Posted by AuntieMel on November 9, 2005, at 9:26:33
In reply to Re: Very debatable » SLS, posted by mama141 on November 8, 2005, at 15:53:53
I've got to disagree with a few points that have to do with the 'powerless' parts. I truly do believe that an addict needs to face that they are powerless - and that they need help. Or at least that it increases the odds of success.
I am one of the most stubborn people on the earth, and my hubby always used to tell me that if I really wanted to quit nothing would stop me. But it didn't happen until I got some help and *broke* the dependence on myself. I had a great support system at home, but I could never admit that I couldn't do it on my own.
"I have a "disease" therefore I cant help the way I am"
or another way - "I have a disease and I need to seek treatment for it"
I think that admitting powerlessness and considering it a disease actually *gives* us power - the power to ask others to help us - the power not to hate ourselves for our 'weakness' - the ability not to see what we are doing as a character flaw.
And it gives us a chance to teach our children empathy and that even their parents - as much as we love them - are human with human flaws. I think it can be used to show them that they should be wary of falling into the same trap.
I think admitting that you have a disease can show our children another aspect of personal responsibility - admitting that our behavior was self destructive and that it is important to set things right (make amends.)
"for me it goes WAY beyond that and that discussion really belongs on the faith board."
Isn't that another way of saying you got help??
Does the help need to be AA? I don't think so - I got a lot more help from the IOP I went to than AA. BUT - I also went to AA while I was in IOP and for a good while afterwards. Does it have all the answers? It didn't for me. But it does teach one thing that I believe helps the newly sober: Quit thinking and just do it. There is one AA slogan that a newly sober person needs to take to heart - "my best thinking got me here" - and I think that is why following the steps works for so many, that it's a way of getting them to quit thinking.
Because addicts are amazing thinkers. We have to be in order to maintain our addictions and survive. One of my IOP counselors always said that the recovered addicts are the next CEOs of the world because we are so clever.
poster:AuntieMel
thread:575263
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20051106/msgs/577070.html