Happy1

Welcome to the forum. I agree with your sentiments.

I've posted a fair bit at SR and copped (more than!) my fair share of abuse. Not a big deal for me - I think if you go onto somoene elses turf with differing views that a few people may get their feathers ruffled - same in any walk of life.
I'm interested in posting there because I want to learn more about alcoholism - I'm sceptical about many things in life, but I do know that the best way to stop learning is to restrict your dialogue to people who all hold the same views as you. I do try to be as polite and respectful as possible, but I'm human - sometimes I'll react and come out swinging when four or five people have piled into me with haymakers

Back on 'home turf' I may vent a little - again no big deal - think of it like coming home from the office after a bad day

My major reservation about SR is not the people (I don't expect to agree with lots of them, and look hard enough anywhere and you'll always find an asshole ), but the moderating style. Threads locked, warnings when you ask a simple question - blanket deletion of long posts because a mod doesn't like one word or one sentence (change the word or sentence for Gawds sake!). Thankfully, that isn't the moderating style here and long may it remain that way.

Thanks for your replies.

I just wanted to run the idea up the flagpole.
FWIW I've had much the same response from AAers over the years too: 'he/she/they started it'.

Genuinely and seriously, I just feel sorry for all those caught in the middle.

Best of luck to all of you

Happy1:

Thanks for posting. I can see that you are sincere. And I agree, it is a shame that people are caught between the bickering/fighting. The bottom line is that we should all be THRILLED for anyone who climbs out of the hole, regardless of how they do it.

Take care and my best to you.

Nick

Let your method stand on it's merits. Forget battles.
If you really believe in something, the very best way to sell it is by your actions.

Happy 1 -- Wise words. We started this board in part because at another large board, MyWayOut, we started discussing TSM and it incited some controversy. So this became our little safe haven where we could learn and share and support one another through the process.

There are times when we vent about other methods we have heard about or experienced. We forget that our comfy little clubhouse is out there for all the world to see.

This was driven home a few weeks ago when someone from MWO (who seems to enjoy a good game of "Let's you and him fight") cut and pasted comments from here, waaaayyy out of context, as evidence that we here are hostile to the use of baclofen, which is sooo not true. It's just that we have chosen another way.

I have made some very hostile remarks about Rational Recovery, which might offend some poor soul who fell into that miserable modality (see?).

This board will remain our safe haven. The price we pay for the word getting out about TSM is that we are no longer the closed community we sometimes imagine ourselves to be. I'm willing to take the risk someone will be offended when I express myself freely here.

But I would never dream of going onto another board and being confrontational, and I am absolutely certain no one else here would do that either. For those willing to catch some flak by venturing into new territory, more power to you. We've reached something like .0001% of those who could use our good news.

Hi all. I wish you well in what is clearly the best treatment we have so far out there for pure alcoholism.
I so completely understand your frustration at getting this treatment more widely known and available and the irrational 12 steppers on sober recovery and the old ideas that stand in the way guarded by the minority but highly influential bleeding deacons of AA.

I hope you are not going to be brainwashed by the likes of Ago. I don't have the stomach to post on there anymore so I suggest you read orange papers which highlights the cult tricks he is using and then make your own mind up.

He has used the cult trick of trying to invalidate everything I say because I have had a relapse. It works well in AA because all the people with long term sobriety who are in AA agree with AA. The ones with long term sobriety who disagree with AA have left or are not brave enough to take on the core philosophy and its beeding deacons. as a result it works in the AA dominated soberrecovery forum.

My concern is alcoholics his concern is the church of AA. Please don't do what Ago suggested and keep taking and your medication. Be aware also that he said AA helps stop people committing suicide. A survey by george vallient actually showed it increased the rate of suicide.

I have seen people spew out self hatred of themselves as alcoholics that they have learned from the big book and its bleeding deacons (see agos posts quoting the bb) only to attempt to commit suicide days later. Its ugly.

Thanks Kurt. Really, thank you.

I'm curious, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what medication are you on for your depression that interacts with alcohol? Almost all medications (they say) interact with alcohol but the interaction either doesn't really exist or usually isn't that bad. <--Just my experience -E

edit: oh and don't worry about 1-4, probably the most objective mind we have around here. He can't even be brainwashed by us, he'll follow it through to the end and if it doesn't work he'll realize it and try something else.

Hi kurt

thanks for posting. I'm familiar with orangepapers - I was just too polite to mention it over there! LOL

welcome to TSM by the way. As loop said, don't fret about me - I'm a big lad and can look after myself

Thank very much for the welcomes.

Loop: I am on a SSRI and yes its actual interaction with alcohol is minimal at low levels and from personal experience haven't noticed much when actually drinking. Think some of the older medications used for anxiety/depression reacted more badly with alcohol.

What I was trying to say is with large amounts of alcohol that I drink, according the doctor it negates the effect of the anti depressant, maybe not directly I don't know.

From my experience the way I am seeing it at the moment my relapses occur when I am incredibly traumatised with some form of depression/anxiety. I then use alcohol to self medicate. I seem need large doses for it to work. And boy does it work.

The problem is I wake up the next morning with anxiety/depression even worse than the original anxiety and depression that drove me to drink in the first place so I continue drinking.

one for the road: yes agree from reading your posts don't think you are in much danger of becoming brainwashed. keep up the good work. As a mathematics graduate I find agos latest attempts at describing the 12 steps as mathematical, laughable.

I guess I've missed out on all the drama at SR (got enough at home!)

I find it interesting when people who all have the same goal -- to not be a slave to alcohol -- will diss another's way to achieve that. I don't get it. I'm all for what works. AA didn't work for me, so now I'm trying this. I have seen positive results (less drinking, no more negative consequences as a result of my drinking), and while I cannot say I'm "cured" yet, I am seeing progress. Even my husband has noticed, and he was totally against this program in the beginning. So, if this is what works for me, I'm in. If it doesn't, I'll try something else.

I applaud ANYONE who can spit in the face of alcohol addiction and stay there, however they achieve it.