I mean look I hate to say it but Imaginary Pete Hegseth’s got a point. Y’all actually read these steps? Step 2 is just “decide to do Step 3”, Step 5 is just Step 1 again but louder, Step 6 is “get ready to do Step 7”, Step 8 is “make a list of all the stuff you have to do for Step 9”, Step 10 is just “Keep doing Step 4”, and then Steps 11 and 12 don’t matter because Step 10 is an endless loop. How many innocent Americans (and Pete) are we gonna leave trapped on Step 10 before someone finally does something?
You’re just defending him so he’ll keep you in his group chat aren’t you?
Oh man, this is the fucking truth. I’m court mandated to go to AA, and it’s driving me up the wall. The steps are ridiculous and the true believers will endlessly drone on about how amazing and effective they are. It’s literally just religious fundamentalist ideology (AA itself was created by Bill Wilson, who was part of a religious organization called the Oxford Group, and used their existing principles to create the 12 Steps). The organization is definitely a cult, the largest operating and hiding in plain sight cult in the world. It’s crazy how prolific it is and most people don’t realize it is a Christian temperance cult.
I went because I was so desperate to get sober I didn’t know what else to do. Years later I still pop in to see some friends. Its a classic case of selection bias (the people who stay).
There were some interesting figures in the early aa that got drowned out. Bill w himself loved hallucinogens and thought they held promise.
I hate that courts make people go there. So so so fucked up because its religious, despite what they say.
I dont know if you could try something else over zoom to sign your court cards like SMART or recovery dharma but my atheist self found both of those more palatable, I even did the facilitator training for SMART.
Either way, good luck and im sorry youre forced to go
Thanks for the kind words!
Yes, I did get into SMART for a time. I found that it was easier to just go to AA since I didn’t feel like going through the hassle of maintaining a digital form and having to print it out every time I had to show it to my probation officer.
There have been a lot of successful lawsuits contesting the legality of mandating AA through the courts, in fact, no lawsuit has lost to date. I would have loved to contest it as well, but honestly I live in a small town and the police and courts here are the type to hold a grudge, so I didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention. But yeah, it is most definitely a religious organization, no matter how much they try to maintain they aren’t.
I had a similar experience myself, I was desperate and was looking for a way out. I initially joined before being mandated by the court, and for a little while I was on board, but after a year or so I got fed up with the methodology and rhetoric of AA. About six months before the mandate I was pretty much through with AA, and then I got a DUI and was forced to go. Which just further brought out my distaste for AA.
Luckily I’m just about finished with the court requirements. I only have a few more weeks of outpatient, and was told by my PO that once I completed the outpatient I’d be off of probation. So, very happy it’ll be over soon.
The positive thing was that I did take a break from abusing alcohol and resassessed my relationship with alcohol. I don’t intend to stay abstinent, but I do plan on having a healthier relationship with drinking and being mindful of when and how much I do.
Thats great, contrary to aa doctrine I do believe moderation is possible. I tried moderation and I had no luck, but I’ve known others who made it work. Abstinence is always there if its a hassle to moderate, good luck and be safe!
For me it took getting into therapy and realizing why I would lose control and drink to excess. I understand now that, for me, excessive drinking is a physical manifestation of an underlying problem I’m not confronting. If I drink when I’m not in pain or emotionally distraught, I drink responsibly, but when I am angry/sad/depressed I’ll drink uncontrollably. I liken it to taking hallucinogens, specifically mushrooms, if I take mushrooms when I am already feeling bad emotionally, I will have a bad trip, if I take them when I am already happy and in a good mood, I’ll have a good trip. It’s about being mindful about your state of mind and what you put in your body that can effect that state of mind.
I appreciate the kindness, take care too ;)
Like Mel Brooks playing Moses. “Welcome to our Twelve-step… [drops stone tablet, which smashes]… eight! Our Eight-Step program!”
13th step: Nyquil
13th step is sleeping with someone in your recovery group, especially someone newer than you. This is frowned upon.
Pretty sure this is how you end up starting a series of fight clubs across the country
