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 went to my first meeting, a SMART meeting. The guy also talked about other programs, AA, rational recovery etc. He stated that every program pretty much has a 5% recovery rate.
Then I did some reading from links provided here on differences in group treatment concept and how group healing can also be detrimental...but no research info was provided on the site...just theory.
I am really hoping to not start any tension on here, and I feel whatever works for a specific person is great! So do it. So I hope this doesn't open up a bunch of controversy...)
My question: Can anyone direct me to, or provide some good research information on the results of different Tx approaches? I just could really use some reliable informative details please!
(How do they even define recovery in the 5% success rate? Is it 5% that have a begin date of first joining then never ever relapse? Or is it 5% that have gone, for ex, 4 yrs with moderation drinking and report no problematic episodes of drinking? The term "success" or "recovered" seems too ambiguous to mean anything to me without an explicit definition attached)
Thx!!!
Then I did some reading from links provided here on differences in group treatment concept and how group healing can also be detrimental...but no research info was provided on the site...just theory.
I am really hoping to not start any tension on here, and I feel whatever works for a specific person is great! So do it. So I hope this doesn't open up a bunch of controversy...)
My question: Can anyone direct me to, or provide some good research information on the results of different Tx approaches? I just could really use some reliable informative details please!
(How do they even define recovery in the 5% success rate? Is it 5% that have a begin date of first joining then never ever relapse? Or is it 5% that have gone, for ex, 4 yrs with moderation drinking and report no problematic episodes of drinking? The term "success" or "recovered" seems too ambiguous to mean anything to me without an explicit definition attached)
Thx!!!
As a secretary of a meeting, I know for sure we don't keep stats. Even if someone somewhere did keep stats, it's pretty silly to keep stats on everyone who ever walked in a room. Lots of people come in, aren't ready to work it, aren't ready to admit they have a problem, are trying to control and moderate and switch around substances, blame other people, jobs, etc. They might hit a meeting or two, but never stuck around long enough to work it. In this fictitious realm of stats, should they be counted? I think not. Then there's people who know they have a problem, and do want a new life, but are clinging to their old life, still hitting bars with friends (with no good reason for being there, at midnight, etc), attending meetings, not getting a sponsor, not working the steps - maybe sort of doing steps 1 to 3, but not with a genuine feeling of step 1 - and then they go out, relapse after some weeks or months. They've never really worked it, and the program then didn't work for them. Could they be counted in this hypothetical stat situation? I don't think so.
Then there's the person who shows up for one or two meetings a week, in desperation gets a sponsor - and like lots of people hit a wall when it comes to step 4, sometimes getting maybe to 5, never to 9), and life is miserable. They don't call their sponsor, they don't form friendships or make regular calls to other people, they stick or dwindle to one meeting a week, are pleased with the feelings of initial sobriety, but still depressed about their jobs or something (which gets the main focus instead of the program). Then the jobs or the new relationship takes priority and they start hitting meetings only every other week, don't proceed with the steps. They never do any recovery reading, never explore their relationship at any depth regarding higher power, don't journal, and then eventually they too relapse, after 4 to 6 months. I've seen that over and over too. In this imaginary world of "stats", would the latter case be one that could be considered part of the numbers game? I don't think so.
It's all so subjective, especially the amount of energy one puts into it. We've all heard, "It works if you work it." I agree.
So I don't believe in any stats, but if I were to believe in any control group, it would need to include people from all different backgrounds and ages, and they'd all have to be people who actually work it, and attend almost daily meetings, make phone calls regularly, study the literature, do the writing, explore their feelings, actually begin a meditation practice...really, truly involve themselves in the program (whether it's AA or another recovery program). Not some weird statistic of everyone who's ever been court appointed or checked into a meeting with tentative interest and half-hearted disbelief/denial that they've developed a problem.
As per my friend, I mentioned to him that I don't know anything about those statistics, but that I've literally met hundreds of people for whom the 12 steps has transformed their lives, for extended lengths of time. I myself have never been sober so long, nor serene (amidst plenty of life-situation-storms), and I am grateful to the 12 steps for this.