Requiring Students to Attend AA or NA Meetings

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Misselle

Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 316
Location: Texas

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 11:04 am
Hello everyone-

I just heard something that disturbed me a bit today and I wanted to get your input.

Some of my students were discussing in class today that as human health & development majors they are required to attend a certain amount of AA and NA meetings and take notes.

Now I know that they must be attending open meetings, but that makes me extremely uncomfortable. I am glad that I found this out now before I popped in to a f2f meeting and saw a group of my students!!!

Usually even with open meetings we feel comfortable because we know that everyone is either an alcoholic/addict or a family member or friend. I wouldn't have that same level of comfort if I knew that I was being studied. Further - my employers do not know that I am a recovering alcoholic, and I wouldn't trust students (undergrads) with no addiction issues to keep the privacy trust that is essential in AA and NA. I think that while the intentions are good, this sort of observation could prevent people from getting the help that they needed. Maybe I am alone in this feeling of discomfort because I teach undergraduate college students and I know how they can be?

The end result is that I will never feel comfortable going to a f2f meeting again in a college town, which is a sad thing. I just feel that it is very unethical to attend ANY meeting without permission from the ENTIRE group for these purposes. (I usually only attend online meetings anyway, but I still would feel less comfortable now in a f2f...)
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Baritone



Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 365
Location: NC

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 04:29 pm
Hi Misselle,

Interesting topic, and i can understand your concerns. But as i understand it, that's one of the purposes of open meetings - so that interested people outside the rooms can find out more about the program. We have to trust that these visitors respect the anonymity of those they see. At open meetings at the local AA meeting house, the chair reads a statement: "This is an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, open to all members of the community who wish to learn more about alcoholism. We ask however that you respect the anonymity of everyone you see here, both in public and in private". And at closed meetrings of another (Al-Anon) group i attend, the statement is: "This is a closed meeting for persons who have been affected by the problem of alcoholism. Students, professionals, and other persons researching 12 step programs are invited to come to our quarterly open speaker meetings."

So bottom line is if you really don't want to be seen by "outsiders", stick to closed meetings. Personally, it doesn't affect me enough to make a difference either way, but i can understand that other's situations might differ.

- Jim
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scots bill



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 399
Location: cleveland,england

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 04:51 pm
hi misselle
interesting story. i can only relate what my own home group
would do, as you say this could only happen at an open meeting,it would
be explained to the group what the students were doing and why,if there
was even one member not happy with the reason then it would not be aloud, if need be the meeting would then be closed to members only,
the alcoholic comes first, it could maybe be different if the anonimity
of the members were protected with gaurantees that names would
not be put to pen, but only if no member complained, love in recovery
bill hug angel hug ok good night
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Misselle



Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 316
Location: Texas

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 05:36 pm
Hmm... Interesting points. My group never read anything at open or closed meetings - the way we worked it was during open meetings family and friends were welcome - during closed you came by yourself. Interesting how it can be so different from group to group. There aren't many "closed" meetings in our town from what I understand.

I just avoided the AA meetings at the University before (in case I saw a student) but now I will just have to be extra careful!

I think that maybe if one night a week were set aside for the entire community to come, that would work because then EVERYONE would have fair warning. See, I have had over 300 students so far and all it would take is for someone to see me and tell the wrong person and that would be it for me - my entire position in the program would be put in doubt (I have seen a similar situation happen, unfortunately). As we all know, people aren't very enlightened yet about addiction.
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cassie
Moderator


Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 1029


PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 08:21 pm
Quote:
So bottom line is if you really don't want to be seen by "outsiders", stick to closed meetings.


Misselle
This is an unfortunate situation. I am surprised that you haven't seen any of your students there who DO have addiction issues and are working the program. In my experience, closed meetings are held the same time each month and the statement is read that it is a closed meeting. I hope that you can find one and that it will fit with your schedule.

I hope all else is going well with you. I know how busy you stay. You are in my prayers.
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Misselle



Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 316
Location: Texas

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2005 09:50 pm
cassie wrote:
I am surprised that you haven't seen any of your students there who DO have addiction issues and are working the program.


Yeah - me too actually. That wouldn't be so bad. I am not really worried about seeing people I know per se who are involved in the meetings (have a personal stake) as I am observers.

On the flip side, I suppose that it is great that these students get to see the real people experiencing the addictions. I am all for education! I can't have it both ways though unless I only attend closed meetings and/or online meetings. At least I have the option, right?

I am fine with the online meetings because I can do them whenever wherever. It works for me. I had just always thought that to come into a meeting for the purpose of study was unethical - when I did my bachelor's in Psyc they would NOT let us do that. If we wanted hands on experience we had to volunteer at crisis centers or rehab centers (in other words, contribute in a positive way). It just caught me off guard.
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clean42day
Moderator


Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 416


PostPosted: 16 Jun 2005 02:35 pm
I understand your concern also...but actually there is a flip side that is positive.....if a student were to see you there.....given your status in life and that you have obviously gotten your life together...It would show and prove to them that the program of recovery does work and people do recover thier lives.

Addiction is so prevelant today it "IS" becoming more widly accepted. Most States are now opting for recovery/treatment instead of incarceration. Most employers have health care plans that require coverage for addictions, and self harm behavior. some are even mandated to send an employee to a treatment facility before they "fire" an employee. Remember that one out of every five families in America are affected by alcoholism in some way...either directly or by association from other familiy members.

Any school counselor will recommend 12 step self help for addictions before they will recommend treatment.

I think it is a wonderful thing....that society recognizes that "Recovery Works" and wants to teach other individuals just exactly how.

If more people learned about the steps and raised their children accordingly .....there would be less instances for the wreckage and damage
to occur and become out of control and unmanageable. more people would find thier lives manageable and with a practical plan of action and less people would turn to sef-destructive behavior or escapism to begin with.

Even my personal developement class in college...parelled the same principlas and steps found in the programs. Obviously it is the same plan just put into different wording.

I understand your fear.....But I myself have noticed that two of my very own public defenders from my own legal wreckage attend meetings. And even the judge who handled my last case openly admits she is a recovering alcoholic and attends meeting herself. Two of my professors in college are unusually familiar with the steps? I admire these people and they are an example in my life. Did I break thier anonymity - no! would I - he!! no! In one way it was a relief to know that I am not so unusual after all and that alcoholism and addiction does not discriminate. this disease talkes "brilliant people" down too. And those same people can recover. I have seen "outsiders" come out of meetings and say....that they have a whole new respect for the program and the people in it.

I would not be surprised if your biggest fear came true...and you found out that your students, co-workers and employer, actually admire your own example of how to turn a life around back into productivity, responsibility and becomeing a respectable member of society again.

To me there is a huge difference between an alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic

I myself have 5 felony convictions for possession...and will have to reveal my past to every employer or prospective job for the rest of my life.....I am proud of my recovery...and have found through experience that normies who cant even understand the process of recovery....certainly will at least acknowledge the strength of character that it takes to overcome addiction/ alcoholism and most of them congratulate me on the person they see sitting before them today. and then they add....that they can hardly belive that I use to live that way.

We are not living in the 1930's anymore....this is the new melenium.....and more people have addiction issues in some form or another...than not.

But if you still feel uncomfortable....do what you have to do...to protect yourself and your recovery and job. As they say...we go to any length to recover.

Gail