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.
An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
He must have devotions every morninga quiet time of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding.
He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly. [DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc, 1980), 131.]
He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
He must have devotions every morninga quiet time of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding.
He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly. [DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc, 1980), 131.]
Billy
I was told that the program is a suggestion but that if I decide to take that suggestion and follow the program then there are plenty of musts (103 in the big book excluding the stories) if I want to get the desired result. Of course there is nothing that says i must follow the program or that I must want the intended result.
I never tell my sponsees that they must do anything but I make it pretty clear that they are probably putting their sobriety at risk if they do not do certain things.
I like this piece about musts:-
http://www.barefootsworld.net/aa103musts.html
Yes, I was told they are all just suggestions, but if I want what others have who are living happy and serene lives, then I need to follow them.
It's working so far. Vigilance. I look at the alternative and how miserable my life became even though I wasn't drinking. No thanks. I'd rather follow the suggestions, which have become musts for me.
~Chris
I am an atheist in AA and have never picked up the bible in my recovery, however i have been able to interpret the program in light of my own spiritual beliefs and have not found that there is any instructions that I cannot follow though I may do it slightly differently.
You might want to change some of the musts to these:
- Focus on one spot and don't close your eyes
- Don't leave, no-matter-what, and don't forget to breathe
- Lock your knee
All is achievable with English bulldog determination and Bengal tiger strength. ;-)