30 days sober

[Machinesworking]

Thanks, great way to end that thread.
3dot is a total idiot about addiction, knows absolutely nothing, but getting in a flame war with him is a waste of time, and undermines the honor of the thread.

I used to chair an AA meeting, for about 5 years, and there's not a single bit of doubt in my mind that 3dot currently is struggling with addiction, everything in his posts reads like denial. Seen it over and over again.

I've seen/known/dated REAL Alcoholics.. and they are a sad sad sight... but all those people have serious mental disorders...

All your apologizing and comments on eastern mysticism to to magically make your take on alcohol addiction not read like it does, to give yourself the illusion of understanding, yet you can't help but post your true feelings, congratulations.

In terms of the human condition, I could shoot, snort, smoke, and pop any drug I wanted to, then leave it the next day, except alcohol.
In terms of addiction, neither heroin nor cocaine was something that brought me to my knees, it was booze. A bar is a peer group for alcoholics, AA is a peer group, I find it hilarious you cannot make that simple connection. We are surrounded by alcohol culture, you do not know people or yourself well enough to know that peer pressure isn't something regulated to schoolyards? People will be empowered to not drink at the bar/club/concert simply by the fact that they intend to attend an AA meeting that week, in much the same way that people gain power in groups of any kind: organizations, clubs, and countries... based on ethnicity, race, religion, and moral compass. You read like an apologetic secret addict who hates people who make firm decisions because you cannot yourself.
A girl I dated briefly had the "Everything in moderation" etc. moto, she ended up addicted to heroin and robbing a bank. The lady that started the Moderation Movement ended up killing a dad and his daughter in a head on collision, she was drunk.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/08/ ... 4000.shtml
I can go on, I've looked into the subject pretty intently; It's a subject you don't seem to have took the time to study up on, and it's a dangerous one to give opinions on if you haven't, seriously think about what you're doing.

Bravo!
I couldn't have said it better myself.

[macmurphy]

Well i for one have found this thread uplifting and inspiring, in the main.
Thanks to all who have contributed.

[3dot...]

Thanks, great way to end that thread.
3dot is a total idiot about addiction, knows absolutely nothing, but getting in a flame war with him is a waste of time, and undermines the honor of the thread.

I used to chair an AA meeting, for about 5 years, and there's not a single bit of doubt in my mind that 3dot currently is struggling with addiction, everything in his posts reads like denial. Seen it over and over again.

pfff... sorry Mr. AA chair.. didn't mean to undermine the 'honor' of the thread...as you were..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcATvu5f9vE

[derzai]

Except for coffee and cigarettes I dont have any addiction.

[Emissary]

I think 3dot made some VERY valid points in this thread. Many addictions do come from core issues. Some people are so far away from knowing themselves its insane. Knowing yourself is a very painful but also rewarding thing. It means taking responsibility for all the shitty things you have done in life and not blaming them on some external factor. Once you start doing that you slowly start becoming a real beacon of happiness and truth. Sounds hippyish but its true. People who blame others or external factors for their lives start down a slippery slope of ego growth and destruction. I like to thing of the soul kind of like the stock market. You start fucking with the free market and you get huge recessions and Bubbles (depression/elation). What you want is a slow but steady growth of the heart and mind.

[aisling]

Well i for one have found this thread uplifting and inspiring, in the main.
Thanks to all who have contributed.

+1
been following from the shadows.....
My sincere respect and admiration to you beats for taking charge of your state of consciousness. I think you will emerge from this a more evolved human being......

[aisling]

.... in my 40 years I've never, ever met a person I aspired to be like. I've met plenty of people who thought they were what people should be like but that simply gave them other social problems they couldnt deal with.

.

very nice, intuitive and spot on!

[beats me]

Thanks, great way to end that thread.
3dot is a total idiot about addiction, knows absolutely nothing, but getting in a flame war with him is a waste of time, and undermines the honor of the thread.

I used to chair an AA meeting, for about 5 years, and there's not a single bit of doubt in my mind that 3dot currently is struggling with addiction, everything in his posts reads like denial. Seen it over and over again.

Obviously I see value in AA or I wouldn't be going but I do struggle with some of the intense attitudes with some people in the program, bordering on fanatical Scientology. Having problems with the program? Get audited/go to another meeting.

I was having somewhat of a text argument with my sponsor last night. I'm not drinking and not tempted to drink really and am fine with going to a meeting or two a week, but he wants me to go to 3 or 4 a week at all costs. That was after I put my foot down that I'm not doing the 30 in 30, honesty with myself and others. I see the program as something I should be involved with but if I am generally having an ok time with not drinking why force myself to spend so much time on the subject? I would definitely go more if/when I'm struggling with alcohol.

I'll put it an easy way on this forum. If you're really enjoying working on a song and alcohol is the furthest from your mind, why should you interrupt that to go an AA meeting?

I'm just saying it's this attitude that can scare people completely away from the program when even smaller doses could help them out on some level.

[ChiDJ]

@Beats Me,

AA works because it adheres to very strict values and beliefs. 90 and 90 is a proven way to increase your chances of maintaining sobriety. When you start second guessing the program and putting your life back in your own hands instead of "turning it over" to a power greater than you, (another core AA belief), you risk your own sobriety. in other words, Dogma.

This is why AA works IMHO. It worked for me for 11 years.

If you're serious about not taking another drink, stick to the program.

Tod

[zee verkawound]

.... in my 40 years I've never, ever met a person I aspired to be like. I've met plenty of people who thought they were what people should be like but that simply gave them other social problems they couldnt deal with.

.

very nice, intuitive and spot on!

Also completely untrue. It's impossible not to aspire to be "like" certain people in your life time. Just because you don't willfully decide one morning that you really want or desire to be like someone else, doesn't mean you can avoid the process altogether. It's an inseparable part of the human survival mechanism. We all aspire to be like who we perceive as being survival prone. First off of course being whomever we latch onto as a maternal or paternal figures in our lives. I would go as far as to state that it's simply not a healthy stance in life not to aspire to be like certain others. There is a big difference between copying and aspiration.

[beats me]

@Beats Me,

AA works because it adheres to very strict values and beliefs. 90 and 90 is a proven way to increase your chances of maintaining sobriety. When you start second guessing the program and putting your life back in your own hands instead of "turning it over" to a power greater than you, (another core AA belief), you risk your own sobriety. in other words, Dogma.

This is why AA works IMHO. It worked for me for 11 years.

If you're serious about not taking another drink, stick to the program.

Tod

I get that but it's kind of like going on a first date and all she wants to talk about is marriage and having kids and if you don't see that with her right at that moment then you're wasting both your time and hers. Slow the fuck down and get to know each other.

Perhaps part of my problem was within 10 minutes of my first meeting I had a sponsor not really knowing what the program was all about or what my responsibilities are and theirs. Maybe I should have explored the space a little more first.

I'm not the only person to have these reservations as I've heard in meetings and at the same time I'm not drinking.

[Emissary]

.... in my 40 years I've never, ever met a person I aspired to be like. I've met plenty of people who thought they were what people should be like but that simply gave them other social problems they couldnt deal with.

.

very nice, intuitive and spot on!

Also completely untrue. It's impossible not to aspire to be "like" certain people in your life time. Just because you don't willfully decide one morning that you really want or desire to be like someone else, doesn't mean you can avoid the process altogether. It's an inseparable part of the human survival mechanism. We all aspire to be like who we perceive as being survival prone. First off of course being whomever we latch onto as a maternal or paternal figures in our lives. I would go as far as to state that it's simply not a healthy stance in life not to aspire to be like certain others. There is a big difference between copying and aspiration.

People are different dude, i don't aspire to be like anyone else, i'm pretty sure there are many people out there who don't aspire to be like other people, and i bet they are as happy as larry.

[3dot...]

... you got to have reference...I call BS on anyone saying otherwise..

[Emissary]

Personally I believe i am no better than a crack junkie living on the street and in the same breath i am not worse than a millionaire with a boat and a mansion, and neither of those two people are better than the other. Its the way i look at life. Comparison leads to anger and depression and possibly addiction.

[Tone Deft]

Personally I believe i am no better than a crack junkie living on the street and in the same breath i am not worse than a millionaire with a boat and a mansion, and neither of those two people are better than the other. Its the way i look at life.

even me?

Comparison leads to anger and depression and possibly addiction.