Charlie Sheen; Celebrities In Addiction News; 12-Step Recovery Myth
Posted by admin in aa alternatives, addiction, alcohol, alcoholic, alcoholics anonymous, drug addiction, recovery, rehab, substance abuse, teenage drug addiction
Charlie Sheen’s recent appearance in the news criticizing Alcoholics Anonymous has caused yet another flurry of activity in my email, cell phone and sleeping life: He’s crazy; No, he’s right!; What do you think, Amy?; Post something about it; Agree with me!; No! Agree with me!
Uhgh. Every time a celebrity makes headlines with their drug and alcohol related behavior, I want to run by day two. Even if we have a cause, helping people, animals or the environment, it’s important to include other activities in our lives for peace of mind. It’s important to have balance in life. So, here are my thoughts and then I’m off for the day…
It is cruel and unusual punishment to lead people who are struggling with addiction to believe they must go to AA and follow its 12-Step program if they want to be well. That is a LIE. That dogma often prevents people from seeking the help they need.
In my book I share my story of how I have recovered from a truly gnarly, double-decade, life-threatening relationship with drugs and alcohol without AA, 12-Steps, psychiatry or rehab. I wrote it to help all people who struggle with addiction, but especially those who aren’t helped by AA (the internal process of letting go is the same no matter what method you use). That’s where I’m coming from—and that addiction is NOT a disease for goodness sake! I don’t want to fight about it. Defend my experience?? Analyze This!
So, at least for today, I’m changing tracks to my other soul-serving subject: Music. And, if you are feeling alone in your struggle with substances, please know there are more and more options becoming available to you. I have a resource page that I intend to update (after my brief musical hiatus) with more holistic alternative options. Feel free to contribute helpful resource ideas through the contact page.
Tags: aa alternatives, addiction, addiction is not a disease, alcoholic, alcoholics anonymous, beliefs, change, Charlie Sheen, drugs, helping people with addictions, limiting beliefs, Lindsay Lohan, powerlessness, recovery, rehab, substance abuse
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Ouch. What a helpful reminder. I am committed–fully and passionately committed–to a number of Very Important Causes! I need to remember that it is precisely BECAUSE the cause is Very Important that I need to get away from it sometimes. Yes, Charlie Sheen brings up important points and, yes, these are essential to talk about. But when this frenzy starts, and all the dominators start speaking up about their views, the talk does not get helpful, insightful, and healing. Best to take a break until things calm down enough to get serious. Thanks, Amy. I needed that.
It’s true, people quit drinking and using drugs all the time without Alcoholics Anonymous or the 12-Steps. Some people quit permanently and some people modify their using behavior so that it no longer interferes with their life. It all revolves around behavior choices, which can be extraordinarily difficult to change when the body is involved as it is with drugs, alcohol, food and sex. And why it is simpler to claim that addiction is a disease–it is not. It is just an extremely difficult behavior to change, especially when it’s been going on for a number of years.
I’ve been in recovery for over 15yrs, I had been drinking since the age of 9, I gave up at 38 after an ultimatum from my wife, Give up or I’m going to leave you, Give up I did with the help of my wife(She died 2yrs later of Cancer) and close friends. I never went back to drink after her death. She made me promise on her deathbed.At the time I was a nightclub manager. But for the last 8yrs I’ve worked as a substance misuse support worker working with alcoholics and their families. Last September I set up a Charity called the Anglesey & Gwynedd Recovery Organisation ( Before you ask where it is, I come from North Wales where Prince William flies his helicopters). Our motto is Recovery Through Activity. It had started out in the county that I work in but it has spread instead of one branch,I now run a further 4 branches and that is since last September. I run it in my spare time in the mornings,evenings and weekends and I fund it by working 2 jobs.I’m passionate about recovery. There should be more education about how alcohol destroys people and their families. Look what it’s done to Charlie Sheen.
Recovery through Activity! Great motto, Huw. I had a period of deep depression and got through it by volunteering at a retirement center. I visited seniors who had no one to visit them. Little by little, by doing something to take me out of my obsession with my own psychology, I got better. Creativity, reaching out to others, and so forth….these are healthy ways to “recovery.” Going to meetings and obsessing with others about my addiction, or whatever, is like trying to escape by digging deeper in the same hole. It’s not going anywhere.
Huw, of course I had to look up AGRO (great initials!) and what you have created sounds fantastic, “…to give those in recovery a chance to get to know others and take part in various activities.” I get so many letters from people and the one thing they miss when they quit without AA is community. I admire and greatly appreciate your passion for recovery and helping others. If you have a direct link I’ll add it to my resource page. (“in recovery” does your program support the 12-steps?)
Claire, you’re right about the rabbit hole effect… obsessing over our problems doesn’t get us anywhere. Reminds me of Einstein’s quote, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Thank you Samuel, I’m glad to help. Kerrie, I agree, addiction revolves around behavior choices and when the body gets involved, it can be so much more difficult to make changes. Thanks for your comments.
Another GREAT post, my friend. True, celebs in the news about recovery, etc. does get old very fast, especially the coverage of the Lindsay Lohan variety. CHARLIE SHEEN’S situation is DIFFERENT and REFRESHING to me because he is doing what no one else has ever had the FORTITUDE to do: SAY NUNYA and NO to THE CULT! KUDOS to him. I am following this story closely because the spectacle is the live version of what actually happens to too many non-famous people to count! I hope, hope, hope he keeps it up. I’m very interested to see what develops.
*STINKIN-THINKERS UNITE*
Enjoy your day, Amy. Love your music, too, babe! *ROCK on with YOUR FREEDOM*
Go-Go Rach, you’re right… non-famous people also meet extreme resistance when stating AA isn’t helping. It will be interesting to see if this goes anywhere or not (keep me posted;-). You must have heard the song, “Melt Into My Mind.” That’s going to be the first video (I think). Thanks!
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