Cheers to EVERYONE who is FIGHTING,,,and HERES to the
ones who live each day knowing its beside them, but NOT in them!
GOODLUCK to living, and waking each NEW day!!!!!
May GOD be your light, and hope!!!

Cheers!! I actualy think I know the reason for that. NA gets alot of people who are court ordered and have no desire to get clean, of course AA has that too but not as much due to prohibition against drugs;^]

I am curious. Are you saying that you don't have any cravings at all anymore?

I have seen people that quit going to meetings and get over- confident like they don't have an addiction. That is the slippery slope into relapse.

I have worked in a dual diagnosis/drug rehab facility as an OT and I also have a friend with an addiction problem. Drugs are difficult to quit. They are stored in the fat cells which make cravings show up for a long time. They have to take it one day at a time.

I believe that there are as many ways to manage addiction as there are addicts. Whatever works for you, works for you. I've found something that works for me.. and I'm not about to tell anyone that my way is better or their way is worse.

For me... That sort of arrogance is a pretty short step to my next drink or drug.

well said bro.
!!

cravings...hmm...no. do i ever think about it? yes. do i...dream of taking a line? yes.

however, i've been clean since october of '94. and i'll stay that way.

12-step programs DO work for some...but not for others. there are many people that feel that the camaraderie and support of others is beneficial to staying clean. i have to be around those that have never been there, or are at least never going back.

i'm not willing to say that an addiction is stronger than i am. if i did...well, i would have run out and bought an 8-ball. *i* am strong. *i* made the choice to get high, *i* ruined my life...and *i* made the choice to stop. period. part of that decision is to stay sober, as well...and to stay out of situations that could cause temptation. while this doesn't affect me so much now...it certainly did in the beginning.

my mom is a psychologist...i was raised around bunches of them. mom, like many of her friends, feels the same...that the key to long-term health is surrounding yourself with people who ARE healthy.

whatever works for you, go for it. in the end, it's the result that counts.

Magic Johnson is healthy, big differance between being healthy and being cured. NA & AA has people healthy in their recovery and people who are still pretty unhealthy, the healthy act as sponsors and strive to help the newly struggling maintain a healthy path to recovery. That's where the 12 steps come in, it is a system to make yourself healthy enough to avoid temptation. That's where peer support among members comes in for the long haul, you surround yourself with people who are also facing addiction and help eachother to maintain sobreighty. Running doesn't usualy work for addicts, no matter where you go there will be temptation;^]

believe me, i'm cured.

i'm the most anti-drug person you'll EVER meet.

i have children that i want to raise...and i certainly don't want them to ever turn out like i was. ever.

Congrats on your long clean time. That is quite an achievement.

I do believe that addicts make their choices. But, they need to learn the skills to make healthy choices. It may happen with a cognitive therapy program or a 12-step program.

This can be said for any process. With any luck..the addict will still have a heart beat and find something that works..Whether it is in the rooms of a 12 step group or not.

The 12 step process we see today is not the same as what it was in its inception. The original program as laid out by Bill and Dr Bob is many shades different. This is a phenomena that happens in any organization involving more then one person over time. Depending on who you ask.. some say it is better then it was..some say it is worse. Again.. whatever works.

What I know is.. The original program had a 75% long term sobriety rate. Today.. it is difficult to say exactly..but I see maybe 2 out of 30..who see long term recovery. No matter what they do..

This is unfortunate..but probably more true than false. Many have to die for the few of us to survive.

Early on... I was fortunate enough to spend some time with a guy who attended Oxford group meetings with the founders of AA. His premise of getting the program back to what it was is something I warmed up to. It fit me and made sense, when nothing else did.

Again though.. I'm not saying it is the best way.. but it certainly is the best way for me.