As long as we continue under the current “addiction treatment” modality we will continue to convince people they are powerless. And as long as they believe this they will not see the other options available to them. We are basically giving people two choices right now. A choice between their substance and an outdated, ineffective, even harmful and dangerous “program” of “recovery” that involves going cold turkey to achieve complete abstinence for life. And if they don’t want that they are offered ‘tough love’ and a kick to the curb, sometimes for so little as a slip, until they are ‘beat up enough to be willing.’ That is the prevalent attitude of many people, an attitude accepted, and promoted in large part by today’s multibillion dollar treatment industry. This is killing people dead. -Jason Bartley
People die every day because AA FAILS 97% of the people who go there. Their favorite rebuttal to this fact is to say, “It works if you work it,” implying that if AA doesn’t work for you it is because you couldn’t be honest and willing or refused to accept a Higher Power. Therefore you failed at AA, when in fact it was AA that failed you. They make it a habit to tell people who are suffering from a mental illness not to take their medication(s). How can any morally sound mental health worker endorse finding “recovery” and “god” in such a horrible place? Why not just tell someone what religion they should be? Because that is exactly what AA is, a dangerous religious organization! So why is AA held in such high regard in the US?
Informative links:
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-secrets.html
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-Vaillant02.html
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-effectiveness.html
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-big_lie.html
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-us_stupid_drunks.html
The Free Alternatives to Harmful and Dangerous 12-step meetings:
SMART Recovery: http://www.smartrecovery.org/
SOS: http://www.sossobriety.org/ and http://www.centerforinquiry.net/sos
Moderation Management: http://www.moderation.org/
Women for Sobriety: http://www.womenforsobriety.org
HAMS Harm Reduction: http://hamsnetwork.org/
The Sinclair Method using the drug Naltrexone: http://www.sinclairmethod.com/
For Ex-AA members and future Ex-AA members:
http://www.expaa.org/apps/links/
Good video Jason. What makes me laugh is that if you tell an AA member that
you were able to get sober without AA they’ll likely tell you that you
either weren’t a “Real” alcoholic to start with, or that you are just a dry
drunk. The Dogma and brainwashing in AA is astounding.
I believe it’s an absolutely travesty for them to essentially force you to
“admit you’re powerless”. What’s the point of living if you have absolutely
no power?
Dude, It’s so nice to see that I’m not nuts. I know a lot of people in “the
program,” and the conclusion I’ve come to MYSELF, before ever seeing or
hearing it from anyone else is this: They use the placebo effect to fool
you into thinking you need them. This is just one of many problems I have
with it. What sucks is this, it does save peoples lives with said placebo
effect, however, you’d think that eventually would come a point where the
birds would leave the nest, I mean come on… I follow the one step
program… Step one: Don’t get high. I still drink completely in moderation
and have no issue with it, but it pisses me off when some program Nazi
says, “Let me know how that works out for you!” So closed minded.. All or
nothing is easy.. It’s a lot harder to practice moderation.
AA has helped millions of people across the planet over many decades to
both get and remain sober. How many people have you helped to get sober?
How many years have you helped other stay sober? Is your real goal is to
help others get sober and remain sober or is your goal just to criticize
others because of some petty or personal goal?
Either you are part of the problem or the solution. AA is part of the
solution. Which one are you?
My Mum is a recovering Alcoholic and she swear’s that AA saved her.
She has been in AA since 1996,firstly she gave up drink,but picked up a
Man with a crazy personality, He talked mega bullshite,he was famous within
AA,he loved centre stage,for a while her heart rule her head and she was
taken in with his Bull shite,he was of course just on the make,my Mum had
just lost both her parents and he was a parasite as many people are in AA
and your correct in saying ,don’t open yourself up to a audience you no
nothing about,the consequence are you will get exposed and burnt.
I am happy my Mum no longer drinks,as she was going down hill rapidly and
she was a nightmare and just used me.
I was so relieved she found a support group.
As my anxiety was relieved as I no longer panicked that the worse would
happen,Mum burn’s the house down,are forgets to pick up my younger Sister.
Listening to my Mum for the past 18 years,has kind of sent me crazy as I
agree with you,she is brainwashed that AA saved her,in my option she saved
herself as she made a choose not to drink,I happy,but i am not happy about
the 12 step program its some crazy cult some piss heads decided to write a
book on and bore the shit out of its followers and me.
I love my Mum ,but on many occasions it feels I am a atheist as I don’t
agree with the crazy statements and quotes she comes out with,she even
tried to persuade me to be a follower she found the light,but i thankfully
can think for myself,I said Mum its a cult,she laughed and said no its a
spiritual program,same thing might as well start believing elves and
fairy’s exist.I have lost my Mum to this cult,however I am grateful she is
not a piss head .
I believe what this guy is saying is true. I went in & out of meetings for
years. It’s total bullshit!
You obviously are not in need of a.a. Even worse, you are close minded.
A.a. doesn’t force you to do anything. Some people just like the meetings.
Some people like meeting with others that suffer the same afflictions. It’s
fucking positive and fucking spiritual. If a.a. causes you grief, please
don’t go. If suicide rates in a.a. members are higher than “average”
suicide rates, it has nothing to do with a.a. A.a. encourages people to
drink if they have to battle it out more. It isn’t failing to have a drink.
It just is highly recommended that the members avoid it at all costs.
Jase you look like a Viking ready for battle, killing the Cult of AA.
I am new to youtube video making(my first one went up yesterday) but what
struck me is that there are a lot of Anti-AA videos on youtube, but there
still is not a lot of public awareness of the problems/depravity/and etc.
with AA. I am wondering if those that have already made videos would be
interested in participating in an Anti-AA Film festival for Short Films.
Contact me at my youtube or my personal email silver.damsen@gmail.com. If
my email gets to be a mess, I will add a professional acct. just for
anti-AA. I like your take on the 12 Steps. How would you feel about me
taking your ideas here and add my own photos/video in a collaboration?
Also note that my sobriety date is Jan. 9, 2012, and I stopped attending
meetings regularly sometime in Nov. 2013.
You’re always going to have bone-heads that have never done the work, and
go around saying that AA doesn’t work. Counselors coming out of college and
into the field, think they can help you with therapy. A lot of these people
are atheist.
Brother you have totally missed the message of the 12 step process.
it’s not steps 6 and 7 that are baffling you my friend you seemed to be
baffled by all of them. Never mind do your own thing, but for anyone else
listening in please be careful because if you are really an alcoholic????
stuff that he’s saying here is gonna make you pretty sick and miserable and
may even kill you. There is an answer and it’s not here. AA is probably a
good place to start. It has actually worked for millions of us. No I am not
really religious or fanatical about it but it did get me sober and happy
and back in the real world. I don’t really even bother going very much
myself but I did in the early days and I would definitely recommend it to
anyone who wants to but is having difficulty stopping drinking.
Keep up the awesome vids, man! Ever looked at http://www.orange-papers.org? You
might dig it if u haven:t. Peace.
Do you have this printed out somewhere online?
Dont take advice from someone whos been drinking to help work up a reason
why alcoholics dont exist. Scary shit here man. Fifteen minutes of fame is
a powerful drug by itself.
Death Sentence? No! need to be so serIous; Here’s AA in a Nutshell for the
Newcomer:
The program of Alcoholics Anonymous is Flawless, Perfect, Irreplaceable,
Miraculous, Sacred, Holy, Divinely Inspired, Angelic, Sanctified, Singular,
the Only True Faith, the Only redeemer, the Only cure, our Salvation,
medicinal, purifying, FDA Approved, court sanctioned, AMA and APA
recommended, Guitar-God-Endorsed, Spiritual-not-religious, Un-organized,
Un-lead, Attractive-not-promotional, a blueprint, a field-guide, a set of
instructions, a refuge, a shelter from the storm, a path through the
wilderness, the high road, the wind beneath your wings, the love that lifts
you higher, a candle in the darkness, the Guiding Light, the One, the Only,
the Ultimate, the alpha and the omega, a humble and relentlessly honest,
but ultimately Simple, Answer to the Fatal, Incurable, Disease of
Alcoholism, and Only by forgetting Everything you already know, asking
yourself where your Best Thinking got you, Suiting up and Showing up,
making 90 in 90, shutting your mouth and opening your ears, Keeping It
Simple, Stupid, finding a Sponsor, jumping in the deep end feet first,
turning your will and your life over to a Higher Power, the Group, and the
Fellowship, taking a fearlessly honest inventory of Every sin you ever
committed, no matter how small, (Fear, or False Evidence Appearing Real
being the worst of these), telling another human being All of your sins,
making amends to All the people you have Ever harmed, and Carrying the
Message to the Alcoholic who Still Suffers, (after whIch you wIll be
rocketed Into a new dImensIon the existence of which you were formerly
unaware), will you be guaranteed of The PromIses of happIness and a New
Freedom from the DIsease of AlcoholIsm, (provided you pray, meditate, and
attend meetings for the Rest Of Your Life).
And If you don’t, you’ll DIE.
If you do, you’ll die anyway, but you’ll die Sober, (unless you’re too
Intelligent for this Simple Program, or are one of those poor unfortunates
who are constitutionally incapable of being Honest).
You cannot prove anything. If it works for you then stick with it.
so childish, something a bitchy teen would have come up with, grow up and
take responsibility for yourself. Your kinda like a fat dude blaming the
Gym for being fat, AA works for millions, it does not work for people not
ready to quit, which includes you, you are not special and
different..shock, horror. Sorry for being mean but you are peddling a
dangerous nihilistic message, and one full of lies and personal grievances.
Instead of mocking AA, come up with your own solution and post that.
trim dat stinky beard,get a haircut,get some contacts,get a new chair,and
get a jrb,ya bum!!!
Dude, I know literally hundreds of people in one area of one city that have
long-term, continuous sobriety through AA! AA does NOT work for
everyone…the AA book even says that they don’t have the market cornered
on recovery! As for alcoholism not being a disease, that’s an opinion that
is not backed by many in the scientific community (yes, I am aware there is
a debate about this, but most in the community accept it as a
Bio-behavioral disease because of the damage to the MDRP area of the
brain)…it’s not just an AA view. One thing you do have correct is that AA
is about finding (eventually) a God that can change your life. However, it
is everyone’s right to believe if they want (or not believe) and there are
many it helps. The recovery rates for addiction in general is not that
great, so that’s not just for AA. The point is, if you have found another
way to recovery than that is awesome! 😀 But why would someone who loves
AA, found their recovery there, and credits it as saving their life want to
leave if they are happy? There are many peeps that are happy in AA…as
well as those who are not. Those who are not can go to other more self-help
like groups to recover nowadays. If AA doesn’t work for you and you don’t
believe in the powerlessness idea then just stop drinking and using…but
just realize that some others didn’t have that experience and found AA as
the only thing that worked. Now get on with your life and do something
constructive. You seem like a smart guy and maybe you could focus your
energies on helping people who have issues with AA recovery they way you
have found…but without bashing on AA. :-D
Well Jason, at least you aren’t one of those crazy crazies out there
telling everyone AA is from the Devil and/or are part of the Illuminati!!
Haha! You should check out some of that shit…just for shits and giggles.
:-D
All this AA bashing would be valid if they made people join AA at gunpoint
then wouldn’t let them leave, but last time I checked, it was up to you
whether or not you want to be part of it.
I you slip you lose all your time? LOL it’s not a contest. You have to
come back with your tail tucked? Yeah if you choose to beat yourself over
a slip.
Don’t like to hear AA knocked as it was the first step on my road to
recovery. I was there 4 months, listened to shares and got good knowledge
of my condition. But take my advice, get step one and get out, get back in
to the world and find some hobby or activity to fill the hole left by the
drinking. If you have spiritual needs go to a church at least there they
will not keep talking about drink, and it is a sober, understanding
environment also.
I have been sober 7 years using these methods and have helped two people in
my street to get sober the same way, both have been dry for 6 years.