Anyone Here Have Success w/ AA?

Question

I drink a considerable amount, but my cousin is completely out of control. It's scary that he blacks out at times and doesn't remember making an @ss out of himself.

I tried to convince him to do an impatient rehab for his problem, but he doesn't seem to think he has a problem. He's a single guy that lives on his own and has a pretty good job. I can't imagine how anyone in his office doesn't smell the booze on him in the morning.

I told him I'd go to an AA meeting with him, but he seems to be a little reluctant.

Considering that this is a degenerate gambling website, I'm sure member either have been in my situation or experienced my cousin's first-hand.

Does AA work, or should he do an inpatient or outpatient rehab first? Any input would be appreciated.

Slobbasaurus · Answer

I drink a considerable amount, but my cousin is completely out of control. It's scary that he blacks out at times and doesn't remember making an @ss out of himself.

I tried to convince him to do an impatient rehab for his problem, but he doesn't seem to think he has a problem. He's a single guy that lives on his own and has a pretty good job. I can't imagine how anyone in his office doesn't smell the booze on him in the morning.

I told him I'd go to an AA meeting with him, but he seems to be a little reluctant.

Considering that this is a degenerate gambling website, I'm sure member either have been in my situation or experienced my cousin's first-hand.

Does AA work, or should he do an inpatient or outpatient rehab first? Any input would be appreciated.

SportsFan9698 · Answer

I don&#x27;t have experience with AA... but I also once drank way too much.I realized it was effecting my life and my productivity, and I instantly cut back.  It was easy for me, I know it is not so easy for others.  My criteria for drinking now is only with others... social drinking.  I don&#x27;t drink very much these days.My brother was a crack head many years ago.  He realized he needed to kick it if he wanted to live, so he put it down 15 years ago and never looked back.  No therapist, no group BS - he just put it down.I think all you need is a realization you want a better life, and some internal strength to do it.  As Yoda says... no try, DOSounds like your friend is still rationalizing.  Unfortunately, I think he will need to lose a job or crash his car before he gets his head on straight.

SportsFan9698 · Answer

This is a gamble... but we all here are gamblers. You might want to tell him how you feel. Tell him you love him but you cannot continue to be his friend if he does not make a change.

It might give him a reason to rethink his ways. It might not, it is a gamble

nature1970 · Answer

unless someone desires to quit they won&#x27;t , my best friend died of opiate addiction, she was bright happy generous had a job went to college seemed to be making it well. got into a car accident about 20 years ago put on pain killers and became a different person.14 years later she lost her family her Job her soul it seemed it was all about heroin she died in a women&#x27;s homeless shelter with a needle in her arm. how I consoled this is my friend died in a car accident, her body didn&#x27;t quit for 14 years later.point being aa or na rehab and all of it made no difference because she wanted that drug more than she wanted to quit good luck with this its hard to watch a friend destroy their lives.

BWS77 · Answer

X 1,000,000 If they don&#x27;t want to quit or don&#x27;t think they have a problem, AA will be a waste of time.

scalabrine · Answer

AA?Well the last 3 times I played pocket aces, I was cracked by suited connectors, a running flush and a gutshot straight draw. So I guess you could say I&#x27;ve been pretty unsuccessful with pocket rockets in the short term.

Slobbasaurus · Answer

Fail

Slobbasaurus · Answer

Thanks for your input fellas. I kind of figured that if he's the only one that could help himself. It doesn't sound like he's ready to quit.

I guess he needs to hit rock bottom and he hasn't gotten there yet. It just hurts because he's family and we grew up together. I just don't want to see him throw his llife away but there's only so much I can do I suppose.

Again, I appreciate the input

searchwarrant · Answer

The whole rehab process statistically has a 5% rate of success. You really have to want to stop and that doesn't sound like the case.

Guy that lives next to me just left an hour ago for is THIRD trip to detox and inpatient rehab. He won't make it to 45.

Slobbasaurus · Answer

That statistic is disconcerting.  Addiction is a monster

BWS77 · Answer

I have a close friend that has been doing AA for a while, and he&#x27;s also been in rehab 4-5 times that I&#x27;m aware of.   From what he says, rehab sounds like high school detention...   most are just there because they were ordered there by the courts.  Pretty much just people doing their time before they can get out and go back to it again.   AA may help some people, but to me it seems like a sort of cult for the weak.

benhogan76 · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by scalabrine] &#xD;&#xA;AA?&#xD;&#xA;Well the last 3 times I played pocket aces, I was cracked by suited connectors, a running flush and a gutshot straight draw. &#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;So I guess you could say I&#x27;ve been pretty unsuccessful with pocket rockets in the short term.&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;[/Quote]You are so hard to like.

TheGoldenGoose · Answer

I wish there was a short answer.There isn&#x27;t.Everybody is different.If your cousin doesn&#x27;t want to go, you cannot make that happen.BUT, you CAN convince him NOT to drive and endanger other lives.That, my friend, is where you should start.

Slobbasaurus · Answer

Thanks Goose

THEMUGG · Answer

I went to AA for about 2 years to try to save a marriage. Both my ex & myself were drinking excessively........ AA didn't save our marriage, but I was sober for 1005 days & she has been sober for over 12 years (yes, an AA success story).
What others have said is true...........if you WANT to get sober then AA can help. But they can't do it for you. I learned a lot in those 2 years, & a lot of it applies to your general demeanor in every day life. I went back to drinking but I'm nothing like I was before.
Every drunk thinks their story is unique, & that no one could possibly understand what they're going through.

The Hawk · Answer

Your cousin will have to hit a rock bottom to open his eyes.My wife just passed 2700 days of sobriety.We are no longer together.

scalabrine · Answer

Who&#x27;s trying to be liked by anonymous men on gambling website?Me? When did that start? I was winning awards for most despised in the penalty box not long ago. And I proudly wear that badge of honor with a smile on my face.

searchwarrant · Answer

Project Zero I&#x27;ve heard very good things about. AA I understand requires you to declare yourself totally helpless and over powered. Essentially stripping all dignity away from people. Personally I&#x27;m not cool with their methods and maybe your cousin isn&#x27;t either.

ironlionzion722 · Answer

You def have to want to quit to quit.  That&#x27;s the best advice. Everyone is different I have a friend who was a complete train wreck duis, lost his job, his gf, depression etc and he embraced the meetings and is over 2 years sober.  I have other friends who just quit on their own conversely I had friends and family who drank themselves to death even when they knew if they kept goin they&#x27;d die. It&#x27;s really a personal decision when is too much too much? When does someone get sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? That threshold is diff for everyone. I&#x27;ve done my fair share of partying but could always stop when I needed/wanted to.  Having a sense of  purpose in life and healthy outlets to manage stress definitely helps I think.

Drizle · Answer

For years I wanted to quit but never understood how I would be able to. It was a consistent cycle of spinning my wheels. At best I could maybe go a week. A friend of mine who was going through AA at the time gave me the Big Book. I didn't agree with all that was written in there but I did find a lot of relatable material. i also found a AA website that I used to read constantly. I never went to an AA meeting, but there were certain things that just started to click in my head and made sense. One of the major points was that I can't drink like a normal person. My body and brain does not have the mechanism anymore to say you need to stop. I may have had that at one time, but it became later that I would only stop when I passed out or ran out of booze and the stores were closed.

Now I'm coming up on 4 years sober. It was a lot of work but its certainly doable. For months at the beginning, the brain tries to rationalize every which way to get the booze back in your system.

Best of luck to your cousin if/when/however he decides to tackle it.

Rush51 · Answer

Yes, I think as other posters have mentioned a very important point ;

a person has to ""acknowledge"" that he/she has a problem , before that problem can be fixed.. You cannot fix a person that does not acknowledge their problem.

GimmeMoneyNow · Answer

Wow.....You finally create a decent thread about the K-9 police abuse, and then, just when I think you&#x27;ve finally turned a corner, I read this sad and pathetic attempt at "humor"......Instantly shocked right back to "Scalabreality"......

vetdrm · Answer

After successfully completing your AA program you are given a token ...
Kind of like a graduation certificate.

Congrats

There is a bar within one mile of that institution that offers you a free drink in exchange for that same token.There are countless tokens on the wall behind that bar.

scalabrine · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by GimmeMoneyNow] &#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;Wow.....&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;You finally create a decent thread about the K-9 police abuse, and then, just when I think you&#x27;ve finally turned a corner, I read this sad and pathetic attempt at "humor"......&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;&#xD;&#xA;Instantly shocked right back to "Scalabreality"......&#xD;&#xA;[/Quote]&#xD;&#xA; &#xD;&#xA;Actually it&#x27;s not that shocking. Any poker player who hears "AA" instantly thinks pocket aces.&#xD;&#xA;So it&#x27;s a tongue-in-cheek joke that is hardly disrespectful to the OP and for poker players only, and anyone outside that circle apparently is offended. Not surprising.&#xD;&#xA;It&#x27;s really not meant to be all that funny either. It&#x27;s just a wink and a nod to poker because he used an abbreviation in the title. Much like a lot of the stuff Hawk writes. It&#x27;s not meant to be laugh out loud funny but more observational with a twist. &#xD;&#xA;Anyhow, I don&#x27;t drink so I have nothing to offer the OP.

Hugh_Jorgan · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by scalabrine]&#xD;&#xA;Anyhow, I don&#x27;t drink so I have nothing to offer the OP.  [/Quote]You&#x27;ve been sober while posting on this site???

Anyone Here Have Success w/ AA?

Hot Forum Topics