Re: How to handle 'Uncle Al' aka "Alan Schwartz" <uncleal0@ix.netcom.com>

From: Dr_Postman (Looky_at_mysig.foremail)
Date: 07/29/04 

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 22:20:55 GMT

On Thu, 29 Jul 2004 17:08:14 -0500, Tom McDonald
<tmcdonald2672@nohormelcharter.net> wrote:

>Doc P,
>
> I wish you well. Hope the party is a great time for you.
>
> I took a little different route. After a one-month outpatient
>program, I spent the next year going to frequent AA meetings
>(several per week); followed by about a year of once-a-week
>meetings; and then a couple of years of check-up meetings.
>After that, I've found no need for me to attend meetings,
>although it is a comfort to know they're their if I need them.
>
> After I got sober, I went to grad school to get a master's
>degree in AODA therapy, with an emphasis on family therapy. I
>worked for about 6 years in that field before becoming disabled,
>and have referred many people to AA/NA/etcA.
>
> My view is that folks get in trouble with chemicals in many
>ways, and while not every person will respond to one specific
>recovery method, everyone has at least one recovery method that
>will work for them. My education equipped me to help folks find
>their best way back to life. I found it was very liberating for
>clients that they weren't in a win or lose, make or break
>situation. If the first thing they decided to try didn't work,
>we would analyse what they learned from the experience, and made
>a plan to try another way.
>
> Sorry for the long version, but I wanted to second your
>statement that NA, and AA, don't claim that their way is the
>only way (although some professionals, and a few folks in the
>programs, do say that). The point is to present a situation for
>the sufferer whereby there is always hope, always something new
>to try.
>
> BTW, I've been clean and sober for about 18 or 19 years (I
>don't keep track any more). I had one, one-day relapse that was
>the best thing that could have happened to me. The relapse made
>it crystal clear that holding on to the idea that 'if things get
>bad enough, I can always go back to drinking to numb myself' was
>pretty silly, and entirely false.

I knew there was something I liked about you Tom. I know lots of
people who don't need to go to meetings anymore, and are still in
recovery. I haven't gotten to that point yet, mostly because I have
made some very close friends in my fellowship. I don't do more than
a few meetings a month now though. If I get to feeling hincky I
know where to go. 

--
Dr.Postman USPS, MBMC, BsD;    "Disgruntled, But Unarmed"
Member,Board of Directors of afa-b, SKEP-TI-CULTŪ member #15-51506-253.
You can email me at: DrJaiMaharajFraud(at)hotmail.com
"Did the Venus transit occur during sunset, idiot?"
  - Grant,on the GLP web board, explains to us how
     sunrise happens in NY and Asia at the same time.

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