few who got there with a nudge by the judge.

AA, in my town, cooperates with the courts but we are not watchdogs of the court. All the slips we sign say is the person was there. Doesn't mean we have this invisible timer for each person to be there.

There are at least 4 with over 20 yrs sobriety. We cooperate by signing the slips as a courtesy. The attraction comes in when someone begins listening and coming because they want to, not have to.

Well that was my post and I'm glad to be wrong! Recovery is an amazing thing. Perhaps what I've seen is concentrations of court ordereds are too high and dominate small meetings.
But absolutely even if it's about planting the seed, whatever works!

lol cabledude. i did the same.....

DR, I got it from your posting but I wasn't about to call you out so to speak. I can see if you just attend small meetings where you might get that impression. In my area the meetings are larger and we consider them just one of the crowd. Also its nice to see someone admit that maybe they was wrong when they seen the other side of a issue.

Have a good day.