Is AA for Addicts as well as Alcoholics? by Chris Swanberg
Alcoholics Anonymous was primarily for men and women whose drug of choice was alcohol back in the 1930's. Over the course of the last 70+ years there has been a bit of controversy about how the organization accommodates those who primarily have a problem with a narcotic (or something other than alcohol). The birth of Narcotics Anonymous was somewhat as a result of drug users needing a platform to build fellowship that would not denigrate them based on their drugs of choice. In this blog entry, Chris Swanberg discusses his thoughts on the matter.
Is AA for Addicts?
Just about everyone in AA has an opinion on this. Some will say "no." Others will say "yes." Nowadays there is rarely someone who comes to AA and all they did was drink alcohol. I think that drug users should identify themselves as an alcoholic at AA meetings. This is done just for respect of the meeting.
The Third Tradition of AA states:
The only requirement for AA membership is the desire to stop drinking.
In the Doctor’s Opinion it reads, “These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all.” It also mentions, “Entire abstinence.”
The only difference I know between an alcoholic and an addict is that an addict will help you look for the thing that they stole from you. An alcoholic will just deny even seeing it.
I have a friend who kept switching from methadone to heroin then back again. This went on for yea
rs. She kept trying Narcotics Anonymous (NA), but it didn’t seem to work for her. Then, her sponsor asked her to try Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). She kept insisting that she was an addict and not an alcoholic. Her sponsor told her, “You have alcoholic thinking. You just prefer drugs.” Being that AA is a spiritual program of action she has now found the “Happy Solution.” She now has 11 years of sobriety.
The Program Works
Everyone gathers experience from learning life’s lessons as we grow. Some of us even gather wisdom from learning from other people’s experience. Some of us think we are just too smart and we don’t need help from anyone. We know what is best for us. Those are the ones that have the hardest time getting and staying sober.
I had done a mess of drugs in my life. From coke and crack to speed, weed, LSD and pills. I was always drinking with everything else I was doing. I was one of those that thought I was ' too smart.' I had to get my own experience because of my one-sided mind. I am glad the hand of AA was there for me when I decided to try it a different way. I am glad I tried listening and to following instead of talking and leading.
I come from the “School of Hard Knocks” and in my opinion AA is good for drug addicts as well as alcoholics.
- Chris Swanberg
sponsoring a drug addict
There are still a lot of 'pure' alcoholics around, or at least many whose major problem is alcoholism so I can still sponsor people.
What do you think?