Thanks for the topic, Robert...
and, thanks for your replies, GeoffS and Sunlight.
As I've read in the Big Book, there are different types of alcoholics. The types it referrs to are all alcoholics -- just different types.
When I was fresh into sobriety -- it puzzled me as to "why some alcoholics in AA can stay sober by simply going to meetings without doing Step work to recover."
Some of the answers that I discovered were:
1. Not everyone in AA that goes to meetings and identifies as alcoholic -- is alcoholic. Their problem is drinking -- but, they are non-alcoholic. And, for some of them -- just not drinking makes for a better life for them and they stay away from the problems that they everience when drinking.
2. Just because an alcoholic in AA is physically sober -- doesn't mean they have treated their alcoholism. They are basically the same as they were before AA, they're just not drinking. They often settle for less and compromise for less because:
a. They don't know any other way.
b. They are unwilling to "take and work at" the AA program of recovery. (12 Steps).
I'm one of those alcoholics of the "hopeless variety"... just not drinking makes me crazier than drinking. The type that "can't live with it or live without it." I believe that this is the type of alcoholics that our founders were -- and in essense, this is the type that the Fellowship of AA was originally intended to help.
Most of us AA's seem to be pretty good people at heart. We enjoy helping others regardless of their problems -- and we especially enjoy helping alcoholics and problem drinkers even if they are not alcoholic, or of the type that we are. We'd like to be of help to those who are only potential alcoholics, also. Hoping, that if they stop in time -- they might not end up in the "hopeless variety."
As Sunlight mentioned -- I also believe that it's best for me to make great efforts towards not judging anyone. That, for me, is a win-win approach. It helps me as much as it is helpful to them.
I was also told that after the BB was published and circulated, that many alcoholics were staying dry -- simply by attending meetings and trying to be helpful to other alcoholics. They were staying sober. And, they were getting better than they were... and for them, that progress was enough to satisfy their desires. I see no problem with that -- I would have done it that way, too, if I could have done it that way.
For me, semantically, I have to remember that my definitions of sobriety and someone elses definition -- may not match. And, that's okay with me. My definition of "coffee" refers to "good coffee"... and not junk coffee.
Some coffee drinkers don't realize there is a difference in good coffee and junk coffee, some don't care, and some would spit out and choke on what another coffer drinker might consider "good coffee."
For me, life would be really grand if everyone thought and believed as I do.
However, they don't. So, I've made it my business to live a life that is really grand -- regardless of the differences in thoughts and beliefs.
Dallas
