Do you have experience to relate here... Various drug, alcohol... behavioral programs seek to have addicts trade their supposedly more offensive practices for "turning into a right wing evangelical loon."
I did AA at the beginning of my road to sobriety (14 years now). I didn't like some of the 12 steps, but I was so lost and so desperate, and my mind was so scrambled, that rationality went out the window and I just let it be a balm. I think the biggest benefit was just being around others like me. Hearing their stories, letting them take me under their wing. But it was hit or miss. Some meetings felt good, some not.
Then it wasn't long before I didn't really want to go anymore. I think that after three months of sobriety, I wasn't going anymore. But I will say that as a sober person, I see things about the program that I didn't see as a drunk.
"Trading addictions"! I went off to AA a few times. Some of these characters may have been trying to lay off the booze (which is commendable)- but step out the door and the cloud of cigarette was unbelievable. I quit the cigarettes many decades ago, and I drastically slowed down on the booze at about the same time. Now I have decided to quit the booze altogether because of the cost- and the bar crowd are really a boring group.
Another form of addiction is to quit religion and go to something that is just as ridiculous, self-righteous political correctness.
Made a typo- meant to say "cigarette smoke".
But a further point is that if I am going to trade addictions, I will at least 'upgrade'. Get out to fitness more; make better use of my hiking membership; read more--- the whole bit.
Sober since 8/29/2013. I relied heavily on AA in the beginning, I haven’t been to a meeting in over 2 years. These days I have a rigorous yoga/meditation practice and I’m active on a few social media addiction recovery support pages/groups/forums.
Yes over 20 years ago I dabbled with several 12 step programs starting with AA with my husband followed up by ALA and ACOA. I didn't get higher power and neither did he. He became a Holy Roller after I left him.
Yeah, I didn't get the higher power either, even though they'd say to consider it whatever you wanted. I remember sitting there listening and just translating things in my head into something that would work for me. I never really settled on anything in particular.
In nursing school, we were required to go to a __ anonymous meeting of our choice and write a paper on it. I wrote a scathing review. Fellow students told me I should rewrite it, but I didn't because it was my honest opinion. Nailed it! Got an A and quite a few positive comments about my take on it. I was curious why, since she said she agreed with me that she made us do that instead of an alternate assignment. Must have been designated course requirement by a higher-up...