Comments on: CONVINCING "MR. HYDE"

By: Dennis M.

Dennis M. — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:33:42 +0000

Correction to the previous post. It read: “I couldn’t agree with the comment about this opinion of Bill more.” Should have been; “I couldn’t disagree with the comment about this opinion of Bill more.” — Dennis M.

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By: Dennis M.

Dennis M. — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:28:00 +0000

I couldn’t agree with the comment about this opinion of Bill more. Going to meetings and helping others is what we used to call 2-Stepping. 8 months of attending meetings just got me suicidal. Nothing changed until I got a sponsor and started taking the Steps. The entire chapter ‘Working With Others’ doesn’t even mention meetings. Open meetings as opposed to closed AA Groups is where we carry the message to new people about the AA program of recovery that is precisely outlined in our main text—Alcoholics Anonymous and not an instrument for sobriety itself.

Then the comment states basically that when he doesn’t attend meetings which he incorrectly calls an AA Principle his “old habits resurface and my old self also comes back with all its fears and defects.” This is because he never got to the root cause of his fears and defects through taking the Steps. All the fears and defects I had when I came to AA have not returned no matter what I have been through in sobriety. Of Course we have new ones because we have a new life and new life experiences but we take care of those in Step 11 and for anything in our past we may have missed in Step 10 where we again look at our past. This is what it states throughout the Big Book.

And by the way the 90 meetings in 90 days and the newcomer being the most important people is in the NA Book and not the AA Book.
Dennis M.

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By: Jamey

Jamey — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:55:57 +0000

I love what u said,sandy :~) when a new person tells me “I ONLY been sober for 30-60-90″ days It rubs me wrong cuz they say it without feeling great about what they are doing-if u got 20-30 years,god bless u!-but the new comer is still the most imporant person and I need them!!!!!! We all have 2day and if u got up be4 7am,u have been sober long than me :~) god bless all Jamey

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By: circusref

circusref — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:58:10 +0000

An image comes to mind, that of learning to walk (either for the first time or after major injury or trauma). I have had a knee replacement. I went through physical therapy to be able to use my knee as intended. I won’t try to describe pain, difficulty, or time. I got through it with determination, these who showed me it could be done and I think, looking back, a higher power. If you can let your mind play with that. Peace – Bob

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By: Sandy Kay

Sandy Kay — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:39:51 +0000

When I was about 16 years sober the insanity came back… I started thinking… I told a fellow member of AA, “I’m going to quit attending meetings, I don’t need this stuff.” That’s the insanity of this disease! It talks to me, IF I LISTEN. It tells me that I don’t have a disease and it would be ok for me, “just quit all this stuff, you’re ok now!” By the grace of God I did not go back out. But when I realized how dry I was, it scared me. I doubled up on my service work, and meetings. Went back to 90 in 90, and eventually achieved emotional sobriety. I too will keep trudging this road of happy destiny.

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By: Alcomum

Alcomum — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:05:55 +0000

Finding things tough at the minute. But know they would be unbearable if I wasn’t doing my programme, service, meetings & seeking to help others where I can. I trust that continuing to do what us suggested will quiet my Mr Hyde as it has done before. Would be easy to give up. But gotta keep trudging! I know this too shall pass .

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