Have you ever had to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous program? What did you think? Did it help?

No. And, I think many things will help (and that's probably one of them) but, only if someone is truly sick enough of drinking. People have to need to stop something like that (and not just want to) or else nothing will change.

I started going to meetings in the late '80's,kept up with the program for many years till I didn't feel the need to go any longer,,it has been many many years since I drank any alcohol,,I just changed the places and friends who drove me to drink in the first place.

Meetings are necessary for those who NEED them,not for those who are teetering from using or not,meeting makers make it.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a perfect program for recovery with lots of flawed people. Some are more flawed than others.
It is true there are cliques and it is very painful the way they reject people if you don't do exactly their way.I never thought that rejection had any place in Alcoholics Anonymous. Wonder what Bill Wilson would think of this??
I had a sponser with many many years of sobriety and lots of followers. She was the most toxic, jealous person I have ever encountered. I fired her.
After that, I was expelled from the clique and her little spies would occasionally give me a call to keep her up to date on what I was doing. I felt paranoid and thought ----this has GOT to be me Guess what? It wasn't me. I moved on to another group and I am able to get back to what I am there for--to save my life.

AA IS A CLIQUE WITH PEOPLE IN CHARGE THAT THINK THEY ARE AT THE CENTER OF AA. MOST AA MEMBERS SMOKE AND STINK FROM CIGARETTES. AA IS KIND OF LIKE A DISTORTED AND PERVERTED RELIGION WITH VERY JUDGEMENTAL PEOPLE. DO IT THEIR WAY OR ELSE BE OUSTED FROM THE CLIQUE. I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY MEMBERS OF AA ARE EX CRACK HEADS ALSO. YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OFF IN A CHRISTIAN AA IN MY OPINION WHERE THERE IS NO DEBATE ABOUT GOD AND HIS SON.

I didn't have to, but I went to a few meetings when I was locked up in Arkansas. I didn't get a lot out of them, but the overall programs at the facility were pretty good.

it makes a person a better drunk

Nope. Thank God.

I went to a meeting once, voluntarily, and accepting the fact that I was there was enough to take care of my problem. Haven't had to go back again.

AA IS A CLIQUE WITH PEOPLE IN CHARGE THAT THINK THEY ARE AT THE CENTER OF AA. MOST AA MEMBERS SMOKE AND STINK FROM CIGARETTES. AA IS KIND OF LIKE A DISTORTED AND PERVERTED RELIGION WITH VERY JUDGEMENTAL PEOPLE. DO IT THEIR WAY OR ELSE BE OUSTED FROM THE CLIQUE. I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY MEMBERS OF AA ARE EX CRACK HEADS ALSO. YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OFF IN A CHRISTIAN AA IN MY OPINION WHERE THERE IS NO DEBATE ABOUT GOD AND HIS SON.

AA IS A CLIQUE WITH PEOPLE IN CHARGE THAT THINK THEY ARE AT THE CENTER OF AA. MOST AA MEMBERS SMOKE AND STINK FROM CIGARETTES. AA IS KIND OF LIKE A DISTORTED AND PERVERTED RELIGION WITH VERY JUDGEMENTAL PEOPLE. DO IT THEIR WAY OR ELSE BE OUSTED FROM THE CLIQUE. I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY MEMBERS OF AA ARE EX CRACK HEADS ALSO. YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OFF IN A CHRISTIAN AA IN MY OPINION WHERE THERE IS NO DEBATE ABOUT GOD AND HIS SON.

Hi Mike.


Yes I have been, years ago.


I agree with the need for support because it is very hard to do that alone and isolation is often habitual when you decide to stop doing what all of your peers are fine doing.

The problem I have with it, is that i disagree with calling yourself an alcoholic for the rest of your life once you become sober.

I have been clean from drugs for over 12 years and I cannot conform to allowing myself to continue to call myself an addict when I am not.

If or when I relapse... Which I wont, then I can call myself an addict.

If I had a religion, the closest I would come is something called The Kybalion and my beliefs do not follow counterintuitive mental practices that exist to discourage me by labeling myself something when I am no longer that thing.

It's just an issue.

I go because it's a good program and helps me feel better.