Al-Anon Escapee

Linton's picture
Submitted by Linton on Mon, 07/02/2012 - 15:48

Forums:

Boy am I glad I found this site (sight). Strangely enough it was something that James Randi had said about the dangers of " magical thinking " that woke me up. I started Al-Anon as a relatively rational Agnostic who had a family, a mortgage, a car and five years later I'm unemployed, single and afraid to work in an " alcoholic " environment, which quite frankly is not good for a musician. I did make some good friends though and learned some good practical tips, it was the steps that screwed me over. That's the trouble with being in a cult, you have no idea you're in one at the time. I feel duped, but I'm ready to go out into the actual real world and exercise my own power. My ex wife still drinks, and at one time I'd have loved her to go to AA, but over the last year or so, the very thought of it sat uncomfortably with me, and I guess I now know why. My ex gf ( I apologise - I introduced her to 12 step) is 3 years " sober " in AA and let's just say I don't maintain contact. There's nothing more insane than a mad saint. I'm sure I'll be an active contributor to this forum, and I love the rational, scientific, evidence based approach to things. Thank-you " Orange ".

NoAAUK's picture

NoAAUK

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:48

"Boy am I glad I found this site (sight)."

Yes you start to see it all clearly because the Orange Papers is the truth

Welcome

......and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Matthew 24:11

live_free_or_die's picture

live_free_or_die

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 15:22

Welcome Linton. I am glad you got your sight back.

Cunning, Powerful and Baffling ( the 12 steps, that is )

Magic Incorporated
http://www.wegrokit.com/jmwami.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic,_Inc.

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

Notinkansasanymore

Wed, 07/04/2012 - 02:58

Welcome Linton. It's good to have al-anon discussed. How could going to cult meetings possibly help your wife/ex-wife? There is nothing in the BB about stopping drinking. All she would have been told to do would be to go to meetings (therefore putting herself in possible danger), read the BB and get a sponsor. Who would tell her to go to meetings, read the BB, etc.

becket's picture

becket

Wed, 07/04/2012 - 03:04

Linton, a musician who is sober can go anywhere s/he wants, including bars, nightclubs, parties, anywhere where other people are drinking. Same for any other profession. But you say you're an AlAnon. What would be the problem for an AlAnon musician to go where alcohol is served?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Linton's picture

Linton

Wed, 07/04/2012 - 18:16

I was that scared I would be " infected with the illness ", plus being told I was a " dry drunk " by an AA member increased my fear. 12 Step certainly makes you mad. Just picking up the pieces now. I sent Agent Green a little email too, thought I'd give him an Al-Anon perspective on 12 step insanity. I can't thank " Orange " enough.

Linton

Clara's picture

Clara

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 11:51

I know plenty of Alanons that drink.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

becket's picture

becket

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 12:17

Why would someone tell you that you were a dry drunk?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Free

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 18:23

Similarly, I was convinced/ persuaded/manipulated into attending another 12 step fellowship, in addition to AA, to free myself from a defect that was blocking me from the 'sunlight of the spirit'. This particular fellowship places even more of an emphasis on starting the steps immediately, daily phone contact with a sponsor, and a requirement of at least 4 outreach calls a day. Perhaps it was the extremism in this fellowship that enabled me to clearly see the lunacy of 12 step generally. Am I engaging in self pity? I don't think so. Undoubtably, I was manipulated by a therapist that I had already developed trust in - there was some kind of breach there. Some of us come in vulnerable and if not broken, maybe just a bit cracked. We can be convinced that 'self will' has got us nowhere and that we need to surrender, listen, yield, do as we're told ...

Linton's picture

Linton

Fri, 07/06/2012 - 05:23

I've only been on here a few days and I'm already aware of these " trolls ". From now on, when I experience any confusion on this site, I'll know why. I can plough through the vast quantity of material written by Agent Orange and it all makes perfect sense, yet some of the forum posts are "baffling". I'm enjoying my " Rational Awakening ".

Linton