Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own - Online Conference Transcript

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Glenn C., a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for ten years, joined us to discuss the twelve steps and their effectiveness. He discussed hitting bottom and how the twelve steps can help everyone cope with an addiction, whether they suffer from alcoholism, their family members are alcoholics, or they suffer from an addiction which is not alcoholism.

David Roberts is the HealthyPlace.com moderator.

The people in blue are audience members.

David: Good Evening. I'm David Roberts. I'm the moderator for tonight's conference. I want to welcome everyone to HealthyPlace.com. I'm glad you had the opportunity to join us and I hope your day went well. Our topic tonight is "The 12-Steps For Addictions Recovery." Our guest is Glenn C., from Alcoholics Anonymous.

Our topic tonight is "The 12-Steps For Addictions Recovery." Our guest is Glenn C., from Alcoholics Anonymous.

Glenn is 55 years old. He has been in A.A. for over 10 years, not only as a practicing member, but he now also serves as the Public Information Officer for the San Antonio, Texas branch of Alcoholics Anonymous. Glenn is a retired city government employee and now has several business projects that he works on.

Good evening, Glenn, and welcome to HealthyPlace.com. So our audience can get to know a little bit more about you, how did you first become involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and can you share some of the personal details of how alcohol had affected your life? (Read the negative and long-term effectos of drinking alcohol.)

GlennC: Good evening. To start out, I could see that alcohol was affecting my life and the lives about me well before I came into the program, but I refused to address it as I thought that the only person I was harming was myself. It is said that alcoholism is one of denial on that basis.

David: What drew you into AA?

GlennC: It is what is called "Hitting Bottom." Today I personally define that in this manner: It is when a person sees that they no longer have control over the thing that they value the most - as to whether they can keep it or lose it. The other thing was that after I moved into an apartment by myself, I found that it was not other people, family members, or even the job which was causing me to continue to drink. I just could not leave it alone and kept getting drunk.

David: Millions of men and women have heard or read about the unique Fellowship called Alcoholics Anonymous since its founding in 1935. Of these, more than 2,000,000 now call themselves members. People who drink too much alcohol, finally acknowledged that they could not handle alcohol, and now live a new way of life without it. Why is that particular program so successful in helping so many?

GlennC: What has been found is that because AA is an "experience shared" and spiritually oriented program - it works. It is like as if a person were lost in the Grand Canyon in a blinding snow storm and along came an Indian guide who worked for the Park Service who knew the way out. One alcoholic can relate to another in a manner that no one else seems to be able to do.

David: The "shared experience" you refer to, is it like going to a support group where people talk about how, whatever it is, has impacted their lives?

GlennC: I guess it could be viewed that way, but our book puts it like those who share a lifeboat together.

David: And, I guess from your statement above, that you are saying "you have to have been there to really understand where another alcoholic is coming from."

GlennC:That is exactly it. Doctors can look at it from the outside, and they do an excellent job, but if I were wanting to find out about racing cars I would go and talk to the drivers instead of the owners or mechanics.

David: For those in the audience who have never been to an AA or 12-step meeting, can you describe what goes on there for us?

GlennC: There is a lot. We have various kinds of meetings where people come to share their "experience" when drinking, their "strength" as they found it through working through the 12 steps, and their "hope" that it will continue to work for them, and for others. There are Open meetings where anyone can attend. Closed meetings are for alcoholics only. Discussion meetings are where open discussions are held, speaker meetings are where one person shares their story, and Study meetings are where the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, or the 12 Steps are studied in depth. There is also a lot of friendly fellowship.

David: I'm assuming that by sharing experiences, it let's others in the group know that they are not alone in what they've experienced in their lives because of alcohol - that they aren't the only one who has gone through this.

GlennC:Right, and it also reveals the true causes behind the disease.

David: Here's the link to the HealthyPlace.com Addictions Community. You can click on this link and sign up for the mail list at the top of the page so you can keep up with events like this.

Glenn, you were talking about the purpose for people sharing their stories at AA meetings. Please continue.

GlennC:Let me give those who might not know the official contact points for AA:

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Box 459, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

From the shared experiences and stories people can identify and possibly see that they, too, are alcoholics, as we do not tell them that they are. This is left to the individual.