Re: will AA work?

[catsruleok]

"dougsan" <libby.douglas@comcast.net> wrote in message news:7yOdnVzle9EGgZKiXTWJkw@comcast.com...
> This string is quite interesting reading and an excellent example of why I
> don't attend more than two meetings in any given year any more.

<snip>

I have NO time at AA
> meetings or when discussing AA with fellow drunks to listen to fellow
> recovering drunks talk about anything except staying sober.
>
Hi again dougsan,

If you carefully read some of the posts on this NG, you will find that we do not talk only about
staying sober. If you stick around and avidly read all that gets posted here, you'll find truth in
what I've said.

JB

[rosie readandpost]

>To me the trophy is a reminder of
> my weakness and failure.

makes sense, when you don't believe alcoholism is a disease!

[dougsan]

I don't know what happened to my response. I don't have a copy of it and it
isn't in the files I see. I am VERY new at this and have made a mistake,
obviously. Some of you can see it, I guess. I can't quote what I said but
I know I never said I didn't believe alcoholism is a disease. I did say a
number of people will argue this point and it doesn't matter -- or shouldn't
matter -- to the recovering drunk. The problem is not being able to drink
and the solution is to not drink. Implementing the solution FOR MOST OF US
INCLUDING ME requires a strong support group. AA with or without a belief
in a higher power can be that support group. AA with or without a belief in
a higher power can be a part of that support group. I may not attend AA
very often but I do attend and I would tell anyone who asked that AA is a
fundamental part of my continuing sobriety. The AA people who visited
during the latter days of detox were an inspiration. I never cared why they
drank or how low they fell. I don't want to match drunk stories. I have
enough trouble living with my own, thanks. I want to match sober stories
and the AA visitors all had the same sober stories. "I learned to take it
one day at a time." "I learned going to meetings work." And the most
import sober story of all, "You have to want to be sober for you."

So, does AA work? I know many people who have been sober for a very long
time who attribute their sobriety to willpower and AA. I attribute my
sobriety to the same. More importantly, if I drink does that mean AA has
failed? Of course not. It means I have failed. Because of AA I have the
numbers of dozens of people I can call when I feel the need for a drink and
any one of them will do just about anything to help me to not drink. If I
choose not to call who has failed?