I've only been going to AA meetings for around 6 months, but I've already
seen several newcomers who've only attended a few meeting and not returned.
This surprises me a little. I guess it's because it's not something I
considered doing myself. Perhaps it's because I've always been committed to
what I'm doing. When I was drinking, I'd be drinking practically all day
every day. Now that I'm sober, I'm committed to staying sober.

--
J



JB wrote:
> "Dan McGown" <dmcgown@adelphia.net> wrote in message
> newsKadnfUZo4jp8ezcRVn-iA@adelphia.com...
>>> Hi Dan,
>>>
>>> You've made me think that this NG would not be a "discussion
> group" if
>>> no-one had the courage to express here different points of view.
>>>
>>> JB
>>
>> I just think that a person ought to be able to suggest going to
>> meetings without someone, who has no positive suggestion to offer
>> himself, saying that people who go to meetings are hypocrites and
>> fail 95% of the time. Dan
>
> It's possible that some of you will see two copies of my original
> reply to Dan. When I realised that the original message had
> gobbledegook at the end I cancelled that message. What follows is
> that original message (sans the gobbledegook)
>
> Dear Dan,
>
> I did not see in Bob's post what you appear to have done:
>
> I saw that there is concern that only 5% of newcomers are still
> attending meetings after 12 months and wondered why so many were
> choosing not to stay.
>
> Maybe you would like to know that I left one of the F2F groups that I
> joined in August last year after a few months simply because rarely
> did I hear at its meetings anything that I thought beneficial to my
> efforts to recover from alcoholism. This group was a Step/Tradition
> Group and sometimes only the Chair spoke about the Step/Tradition
> that had been chosen as the subject for discussion. Often I got the
> impression that this group was being run for the benefit of a few
> people who were friends with each other and that the meeting was
> merely a convenient opportunity for them to chat about what they'd
> been
> doing during the week. Often, I'd become bored with their chat and
> either doze off in my chair or leave the meeting.
>
> The other group I joined in August last year has many members who
> attend its meetings regularly who pass on recovery-related messages
> almost every time they share at that group's meetings. Several of
> these members speak at almost every meeting they attend. Because I
> have learnt from them a great deal that has helped me get to where I
> now am in recovery I choose to continue going to this group's meetings
> in the hope that I will continue hearing things that will benefit my
> recovery. I go also because I enjoy the company. If anyone other
> than me gains benefit from hearing anything that I chose to share at
> meetings, that's my bonus.
>
> ATB
>
> JB

"J" <welshalky@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4171dc49$1@news.greennet.net...
> I've only been going to AA meetings for around 6 months, but I've already
> seen several newcomers who've only attended a few meeting and not
returned.
> This surprises me a little. I guess it's because it's not something I
> considered doing myself. Perhaps it's because I've always been committed
to
> what I'm doing. When I was drinking, I'd be drinking practically all day
> every day. Now that I'm sober, I'm committed to staying sober.
>
> --
> J
>
Hey J
Going to AA for 6 months I'm surprised that you have only seen "....a
few..." people disappear. Bob's 5% is on the low side of what I've seen
quoted for AA success, but I've never seen more then 25% claimed and by my
18 mon observation I'd call it 10-15%.
Peace
John

The meetings I go to are quite small. I go to 2 a week. The first, on a
Wedenesday, has 4 regulars and often dwindles to just me. I've only seen 1
newcomer at this meeting. He was paralytic, presumably sent there by his
wife and had no intention of returning. At my other meeting, on a Friday,
there are about 8 regulars. I've seen 4 newcomers, 2 of those in the last
couple of weeks and are still coming. The other 2 only lasted a few weeks.
So, I guess, at this point, the success rate in our area is 0%. I suppose
that I don't count 'cos I've only been attending for 6 months. But, it's
highly likely that I'll still be attending in 6 months time.The vast
majority of people I've met in AA have been in fellowship a lot longer than
me. At my Wednesday meeting, the other 3 member have nearly 40 years
sobriety between them. I'm learning a lot from their experiences.

--
J



John Droge wrote:
> "J" <welshalky@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4171dc49$1@news.greennet.net...
>> I've only been going to AA meetings for around 6 months, but I've
>> already seen several newcomers who've only attended a few meeting
>> and not returned. This surprises me a little. I guess it's because
>> it's not something I considered doing myself. Perhaps it's because
>> I've always been committed to what I'm doing. When I was drinking,
>> I'd be drinking practically all day every day. Now that I'm sober,
>> I'm committed to staying sober.
>>
>> --
>> J
>>
> Hey J
> Going to AA for 6 months I'm surprised that you have only seen "....a
> few..." people disappear. Bob's 5% is on the low side of what I've
> seen quoted for AA success, but I've never seen more then 25% claimed
> and by my 18 mon observation I'd call it 10-15%.
> Peace
> John

At my Wednesday meeting, the other 3 member have nearly 40 years
: sobriety between them. I'm learning a lot from their experiences.
:
: --
: J
:


those "old-timers" were key for my sobriety.................i
learned a lot over coffee and ice cream AFTER the meeting too!
do you guys go out for coffee?
rosie

"Prop Rod" <proprod1@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:5geum0llcheisl1qc3ed0eugelfnp4lifb@4ax.com...
> Hey,
>
> I was sober for about eight months. Now I find myself back at

Who forced you?

> the point of drinking about 12 beers a night.

Me too. Once George Bush and the secret service kidnapped me before I
had a chance to finish my 12 pack.

>
> Was in detox twice, rehab once. Why is it that I keep doing
> this to myself? I know it's killing me... but still continue.

You are sick. You are not insane, yet. You have to get hold of sobriety
before you lose your mind. You do not have to worry about that now.
Drink it up.

>
> I don't want to end up back in rehab, even though the food was
> good.

Better than McDonalds Huh?

>
>
> -Prop Rod
>

The problem is with the drug war.

ive never been to dettox but the same same problem
"Prop Rod" <proprod1@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:5geum0llcheisl1qc3ed0eugelfnp4lifb@4ax.com...
> Hey,
>
> I was sober for about eight months. Now I find myself back at
> the point of drinking about 12 beers a night.
>
> Was in detox twice, rehab once. Why is it that I keep doing
> this to myself? I know it's killing me... but still continue.
>
> I don't want to end up back in rehab, even though the food was
> good.
>
>
> -Prop Rod
>