Comments on: 1953 NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

By: George B.

George B. — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:06:21 +0000

personally, i think there is one core problem at the root of all addictions (including alcohol addiction) but its not the self loathing “self obsession” identified in AA, its simply “addictive or obsessive thinking” that we use drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, over-work in an attempt to escape and find peace of mind. i wouldn’t call addictive thinking a disease because it seems all humans suffer from it to one extent or another, but people with a history of drug or alcohol addiction seem to have it to a much greater extent than the average Joe.

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:29:40 +0000

Take away using, alcohol or any oher drug, and you will deal with the real sickness. We know using alcohol or any other drug is just the sympton. Once obsession is gone, we start working on the causes. I have no problem relating to both fellowships. God bless you all

By: Ann Marie

Ann Marie — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:37:23 +0000

Dan, you’ve been heard.

By: George B.

George B. — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:18:06 +0000

well, i didn’t read all the posts but i have been clean in NA for almost 10 years and most of time its been a cakewalk compared to active drug addiction. there is a lot of garbage in the Big Book and in NA literature (i’ve never used the disease concept) but only NA literature has the “approved literature” ammunition required to shoot down the swarms of control freaks who insist they know the only “right” way to work a 12 step program. its a phrase used by AA counselors in treatment centers everywhere but does not appear in the Big Book anywhere, its simply “take what you need and leave the rest”. it converts NA into a “cafeteria program” where there are 100′s of things that may work and you are encouraged to try them out, keep what works for you and toss the rest (which is precisely what i did). if you try that approach, chances are very high you will eventually find a combination that works for you. i don’t know who put that language in there but I am very thankful they did, because listening to the control freaks was really getting on my nerves until i found it. sometimes i pull out the phrase like a sword during a meeting and flash it around a time or two to restore order and poke a few oldtimer pro’s with it. peace out, i’m a retired drug addict who learned to really ENJOY life without the use of drugs in NA. George B.

By: Bill C

Bill C — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:32:49 +0000

well put Dan. I only go to NA …. and it works well for me…. that’s my experience for 18 out of the 20 years that I’ve been clean…… ! work the steps or die ! Huggz

By: Mr. Dan

Mr. Dan — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:28:57 +0000

ummm,,, sorry if this is out of context , i don’t give a dang about AA. YEAH ,, If you want to go to AA Then go to it ,I’m not really interested in dr. bob’s opinion or his nightmare ,cute little limerick about going to pot ,though ,,, I am grateful to our predecessors and I will go aa when i feel like it, since the grouch and the brainstorm, is the dubious luxury of the normal man ,will just have to be tolerant and try not to be bothered when people try to turn N.a into AA.

By: jm217

jm217 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:49:26 +0000

There’s nothing more unsettling to me than misinformed people blatantly misinforming others to justify their own reality. Like another said, there’s no way to arrive at such an absurd statistic with decades of well documented research of thousands of anonymous people. And I know from experience that NA supports atheists and there’s a number of us in my area that are doing just fine, and some of us are finding God, and not because NA is forcing it upon us! Spread hope, not fear. Preaching negativity might discourage someone who needs help from walking thru that door! By all means, do what works for you, but don’t limit the options of others who haven’t found what they’re looking for.
And thanks to the people who posted Positive info about either or both fellowships. Bashing fellowships serves no purpose, and it certainly isn’t helping anyone in need. There are many paths to same destination!

By: Mimi

Mimi — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:23:58 +0000

There is a pamphlet for that. “The AA member-Medications and Other Drugs”. Other drugs starts on page 16 of that pamphlet.

I am a heroin addict. So therefore an addict. So therefore an alcoholic. I just didn’t get to that “yet” yet in my actual use. We all sit around arguing semantics. I am sober 3 years thanks to working the steps in the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”.

By: lisa

lisa — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:05:27 +0000

Very, very well said! Thank you. Maybe some will hear.

By: lisa

lisa — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:58:31 +0000

Thank you Noah…well said and true! If I am on the prowl to find something negative to say I can always find it and that has happened here. I am a member of Alanon and my husband is a member of both NA and Alanon. His experience was that when he went to AA years ago and was honest, he was told to leave and to go to NA. He did and has been clean for many years thru working the steps and having a HP…God. I am active in alanon and also have worked in the recovery field professionally for some time. I love many many people in AA but, as a fellowship, NA has been MUCH more supportive of Alanon than has AA, which I think is sad and weird Let’s focus on the positive in each fellowship (as I have seen miracles from ALL fellowships) and encourage people to be led to the group where they feel the strongest spiritual connection. As all of the groups are made up of mortals…I am sure there are some groups that are not as healthy as they should be…but that is a group issue NOT a whole fellowship issue. AND, it is not just in NA…there are unhealthy Alanon and AA groups as well. Let’s face it….most of us would be better off in the worst group imaginable than where our disease had us when we got here. Do we really want to be bickering in the doorway when precious newcomers come into our rooms? And that is the answer…if all we have to do is focus on perceived flaws of other fellowships we may need to ask God to provide us a newcomer to work with so we can see the disease through THEIR eyes and we could eat up some of that free time that apparently is available.