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[Hanslanda]

I did the AA thing when I was on Drug Court and that is a hard pass. Not only the skeevy cult type stuff, but also the not-about-religion-but-thank-God stuff too. As an atheist in the Bible Belt, I get thoroughly enough of that shit.

I've started cutting back significantly but I still slip up and get wasted some nights. Didn't drink at all til 5pm yesterday and didn't have any withdrawal symptoms, so I don't think I'm heavily physically dependent. I just need a drink to get through the working day, as our favorite little friends put it.

[Reelya]

Yeah, AA has a lot of cult-like features when you check it out.

One of the only retorts I've actually heard in person is people retorting that they knew someone who absolutely swears by the whole thing. Oh well, right if you know people who are zealous about something then it can't be a cult, clearly! /sarcasm

The whole 12 step thing is designed to break you down and create self-doubt, then build you back up, but with AA as your rock. Then, it has the same "catalogue your sins" thing that groups like Scientology does, and the 12th step is that you need to go out and find other people to convert. Once you've found those new people, they guilt you into staying because you need to sponsor the newbies.

Also, the "my name is X and I'm an alcoholic" ritual is designed to build a "group identity". It's mandatory to identify yourself like that, and the program breaks down the other aspects of your personality, and they dictate the exact meaning of "alcoholic" (it's in their "Big Book" which is a sort of AA bible) and they claim you're an "alcoholic for life" - i.e. you're one of us now and you better not ever think of leaving because you can't live among the non-alcoholics since you're one "for life".

Luckily if you look up some actual science on addition it's not that bleak and you don't have to attend a weirdo cult to manage your problems. People tend to age out of excessive alcohol consumption by themselves - which is 100% impossible according to AA doctrine.

[TamerVirus]

People tend to age out of excessive alcohol consumption by themselves

Is that a euphemism for dying of cirrhosis?

[Kagus]

It's also entirely possible for individuals to just dial back the consumption and drink in moderation, which AA also claims cannot be done. By their metric, the only method is complete abstinence; anything less is just as bad as being a 24/7 lush.

Really, AA is just a big bucket of institutionalized cult-christianity preying on people in a vulnerable situation. I mean, sure, it's helped some people... But so has trepanning.


The one big thing that AA does get right is bringing together people who are dealing with the same issue. Having someone you can talk to who actually knows what it's like and is also trying to get better is invaluable. Being understood is deeply important, and helping someone else can help yourself out by quite a lot.

People tend to age out of excessive alcohol consumption by themselves

Is that a euphemism for dying of cirrhosis?

Eh, more just that hangovers like to crank up the volume the older you get, heh heh.

[Rowanas]

I'm an alcoholic and I'm slowly losing control of my habit.

Move to Britain.  We've got you covered - I don't even drink and I'm at a pub 3 times a week.  Technically 4 if you count that I visit 2 pubs on a Tuesday.

[Hanslanda]

I'm an alcoholic and I'm slowly losing control of my habit.

Move to Britain.  We've got you covered - I don't even drink and I'm at a pub 3 times a week.  Technically 4 if you count that I visit 2 pubs on a Tuesday.

In America, 4 glasses of wine at dinner means you're an alcoholic. In Britain it means you're the designated driver.

[Kagus]

I had a beer last night that had a label on it stating "This bottle contains 2.1 alcoholic drinks", which... I mean, I get it, but it's still funny.

[Doomblade187]

I'm an alcoholic and I'm slowly losing control of my habit.

Move to Britain.  We've got you covered - I don't even drink and I'm at a pub 3 times a week.  Technically 4 if you count that I visit 2 pubs on a Tuesday.

In America, 4 glasses of wine at dinner means you're an alcoholic. In Britain it means you're the designated driver.

lewl

One thought: you see a therapist, yeh? Maybe they could help you out a bit, both as support and suggesting coping mechanisms.

[Dunamisdeos]

I actually had no idea about the religious aspect of AA. Sounds like they sort of suck.

Anyway I did it with the support of a loved one, you can too.

[Hanslanda]

I'm an alcoholic and I'm slowly losing control of my habit.

Move to Britain.  We've got you covered - I don't even drink and I'm at a pub 3 times a week.  Technically 4 if you count that I visit 2 pubs on a Tuesday.

In America, 4 glasses of wine at dinner means you're an alcoholic. In Britain it means you're the designated driver.

lewl

One thought: you see a therapist, yeh? Maybe they could help you out a bit, both as support and suggesting coping mechanisms.

I don't actually. I should be.

I actually had no idea about the religious aspect of AA. Sounds like they sort of suck.

Anyway I did it with the support of a loved one, you can too.

Yeah, it's bad enough that one meeting had a fellow atheist leave all references of god out of a certain passage, and half the people got up and left all pissed off. They tell you that you must have a higher power but it doesn't have to be god. But it should be. But it doesn't has to be.

[TamerVirus]

They tell you that you must have a higher power but it doesn't have to be god. But it should be. But it doesn't has to be.

Ah, so like the Freemasons, then

[dragdeler]

-snip-

[Kagus]

But what about Satan  ? Nobody has ever concerns for Satan 


Now I'm wondering how it'd go if you answered that in the most whiney tone at an opportune moment at the AA meetings. If you get the chance: go full vegan animal activist on Satan's rights.

Hey, listen...  Lucifer stood up to his own father, who is literally omnipotent, because of what he believed was right.

If Lucy can stand up to God, you can stand up to alcohol. Never back down. 666, the number of the best.

[Yoink]

66.6%?

[Rolan7]

AKA 133.2 proof

@Dun, they do downplay the religious aspect to the public, I would guess because they're often a court-"suggested" program.
The important thing is to get support, though.