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In reply to the discussion: Alcoholics Anonymous has a terrible success rate, addiction expert finds [View all]get the red out
(13,461 posts)I have seen the steps pushed as the only way to get sober for my 21 years in Recovery. I am in the south, don't know if that makes a difference. I have to be honest here, even though I am a member who has done the steps and the service; I was sober but suffering terribly until I got professional Psyological help. I do not agree that alcoholism was a separate disease for me. I self-medicated severe anxiety disorders and depression. I had both of those in childhood.
Also, when I had about two years a very fundamentalist type of AA came into my area on the heels of a workshop by some famous AAs. This shit scared me to death, every word is scripted, people are condescending, the devotees claim to have the real program. Fundys in full. There are some meetings in town where they might as well be speaking French for how little I understand their special language.
I apologize if my experience is offensive to people, that is not my purpose. And yes, I am a real alcoholic.