Posted by lorily on August 9, 2004, at 8:18:54
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by cirrus6000 on August 8, 2004, at 23:22:57
Strykker-- You've got to get to a different meeting. It sounds to be that you're losing faith in the fellowship, not the principles of AA (as you mentioned something like that) I have a group near me that sounds like what you described. Needless-to-say, I don't attend that meeting hall anymore because of it. It's a room full of -- well actually I hear they just sit outside and don't bother to go in, most of them -- miserable people with nothing else to do with their time than go to 3 (or more) meetings a day and gossip, meet their boyfriends/girlfriends (while their spouse is out there working their butts off) complain about the spouses, kids, life is sooooo hard blah blah blah. Yet, they choose to come on back day after day, week after week, and do nothing to change their "problems" Which is totally against the principles of AA.
Don't get me wrong, there was a time when I needed to be at that place every single day, over and over again. I fought to hear the message of AA, not the dry-drunks. I joined a big book study, worked my steps and actually experienced what I'd been hearing about for years of what happens when you honestly work your 4th and 5th steps. IT'S ALL TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!
Today I go to about 1-2 meetings a week (sometimes) I see people who have good sobriety, listen to what they have to share and go home and on with their lives. I have a network of strong people that I deal with. I listen to people who are where I was and try to help. AA isn't meant to be dry-drunk hangout, It's meant to teach us how to live our lifes, not make a room full of sick people our lifes.
For me, Effexor freed me from the depression that was holding me from being able to do these things, opened up that person inside me that had been hiding? I don't think I'd ever have gotten sober if I hadn't FINALLY agreed to try an AD. I always felt there was no hope and that what everyone else got I just couldn't. And effexor worked. I'm off it now for almost a month, I feel great, I live a life. I went to a meeting last night, I hadn't been to one in 2-1/2 weeks and I didn't fall apart.
Some people put AA before EVERYTHING ELSE IN THEIR LIVES some people need to do that. Most people need to do that in the beginning because we don't have a bleeping clue how to even tie our shoes!! Alot of people get stuck there though and that is pretty sad.
poster:lorily
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040805/msgs/375555.html