Micky Has Commented About 12 Step Programs

You can read Micky's post on his own blog, I have provided the link...(psst it's in the title)

I thought I should deal with this comment directly as a full blog post because it's a really excellent comment...

Here's the comment (I'm putting it here 'cos half the time people don't notice the comments section)

Here's what Micky said:

""A recent copy of Reader's Digest has a couple of articles on Alcoholics Anonymous. The crux of the articles is that the famous 12 Steps, don't work at all. Apparently, there's no data to support the claim that Alcoholics Anonymous is successful at getting people to stop drinking. From my own experience, the 12 Steps, shut down the critical thinking section of ones brain. What do you think? Comments are welcome!!
PEACE BE WITH YOU
MICKY""

What I think about this is:

I agree

and

I disagree, too

Rather - I believe that 'The Program,' when used with some common sense, is very VERY beneficial for those who choose to follow the 12 Step Principles.

I think that Micky is right, in a way, about 12-Step programs having the ability to "shut down critical the thinking section of ones brain." I have observed this in certain fellow-members, myself - there is NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!! (I have been guilty of this, on occassion, during my early recovery-time, too - it was EASIER to just think in terms of 'slogans' during a time when I was learning to see the life through eyes that hadn't been clouded with drugs or alcohol for many years).

Don't take my words to mean that I am in total agreement with the comment, however, because I am not.

In a paragraph or so, what is considered to be a fairly reasonable set of principles for guiding ones actions in life - has been conveniently labelled and set into a certain narrow frame - that of '12-Step Programs Do This To People.'

Yes - 12-Step Programs can become very 'repetitive' and SOME PEOPLE can learn to rely very heavily on the kind of text (literature) that 12-Step Programs offer people. This can decrease their chances of 'thinking for themselves.' The way that 'The Program' is put forth, in general, it allows many people to become 'dependent' on 12-Step slogans, limitations, fellowship, etc., and, in fact, LEARN NOT TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES.

This, however, is not an indication of a problem with 'The Program.'

I believe that situations whereby people stop thinking for themselves and stop thinking 'critically,' are much more complex than just saying 'That's because of 12-Step in that person's life.'

Many, many more people are, with the utilization of 12-Step Programs, learning to think MORE CRITICALLY in many areas of their lives, because beyond a simplistic level, this is what 12-Step programs are really about...the clear messages in the 12-Step literature that I have read and learned are about HUMILITY (Not embarrassment), and learning to honour myself and my body in ways that I never knew how to do before when I used to drink and drug. Mainly, this means - "NO DRINKING OR DRUGGING," and if I happen to be having a day where my 'will' to remain sober and clean happens to be minimal and at a dangerously low level, I turn back to checking out the 12 Step Principles.

I am able to take a critical look about my actions, behaviors, attitudes and thoughts and not just run to a 12-Step meeting, recite slogans and such. I'm not the best 'spokesperson' of the program, according to many 'die-hard' followers, because I REFUSE TO NAG others about going to meetings, reading thier books, etc. The way that each person internalizes 12 Step literature and principles is very INDIVIDUAL, and I have no right to press on someone who doesn't want to look more critically and intensely at 12-Step principles and utilize their value.

I truly believe that if I rely on 12-Step so much that, on a steady basis, I HAVE TO BE AT A MEETING 'X' amount of times per week OR else relapse - then I am only acting upon 'The Program's' WORST ASPECTS...the very ones mentioned by Micky -

Thanks for the great comment post, Micky - it never hurts to QUESTION what our beliefs are, how we use the things we know, how we react to things in life.

After all - it's our BELIEFS that are important, right? They form our set of standards for ourselves, help us decide what our 'ethical make-up' will be. If our beliefs revolve around 12-Step principles, and we use these principles well, there should be little problem in the way that we live life.

If we use ANY principles wrongly, then we are lost, right?

Wouldn't this include - the principles of being a good psychologist or doctor or anything? A lawyer or even a general labourer can also stop using their critical thinking process. A lawyer may refuse to 'practice' business in new ways as modern world and business practices change. A doctor may refuse to believe in or may simply be unaware of a new medical breakthrough that occurs in our modern day, yet he/she is still following a set of 'sound principles' that has worked for years. The lawyer or the doctor may have stopped using their critical thinking skills to question their present principles...it happens in all kinds of situations, not just with recovering alcoholics - and not just with 12-Step programs.

Again, Micky, thank you for the comment - which has made me think very hard about how I would 'sum up' a definition of '12-Step Program.'

Ultimately, I cannot 'sum-it-up' nicely, but your comment made me realize how often we do attempt to sum up whole sets of principles all down to a few sentences - and then we also make judgments on those statements that result.

I hope to hear from you again!

teeray~~

Biological Elements of Addiction - Example

I found a site called "Addiction Science Network" that has graphics showing what happens in the brain when someone uses Heroin or Cocaine.

Addiction Science Network - A Biological Basis of Addiction

The first animation shows an example of 'normal' dopamine activity in the brain. A second example is given afterward to show - again with animations - how dopamine activity is changed when drugs are present in the brain.

The rest of the page explains 'the role of dopamine in motivation and reward.'

To switch emphasis about 'Motivation' back to being motivated about 'Recovery,' here are some comments about staying clean and dealing with addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Set realistic goals.
Love yourself enough to believe you deserve to accomplish change in your life.
Visualize successful change.
Reinforce self success, not matter how small.
Be committed to personal health and self-satisfaction to attain and sustain change.
Realize that changing for the better is a life-long process, not a single, important event.
Devote energy, effort, sustained vigilance, and personal sacrifice.
Meditate often - if you don't make this time for yourself, nobody else will.
Accept personal responsibility for problem behavior and circumstances.
Believe that only through personal efforts can a problem behavior be changed.
Break big goals into small parts that can be reasonably attained.
Make goals that are quantifiable - measure-able - and KEEP TRACK of them.
If your goals are complicated, make sub-goals, to ensure that you can keep on track.
Accept that change of old habits is a lifelong process.
Replace old habits with new, healthy habits so that old habits have no nest to return to.
Remember that failure is not an end result of all things - failure provides a lesson.
Realize that the efforts to change do not end once initial cessation of old behaviors is attained.
Believe that a work-oriented recovery lifestyle model is a lifelong process.
Sustain the change in problem behaviors.
Transform failures into knowledge of things you've already done that didn't work.
Stop repeating things that don't put out healthy results.
Commit to a lifelong contract of behavior change.

The Prayer of Saint Francis

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!Where there is hatred, let me sow love;Where there is injury, pardon;Where there is discord, harmony;Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light, and Where there is sorrow, joy. Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."

Old Timer's Prayer

Lord, keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details - give me wings to get to the point.

I ask for the grace to listen to the tales of others pains.

Help me to endure them in patience.

But seal my lips on my own aches and pains - they are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet.

I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people.

And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all - but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends in the end.

Of Tantamount Importance Pt 3 - Conclusion

Alright, so the dreaded (and dumb, in my opinion) joke is past.

*whew*

Back to the study:

The German study conducted to determine differences in how recovering addicts/alcoholics differ from 'healthy' people regarding 'HUMOUR' - basically tells us that

Recovering addicts often have trouble with processing 'humourous' material!

(Sometimes) Addicts Can't Take A Joke.
(Sometimes) Addicts Don't 'Get' Jokes.
(Sometimes) Addicts don't find things 'funny' that other people do.

The areas tested in the research all involve skills that people use to interpret and understand jokes. Aside from 'mood,' all of the other areas imply that:

An addict's intellectual ability, skewed from abusing substances, is less intellectually tuned to figuring out 'joke material, and...

An addict's memory, skewed from abusing substances, is less capable of drawing on 'previous' information learned - that might assist the addict to 'get the joke'

An addict's psychomotor skills, in question - damaged from substance abuse, are less capable of assisting an addict in the realization of 'punch lines.' You may not think that this 'more physical' area tested wouldn't have anything to do with 'brain-work' but IT DOES because...Psychomotor skills include - INPUT FROM THE EYES, so that external data can be entered to become part of 'brainwork' and the thinking process! An addict's poor 'mentalizing' ability hinders the process of interpreting jokes!

In short - recovering addicts have quite a few damaged areas (even if known only to be scant measures of mental impairment) that fog their ability to see humour as healthier people see humour!

Now that this is known, it's not the end of the world! I thought it was, at first, but after some 'problem-solving,' I realized that if recovering addicts - as well as 'healthy' individuals just keep this information in mind, the addict can learn to think differently by NOT RELYING on only deficient parts of their make-up while healthier people can, if they're aware that the joke they are telling is being processed by a recovering alcoholic, GIVE THE ADDICT MORE TIME for sorting the joke out........and more importantly - BE CALM if the addict is unable to see the humour right away.

Maybe addicts will have to resolve to allow other people to find certain jokes FUNNY even if they don't appreciate the same joke - instead of thinking 'that joke was stupid and that person who thought it was funny - is actually pretty weird (or has a weird sense of humour).'

All in all, if we all agree to disagree, we can all get along, funny or not funny!

How does this further related to addiction, recovery, or this blog - where 12-Step information is ALL OVER THE PLACE?

Well...

Bill W. and Doctor Bob do, in fact, mention in a few places in The Big Book - not to take our addict selves too seriously - but I believe these messages are often overlooked and dwarfed by more graphic wording in The Big Book.

Maybe Bill and Doc Bob were ON TO SOMETHING (that they couldn't properly define in one spot during their time).

Maybe Billy and The B. Doc were trying to say, in a totally non-scientific-non-German-research type of way that:

"Hey heads up! ADDICTS DONT PROCESS HUMOUR THE SAME WAY AS OTHER PEOPLE SO HEADS UP - You'll have to WORK ON IT." (K.I.S.S. version)

Maybe Bill and Doc Bob were (doh) letting fellow-alcoholics KNOW that we often don't understand humour or see humourous content because OUR MINDS process things in a serious fashion...due to long-term damage from our substance abuse. Fellow alcoholics aren't at fault by way of 'character' but by way of physiology - as is supported by the German research.

So, recovery suggestions NOT TO TAKE THINGS SO SERIOUSLY all the time and to DEVELOP A SENSE OF HUMOUR - really are of tantamount importance, aren't they?

(even if the joke is awful)

The 'Anti'-12 Steps (for active addicts)

1. I declared that I had complete and total control over my drug use and that I can completely manage my life and still use drugs.

2. Came to know that I needed no one and that drugs would help me maintain my happiness and sanity

3. Made a decision to harness the benefits (as I understand them) of any substance I chose to use.

4.Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of all others.

5.Admitted to no one, including myself, any of my wrongs, no matter how evident.

6. I became entirely ready to defend, excuse, and justify my actions, using personal attacks on others (if necessary), and to minimize any mistake I may make.

7. Boldly declare that I have no shortcomings (while secretly believing that anything bad I ever did could not be forgiven).

8. Made a list of all persons that had (or that I thought had) harmed me and searched for opportunities to "collect" on those debts.

9. Collected whatever I felt that I am "owed", whenever possible regardless of the fact that doing so may cause injury or pain to someone else.

10. Continued to take an inventory of others "wrongs" against me and promptly collected on them whenever possible.

11. Sought through experimentation, "expert opinions", partying, and the advice of my using friends, a better, stronger, and longer high. I search only for more knowledge of how and what to use, and the means to do so without consequences.

12. Having an enjoyable experience from the use of drugs, I tried to carry this message to other suffering sober people to lead them to practice these principals in all their affairs with me.

Clean Time Calculator Says...

The Pigs In Space "Clean Time Calculator" says that I have been 'clean' for:

1195 Days

Check out the 'Clean Time Generator' links at the right.

I placed a few links there - just in case one of them is 'down for maintenance' at some point when somebody really, really REALLY needs to check out their number of 'clean time' days!

Apparently, according to the "Recovery Greetings" cleantime calculator, 1195 days would work out to over 103million heartbeats since I last had a drink, and close to 24million breaths.

I think those last figures are WRONG haha - 'cos I had a LOT OF PANIC ATTACKS when I first quit drinking. My heart was doin' double-time and so was my breathing...

Oh well - the 'Recovery Greetings' Clean Time Generator is pretty neat anyway! Try It!

Al-Anon Questions

Those who don't drink but who are around active alcoholics often develop behaviors and attitudes that make their situation or their relationship with the active alcoholic worse. Even though non-drinkers are not at fault and every 'drinker' makes his or her own choices on the matter of whether they drink or not, non-drinkers often need some support.



Answer either yes or no to each of the following questions:

1. Do you worry about how much someone else drinks?

2. Do you have money problems because of someone else's drinking?

3. Do you tell lies to cover up for someone else's drinking?

4. Do you feel that drinking is more important to your loved one than you are?

5. Do you think that the drinker's behaviour is caused by his or her companions?

6. Are meal times frequently delayed because of the drinker?

7. Do you make threats, such as "If you don't stop drinking, I'll leave you"?

8. When you kiss the drinker hello, do you secretly try to smell his or her breath?

9. Are you afraid to upset someone for fear it will set off a drinking bout?

10. Have you been hurt or embarrassed by a drinker's behaviour?

11. Does it seem as if every holiday is spoiled because of someone's drinking?

12. Have you considered calling the police because of drinking behaviour?

13. Do you find yourself searching for hidden liquor?

14. Do you feel that if the drinker loved you, he or she would stop drinking to please you?

15. Have you refused social invitations out of fear or anxiety?

16. Do you sometimes feel guilty when you think of the lengths you have gone to in order to control the drinker?

17. Do you think that if the drinker stopped drinking, your other problems would be solved?

18. Do you ever threaten to hurt yourself to scare the drinker into saying "I love you" or "I'm sorry"?

19. Do you ever treat people (children, employees, parents, co-workers, etc.) unjustly because you are angry at someone else for drinking too much?

20. Do you feel there is no one who understands your problems?


If you've answered 'yes' to a significant number of these questions (5 or more), you might consider finding out more about how to help yourself and learn to set boundaries with the person in your life who is drinking.

Here's the Al-Anon / Alateen site which has information for spouses, children, parents and friends of alcoholics:

Al - Anon / Alateen

Twelve Traditions

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.

5. Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

---These were taken from my 'A.A. Big Book.'