I am a member of AA and have been for 20+ years or so. I have been clean and sober since Sept 29, 1990 and I am a recovering drug addict as well. I am a full blown drug addict and alcoholic and AA has saved my life. I still go to AA and God willing will for the rest of my life. If it works why stop it? Plus that is where my real friends are at. Here also.

There is a big difference between being dry and being in recovery. The 12 Steps are the beginning of this recovery thing. Once I was dry for about 5 years, I was so dry that if you bumped into me I would have caught on fire.

I don't advise anyone to go to AA until they are sure they want AA help. It can plant seeds in you but can't cause you to stop drinking if you are not ready.

Many AA'ers are idiots when it comes to medications and have no clue what the Big Book of AA says about the issue. Even Bill Wilson the main founder of AA took meds for his major depression. He even took LSD in the late 50's when it was in the trial stages of being used for alcoholics and depressed individuals. He never took acid in the 60's with the damn hippies.

When he became too interested to it's affect on his depression they cut him off. He was never an acid head like me.

If a cancer patient or a diabetic can take meds why cant we who will also die from not being on proper psych meds. If I slip I drink and use all sorts of drugs including crack, smoking speed and shooting heroin. I have never slipped because of my psych meds. Plus the Big Book of AA supports me telling me to follow my doctors advice and not follow my own advice.

AA has a 7 to 10% success rate. Churches have a 5% success rate you do the math. Be sure you are an alcoholic first.

AA definition of an alcoholic is someone who cant stop drinking after the first drink until they are passed out or sleeping. I can't stop after the first drink whether it is the weekend only or everyday as in my case.

I tried churches first but failed with them as well. I tried evangelical and cult type churches. I tried Buddhist and Zen Buddhists but failed there also. I am also a recovering Catholic.

I was an alcoholic for about 9 years, which got worse and worse as I played in bars. Free alcohol to the band is NOT a good way to stop drinking.

When I accepted Christ, I knew I had to give up drinking, as it was not compatible with living for God. I really did not do much, except trust God and change my life style. I no longer hung out in bars, but got lots of love and friendship in the churches I went to.

I have not touched a drink in almost 31 years. I never had any cravings, or desires. God can perform a miracle, with or without AA. I also know that DS has a private group here for people recovering from alcohol without AA, non-religious.

Whichever way you decide to go, I think that getting away from drinking is going to be one of the best decisions you ever make. I hope you find the way that works for you.

There was a Buddhist riding the train to move to a new town. He was sick of living in his previous town and wanted to move to a place were people were happy, kind, loving, and friendly. So he rode the train through various towns.

The first town he stopped in he got off and went up to people to ask them how this town was. He approached an elderly couple and asked them about their town. They ignored him and went their way. He knew this was the wrong town so he got back on the train.

The second town he got off of the train and approached a mother handling a pair of twin boys and a younger sibling brother. He asked her how the town was. She snapped back and said it was not her or his business and to leave her alone. She was not available. He got back on the train.

He did this for several towns and in all cases he found fault in these towns and he just continued to ride the train.

Finally he got off of the train in a town that was celebrating it's bicentennial and he approached some young men and asked them how the town was? They invited him to drink with him and told him that their collage town was wonderful and a nice place to live. He moved to this town.

What changed between each of these towns?

Once I asked an old-timer AAer what meetings should I go to? Should I go to the biker meetings in an Alano Club or to the King of Sobriety AA meetings. Where grateful was the name of the game?

He told me I should go to a meeting with people that I would drink with.

I told him that I wouldn't drink with anyone at any of the meetings I had gone to so what should I do?

He shook his head at me.

I found that if I look for the differences I will find the differences and if I look for the similarities I will find the similarities.

Here I am Carla!! Yes I am 12 years sober in AA - just had my 12th anniversary.

First up, I was influenced by people in AA who said, "pills are for dills" and don't go to shrinks and taking psych meds means you're using (some people CAN use psych meds to get their rocks off and in my view that's not being sober - I am 100% compliant with my doctors scripts). We each have to go our own path and if you have psych conditons you need to have them treated whether you're in AA or not.

Don't get me wrong, I am passionate about AA and it saved and continues to save my life. But like in any group there are dickheads - you just avoid them and go for the educated, positive people.

To keep it short (which is unusual for me! Ha Ha!!), I would give AA a go - you have absolutely nothing to lose by going to a couple of dozen meetings - try different style ones over a few weeks. You may, as I did, find you hear your drinking story from people sharing their story. It is for you alone to determine whether you are an alcoholic and whether AA will work for you. The kicker there is to "listen for the similarities not te differences". If you sit there and think, no, there were aspects of that guy's story that were very foreign to me and my story, you will short change yourself and maybe miss out on something amazing.

I had to get sober forst before I was ready to address my mental illnesses. Good luck and PM me if you wish.

To me, AA only really works if it is the last house on the block for you and you are beaten down so much that you are reteachable. But that is only me.

Simon, I think that's been true for the majority of the 75 years AA's been in existence. In the early days of the 30's, 40's, 50's etc, everyone who came in was a Low Bottom Drunk and it was mainly men. But it's progressed so that younger and younger people, who have sustained less damage are coming in. The Rock Bottoms are so diverse now - defintitely a lot of people, who've lost everything, family, friends, work, been to jails and institutions, caused serious physical injuries to themselves or others, even killed someone, like you said tried a lot of other things first (often tried psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors, which of course is useless if you lie to them.) People have tried religion and all sorts of life improvement strategies.

But then there are people like me, who yes, did try other things, but It was a rock bottom that DIDN'T include jail or psych wards (the psyc wards were to come later due to mental illness). I certainly hurt myself psysically and had to have surgery etc. I was very lucky that I didn't kill myself or others drink driving. But I wasn't on Skid Row (although In was heading that way and preferred the company of peoeple who WERE on Skid Row). I'd never tried a drug or alcoholc worker because I hadn't faced the fact that I'm an alcoholic.

The beauty of AA today is that it's like a train trip. The ultimate end is jail, insanity or death. But we can nowe CHOOSE to get off at an earlier station and get help in AA without sustaining the full damage and get well, and we can be younger than the old days. I was 32 when I got sober, wish now I'd been 22, but it wasn't to be , I DID have to sustain My level of Rock Bottom to get the impetus to get sober. But in the context of 75 years of AA, getting sober at 32 is young.

Beepers should not drink..
beepers should not take drugs not prescribed by a doctor
You probably should not go to aa meetings. You could be doing more harm to people with a different disease. Having a mentally ill person hanging around would just distract and confuse new people trying to sober up. You know you really are coming across as a ass judging other peoples troubles by your own. It sounds like you never took the time to get to know what was going on around you. You might belong in a mental institution. Not AA.
Good luck with your path. I wish you the best and pray that you get cured and live a happy succseful life.

Since I found AA my bipolar has been stable for 2 1/2 years. I drank to self-medicate initially but crossed the line into addiction. AA is a clear and concise program and gives me the disciplin I sadly lack at a BP. In this day and age most people in AA are dual diagnosis anyway, there are 4 other BP's in my group so the support is great. Give it a try, it's probably one thing that won't harm you.

hypoman, have you ever been a member of AA? We have the 12 Steps, but we also have the 12 Traditions and Tradition 3 States that "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking". Anyone, including people with mental illness is welcome in AA if they are an alcoholic. Blimy, if you refused all people with mental illness from AA, there wouldn't be many people left in the meetings!!

People such as myself are called Dual Diagnosis. That means I have a history of substance abuse as well as mental illness. Both parts need to be treated for us to survive and thrive.

richardmoderate - Ouch! Lighten up Man!!

It's not exactly AA, but I have probably benefitted more from Alanon meetings than all my other recovery tools combined. I don't have a problem controlling my alcohol use, but I come from a long, long tradition of alcoholism, on both sides of the family. I learned how to act like a drunk long before I knew what a "drunk" was. It's a family tradition.

Michael, it sounds like you are struggling most with deciding "why" you are drinking and if it is a "problem".

My FIL was 28 years sober before he died. He was instrumental in organizing one of the most effective AA programs/half way houses in our city. My MIL was 25 years sober before she died. Both were helped tremendously by AA and helped many others through their persona experiences. AA does not/cannot help everyone because not everyone wants to be helped or is moved by the concept/principals of AA.

Many have given some very good advice here and you will see that they come from very different experiences. We all find our own way and what works for us and hopefully WITHOUT downing others for their effective remedies.

All that said, I think you need to take some serious "soul searching" time and evaluate the whys and whens of your drinking and self medicating. I dont think you would even question the AA alternative if you did not believe deep down that your drinking may be a problem for you. My FIL used to say that if you walk into an AA meeting and are repulsed/uncomfortable by what you see, then you NEED to be there.

There are lots of alternatives to "self medicating" with drugs and/or alcohol and I have never known a "depressant" like alcohol to make anyone honestly feel better for the long term. Ask youself if you are walking with blindes on or making excuses for something that you have doubts about. Find your strength within and seek the support that will encourage you.

I have been through this with both my oldest sons and they still continue to struggle with their addictions. They go from one drug of choice to another and ALWAYS justify why they do what they do. All of us need support....only you can find the support suited to you but you have to "try" it to "know" it. I wish the best for you........xo

Richard.... What the heck was your point? What type of psycho bable are you trying to transmit to us.
Are you telling us we have to forget what we know to learn a higher truth that you want to share with us?
Or are you just a angry poet?
I (we) do not understand you.

I'm a recovered alcoholic. I sobered up through AA 32 yrs ago. I was a binge drinker. You don't have to drink everyday or get drunk everytime you drink to not be an alcoholic. There are all kinds of people who are alcoholics. When you are ready to kick it just know that AA is the place to get the support you need.

Richard just remember where ever you go there you are.

Wendy, yes the worst skid row ever found is the skid row between our ears.