AA and drugs

[BIG AL]

I was at a nooner and the topic was relapse and as I was talking about relapse I mentioned Herion and the chairperson said I could only talk about alcholism in a AA meeting.I told her it has to do with my alcholism becouse when I drank I always ended up doing drugs.Just like when I drank I always went to jail or hurt someone myself or wrote hot check or many of he other things we all do when we drink.Why is it people get offended when you mention drugs.Is it becouse they think they are better than yu becouse the never did that(YET).Or is it becouse she wanted to control the meeting.Or we have become so close mindede that we only want to deal with what is bothering us and not the other.I am a hadrcore drunk dont get me wrong.O dam near drank myself to death with some dope on top of it.Maybe you can tell I coped an resentment today at the group wich just sat there like a deer in the headlights when I told her that.(some thanked me)Are we there to help the suffering or our own kind.If someone came in the meeting only with a drug problem and could not make it no were else would you tell them to leave or would you help them.I hadnt been to my home group in about 2 months becouse there is always someone with some bull crap so I go back today and this is what I hear.Anyway ill stay away and hit other groups that are not so uptight and I can feel at home.What yall think.:162:

[JJJAKINS]

I agree that an a.a. meeting should support the addict as they would anyone else suffering. I can relate as for me it always started with the drink and ended up drinkin and druggin. Basically whatever available at the time. I am a pretty firm believer that an addiction is addiction. I can see setting certain boundaries such as keeping a meeting to SUBSTANCE abuse only. May not be helpful to the recovering alcoholic/addict to hear of gambling or porn addiction. I believe an addict and an alcoholic could share their experiences and both be able to relate to the feelings and emotions that come about from their trials and tribulations. Some days i was more addict than alcoholic and vise versa, the bottom line was my life was centered around substance abuse. I would be pretty judgmental to not accept a fellow substance abuser to a meeting, and if i am truly following a life with my higher power in lead, he would want me to help the suffering. No matter what their vices are. Thanks for the opportunity to share here.

[sonia n]

Good Topic Al,

That is the way the AA meeting were down here, but as you know what the saying is any mind altering drug is a drug....... Whether it is alcohol and drugs that is my motto, any who the AA meetings are a changing up here you can talk about whatever your choice is at AA meetings... As far as that women is concerned I would say that she proberly is a controlling person, we all have done many different things when we were active and the fact of the matter is that this is a WE :42: program.. Al you keep sharing and keep it real and if anyone has a problem with that as the saying goes "THATS THEIR ****" maybe they need to take a look at themselves.. Speak your mind!!!! :85:

I have read some other of your topics and they are real and great to read!

[zoomie]

(((((((((((((Al)))))))))) we get oldtimers that get all upset in meetings if drugs are part of a person's story. Sorry you had to go through someone correcting you. I'd cop a resentment too. I mean they could tell you after the meeting if it was that important,but not during your share. That's just plain rude.

[bc69]

Diplomacy isn't really a strong point for many of us at meetings. I think it is a learned attribute. Takes practice. I still sweat when I try to "suggest" a path when things get off topic (not that talking about drugs is necessarily off topic). Hurt feelings abound at times.

We want to be heard ... feel like others are listening ... and we don't like getting cut off ... still hurts.

Last year, I wanted to ask about people's experiences around getting a colonoscopy in recovery, being afraid of losing my recovery due to drugs used during the procedure. One person attacked me, probably because I was talking about such a personal procedure concerning the rectal area, which led to another attacking me, probably because she was a controlling person, and I had been criticized for "non-AA" topics before (e.g., any sentence with the word "gay" in it) ... on and on. By attack, I mean they yelled at me and slammed their fists down on the tables ...

Another women said she wished she had been able to talk about it before she went for hers, maybe she wouldn't have slipped after the procedure, ending up in jail. She then apologized to the ones that led the attack, and proceeded to attack me for saying things like that ...:4:

I personally have problems being in recovery from addiction, and attend AA meetings where people are using other drugs like it doesn't matter ... I'm afraid this includes nicotine ... (after I finally quit 5 years into recovery). My emotional flow is real ... many of theirs aren't.

Being Clean and Sober (pardon me) is difficult when you have to cope with those in the rooms who aren't. Talking about specific drugs might be pushing their guilt buttons ... But, like someone else said in other threads, just make sure your side of the street is clean (and sober) ... isn't that all I'm responsible for?

And then there's the saying that we try not to mention specific drugs, since doing so could take the focus off recovery, and put it on the drugs ... this isn't a criticism of sharing about specific drugs ... just something to consider when we do ...

As far as my copping resentments ... I still do ... but, I have other things to do ... things I want and need to do ... where I really need to spend my energy.

Oh ... I made it through the colonoscopy without incident ... but was later criticized in front of everyone in a group, by someone who hates me in the fellowship, for not checking into a rehab center after doing the procedure, as that was the recommended procedure by professionals in addiction treatment ...

I'm sorry ... what Tradition is being violated there? what do you think his real intention was?

Just some thoughts at 3AM when I couldn't sleep due to problems with horny females wanting to "just be my friend" ... :2:

[Chewi]

I guess I have been very fortunate that alcohol and drug topics have always been allowed at AA meetings I have attended both in CA and in PA. I would not like that attitude at all. Since we are so obsessive, a lot of us have issues with wanting more and more of just about everything. There wouldn't be very many at meetings if our ONLY problem was alcohol. I have also heard it said that topics should always have to do with alcohol--well what the heck does that mean? Alcohol affected every part of my life, so every problem I have involves alcohol. If I am having a problem that might lead to drinking, I should be able to talk about it! I guess you try out some other meetings, or talk to them quietly after to try to work it out, or just ignore them and go on.
And Bill, you can talk to me any time about colonoscopies. I just had one and then the endoscopy. I have to have them annually because of a family cancer gene I carry and because I have had cancer. If someone didn't want me to talk about it, they could kiss my @! (Well, I guess they would get pretty offended by that, too, ha!) I also think it is a shame when we can't keep a sense of humor about things!
Worrying about the anesthesia is a concern for many. I did have a relapse in between my two tests this time, but I think it had more to do with stress in my life right now than the anesthesia. It is something you might want to get some professional/counselor opinions on. The doctors usually do not know a lot--I know there are different combinations of drugs they can use. I know for me they went easy on the narcotic drug to ease nausea, so that might help you, too.
Anyway, I have been fortunate to participate mostly in meetings where people are allowed to share whatever they need to talk about to help keep them sober and I believe that is the way it should be. I hope you all can find meetings that are more compassionate and accepting. Isn't that always a big problems in churches, the balance between love and doctrine? The rules aren't meant to beat up and bruise people. But then, we're all human and make mistakes--guess we have to be compassionate to the control freaks too, ha! Take care and have a joyful, sober day!

[sioux]

I like you, also consider drugs part of my story. But when I am in an AA meeting, I focus on the solution, not the problem, which alleviates a lot of conflict, resentments, etc. I don't share my using/drinking stories. I share generally what it was like, what I did about my seemingly hopless state of mind and body, and what life is like as a result of taking certain steps.


I also want to hear these things from other people. We all knew how to drink and dope...none of us knew much about daily living, so that's where my need for help lies today. I save the specific information for the sponsor. I find it keeps the meeting vital when I and others participate in meetings this way.

So what about porn? Apparently it is an addiction that produces the same type of feelings drugs, booze do. Should we be able to share about our porn addictions, or child molestation issues, or domestic violence and anger management? For some those are part of the story too. I just don't want to hear this stuff at an AA meeting. And beleive me, it does come up at meetings I have attended. Are we control freaks for wanting to not hear about this? I don't want to hear this stuff. IN fact, I'd get a bigger resentment if the chair allowed this kind of sharing to continue, and i have seen it happen. I guess we are talking about boundaries.

I'd feel the same way if I were at a NA meeting, a board meeting, a church meeting. Drunk/dopealogs, sin-a-logs, etc. seem ineffectual. I mean I am at any given meeting like everyone else for some given reason. It is an assumption I have had a problem that has led me there; I don't need to remind everyone why I earned my seat by rehashing my story. I save that for the newcomer before or after the meeting. But I do want to talk about why I continue to come back, and that isn't because I want a drink, but because I want to do this life without one.

[Victoriana]

In my humble opinion it is not for me to judge people. If part of a sharing includes drugs, prostitution, sexuality issues, then so be it. These are all issues that can effect the outcome of a persons journey to sobriety and it is not my place to make judgments or attack anyone for sharing what they are dealing with.
Just my thoughts.

[francie21805]

This may answer some questions. *With Love*


http://aa.org/lang/en/catalog.cfm?category=4&product=10

http://aa.org/images/products/p-35_ProOtherThanAlcohol1.jpg (http://aa.org/pdf/products/p-35_ProOtherThanAlcohol1.pdf)

[Pendragon22]

If we seek our "peace of mind" through Anything but our HP, whether it be drugs, alcohol, sex, relationships or Whatever, we will find ourselves quite lacking in terms of permanent fulfillment. The BB and AA offer a solution that "I" believe, has the ability to cross ALL Boundaries and really help All those in need, no matter the manifestation our dis-ease.
Any exclusion, I believe, goes against the "Intent" of the AA message. Why limit the players in the playing field, when addiction is such a BROADLY infectious disease.

We have to ask,, Is it Taking away from the alcoholic for someone to mention an additional "substance" while sharing,,? Maybe a new comer, heroin using drunk, could relate and even be inspired to "come back". We should find the commonalities and not the differences in ALL of us "escape artists".

Funny how I've found more love and acceptance for being a Drunk at a NA meeting, than the opposite. I just don't share about the drug use in an AA meeting, unless someone asks.

Good Topic Big Al,
Peace In,
Pendragon

[Leadfoot]

I mentioned Herion and the chairperson said I could only talk about alcholism in a AA meeting. A decision like that is made at the group level and requires that the group make the decision. Nobody may speak for AA as a whole.
Here's a word from the Horses Mouth about drugs in AA. It should clear things up.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5003690050958526939&ei=Su8ESqzzBY3AqQKH4OjGDg&q=bill+wilson+singleness+of+purpose&hl=en