Drinking Problem

LegacyUser

Over the past 7 or 8 years I have known that I ave a drinking problem. I can have periods that it is under control, can have a few drinks but no problems arise from it. Then I slip back into a self harming drinking pattern, it hurts both me and those around me. I would go to AA except for one major problem I have with the organisation, and thats that for me personally religion has no place in my life, I am an agnostic and being part of an organisation that is based on religion just would not work. I know many people will think I'm just saying that because I don't want to stop, this is not the case. I do not think I am above anybody, but I know it simply will not work if I have to aknowledge that god exists when I firmly believe that god does not exist. I'm not trying to start a religion debate and i do not mean any of this in a way that I am saying others are wrong. My beliefs are my beliefs and yours are yours. But does anyone know of a similar organisation/place to AA that does not emphasise religion?

Any help is appreciated,
thank you

SUNGOD

i would look at what is the biggest problem in your life and what takes priority. if its your drinking then use every support system you can find to stop . stopping drinking for an alcoholic is the hardest thing in their life and i know from expierence .
the people of AA use religon to help themselves but are in no way exclucise and its not till you attend meetings that you realise this, i have met the most diverse of people at meetings with the same misgivings as you (and me) but their attitude is these people are the only people who can relate to what its like to be an alcoholic.
i used AA untill i had the strength to go it alone and im so glad i did .i dont still attend meetings but i know i would be welcomed with open arms if i did.
if people want to help you when are in trouble let them .dont put obstabicles in the way of acheiveing peace or happiness
its in your own hands grab it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

McGinty

Hi Op

I have struggled with drink issues in the past, and like I did not want to use AA, my reason had nothing to do with religion, but to do with defining my identity purely with drink and I feel that is what AA does, you go from an alcholic to someone who no longer drinks but talks about it all the time. So the answer is how do you quit or get a healthy relationship with drinking without going to AA?

Well for me it has been a slow process, and I am aware that not every method works for every person, in other words recovery of whatever is very individual, but I can only relate what worked for me, and for me it was self awareness, I needed to understand what prompted me to binge drink, I learned first it was stress, and I worked through that via counselling and a personal journey but also I found that when I felt happy I also drank because I was not comfortable with happiness, it felt alien. With drink you need to find out what it is you are runnning away from or hiding, then the hold of drink starts to fade away, because that is what has happened to me, it has slowly ebbed away, I have gone from drinking two bottles of wine 3-4 times a week to one bottle of wine over two days, or even just a half bottle of wine a week, and the difference is amazing. I don't want to quit drinking but I feel I have the best of both worlds, I enjoy some wine on a weekend (usually friday) and the rest of the time I don't bother.

mazcon

AA's traditions state that "the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking." There is no requirement to believe in God or to belong to a particular religion. The references to God are in the context of a "Higher Power" which can be anything that means something to you personally, you just need to be open to the idea that there is some power higher than you. Some just consider GOD to equal Good Orderly Direction (as opposed to Guinness On Draught!) Others use the collective wisdom of the group, it is totally personal to yourself. To be honest OP if this is all that is stopping you from going I would give it a try for a few months and keep an open mind. Listen to the guys who have been around a while and see what they are doing.
Best of luck whatever you decide to do, it's a tough journey so I hope you have some good support to help you through.

faceman

mazcon wrote: »

AA's traditions state that "the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking." There is no requirement to believe in God or to belong to a particular religion. The references to God are in the context of a "Higher Power" which can be anything that means something to you personally, you just need to be open to the idea that there is some power higher than you. Some just consider GOD to equal Good Orderly Direction (as opposed to Guinness On Draught!) Others use the collective wisdom of the group, it is totally personal to yourself. To be honest OP if this is all that is stopping you from going I would give it a try for a few months and keep an open mind. Listen to the guys who have been around a while and see what they are doing.
Best of luck whatever you decide to do, it's a tough journey so I hope you have some good support to help you through.

^ what he said.

Its not a religious group. The emphasis on your Higher Power to help through it, be it your God or anything else you wish to mention.

Its not recovery through religion and you'd be surprised at how many people who go are not religious too.

Either way you have taken the first positive step to recovery. Best of luck with what you choose. It wont be easy, but there are plenty of supportive people who will help you along the way.

Karen_*

McGinty wrote: »

Hi Op

I have struggled with drink issues in the past, and like I did not want to use AA, my reason had nothing to do with religion, but to do with defining my identity purely with drink and I feel that is what AA does, you go from an alcholic to someone who no longer drinks but talks about it all the time. So the answer is how do you quit or get a healthy relationship with drinking without going to AA?
.

McGinty you don't HAVE to talk about drinking the whole time if you give it up. I'm in AA and have many other interests besides it. I got so desperate that I accepted that they beleive in a a God and just got on with it. I've got choices and a mind of my own so I choose not let AA become my whole life but a very important part because I need to stay away from booze. And I choose whether I've a religion or not. AA doesn't tell me what to do. And I felt the same way about it as most people do, didn't want to have a God and didn't want to get addicted to AA so I stayed away and used that as an excuse and still drank. But when I hit rock bottom I was glad of AA. I just wanted to be sober and was willing to do anything to make that happen.

Rosita

Unregistered wrote: »

Over the past 7 or 8 years I have known that I ave a drinking problem. I can have periods that it is under control, can have a few drinks but no problems arise from it. Then I slip back into a self harming drinking pattern, it hurts both me and those around me. I would go to AA except for one major problem I have with the organisation, and thats that for me personally religion has no place in my life, I am an agnostic and being part of an organisation that is based on religion just would not work. I know many people will think I'm just saying that because I don't want to stop, this is not the case. I do not think I am above anybody, but I know it simply will not work if I have to aknowledge that god exists when I firmly believe that god does not exist. I'm not trying to start a religion debate and i do not mean any of this in a way that I am saying others are wrong. My beliefs are my beliefs and yours are yours. But does anyone know of a similar organisation/place to AA that does not emphasise religion?

Any help is appreciated,
thank you

For starters, if you believe God doesn't exist you are an atheist not an agnostic. Even the Pope is an agnostic.

I had a look at the AA website and find no reference to religion in it. This is what it says:

A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

That seems pretty clear cut to me. If your issue is with saying things like "God grant me the serenity to.........." (if they do say it) then you may be some way from being able to tackle as alcohol problem.

I'd say a prayer to Donald Duck if I was afforded the support services of an organisation like that, and leave the religious debates aside. It depends, I suppose, how strongly you feel. If you are an anti-religious zealot who will explode at the first hint of something remotely religious then it may not be for you. But hopefully you can find some effective alternative.