Anybody on here familiar with Alcoholic's Anonymous?

Question

If you go, do you believe in sponsorship? If you do, what qualities would you want in a sponsor? I don't believe you need to see me in person and know my name to tell me how it works for you in your life and what working your program the way that is right for you has given you in your life.

I do know, however that many AA meetings are closed to non-alocoholics and they require you to admit you're alcoholic when attending their meeting and that the meetings are designed to help the newcomer understand alcoholism and how to recover and help the recovering ones continue on the right path. So, if you must know if I am an alcoholic before telling me any of what you know about working the AA program, yes, I do believe I am an alcoholic.

Answer 1

yes i believe sponsers can be very helpful if you find the right one.
i would want a sponser who understood me and would call me on my bullshit without scaring me into not wanting to tell them things.

each aa, na, ca, cma, ma... meeting i have been to has had its own vibe. some pissed me off, others changed my life.

Answer 2

I'm very familar with Alcoholics Anonymous; for close to twenty years I bounced in and out of the rooms, never staying sober for more than a few months at a time. Five years ago I quit trying to fit into "the program", took responsibility for my actions, and gave up the bottle.

Peer support can be helpful, but in AA it is more peer pressure: pressure to conform to the program. And the program isn't just about quitting drinking: "Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God" (Big Book, pg 77). I think if you want to get religion, go to a real church. AA is still mired in the 1930s, calling alcoholism a "spiritual problem", ignoring all advancements in the addiction field since those times.

Several studies, including AA's internal Triennial Surveys, show that AA has a 5% success rate. Studies also show that quitting on your own has a 5% success rate. The difference is that people in AA had a MORTALITY rate of 3%. AA Board of Trustees member, George Vaillant, who was in charge of this study called the death rate "appalling".

After exposure to AA dogma, many find their drinking gets worse. (Mine sure did.) One slip turns into a full-blown binge, not unlike the dieter who feels that they have ruined their diet by having a sliver of cake, figure they've already screwed up and end up eating the whole thing.

I became an alcoholic mainly because it took the edge off of my depression, I had been diagnosed with it before I started drinking, but the folks in the rooms tried to convince me that my depression, and all of life's other problems stemmed from my drinking. The National Institute for Mental Health estimates that half of all alcoholics have underlying mental health issues. AA has a sizable anti-medication, anti-therapy faction; ignoring half the problem isn't a good path to success.

Answer 3

My sister has been in AA for 6 years, and for many people, herself included, sponsors are a necessity for succeeding in sobriety. A sponsor should be that person you can talk to when you're feeling weak, and that person to chastise you when you seem like you're losing focus. Not everyone necessarily needs a sponsor, but if you haven't been sober that long, it's probably a good idea to be open to the idea that someone wants to help and support you...just my opinion! : )

Answer 4

Every group has there own thing. Usually they let you sit in on a few meetings before you have to share.

Answer 5

12 steps