Outside Issue/A drug is a drug

NA believes that a drug is a drug is a drug. AA believes that drugs other than alcohol is an outside interest although I know many in AA support the NA belief. What do yall think? Do drugs transfer? As an alcoholic am I more susecptible to addiction to say, heroin or other drugs? My *personal* experience tells me no---but I certainly have not pushed the envelope on that one. You?

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Permalink Reply by RuthJ on August 16, 2009 at 4:23pm
Well as an alcoholic, and after years in AA, i then developed a pain killer addiction, so it's all relevant, it's one of those yets isn't it. I get addicted to everything, even if it's buying DVD's, my friend is addicted to fishing and golf, "half measures availed us nothing", i can't do anything by half's, its the whole hog or nothing. I have an addictive personality, its part of being an addict, we have addictive personalities, because when we give up drink/drugs, there is an empty void, one i know that we are suppose to fill with spirituality and meetings, but a void nevertheless.
Permalink Reply by RuthJ on August 16, 2009 at 4:25pm
I definitely wouldn't advise anybody who is depressed not to take anti-depressants, because it happened at a meeting not too far from me and next thing we knew they were dragging his body out of the river. So i wouldn't tell anybody that they can't take anti-depressants, if they felt suicidal, i think i would rather them take the medication and live.
Permalink Reply by Kristy P. on October 4, 2009 at 7:52pm
Bruce J said:
If we look at a "drug" as A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function., then so is sugar, caffeine and an abundance of other foods we intake daily (some of us).

Personally and IMHO, that NA statement of a drug is a drug is a drug is a ridiculous statement and I've never paid it any attention over the years. If I were ever going to relapse, I can tell you absolutely it will be on black russians and not some pill. I was a 100% drinker ... an alcoholic totally. In this past 2 1/2 year journey of mine, I've been put under general anesthesia 11 times with at least one more surgery currently being scheduled soon for the cancer in my lung. There was not one time in the hospital or at home afterward where taking pain killers ever raised the thought of having MORE. Never. I took what was prescribed, as prescribed only for the time I needed to. There was no "high" to them, no thought of "more would be better" or any other addictive thought.

Now, if one were a pill addict, that could probably be a problem. But to equate pills to alcohol is a total misstatement in my opinion.

Good topic Kismet )
Permalink Reply by Kristy P. on October 4, 2009 at 7:53pm
I have always heard it said that it is not "what" or "how much" we used, it's "what it did for us when we used" to me we all have the same problem and the same solution.

Kristy P. said:
Bruce J said:
If we look at a "drug" as A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function., then so is sugar, caffeine and an abundance of other foods we intake daily (some of us).

Personally and IMHO, that NA statement of a drug is a drug is a drug is a ridiculous statement and I've never paid it any attention over the years. If I were ever going to relapse, I can tell you absolutely it will be on black russians and not some pill. I was a 100% drinker ... an alcoholic totally. In this past 2 1/2 year journey of mine, I've been put under general anesthesia 11 times with at least one more surgery currently being scheduled soon for the cancer in my lung. There was not one time in the hospital or at home afterward where taking pain killers ever raised the thought of having MORE. Never. I took what was prescribed, as prescribed only for the time I needed to. There was no "high" to them, no thought of "more would be better" or any other addictive thought.

Now, if one were a pill addict, that could probably be a problem. But to equate pills to alcohol is a total misstatement in my opinion.

Good topic Kismet )
Permalink Reply by Jeff M on October 10, 2009 at 6:57am
Anything that alters your state of consciousness should be avoided. To be sober, you must free of all substances. I am an alcoholic who abused drugs...but my addiction was alcohol. I think every alcoholic - at least those I know - would not condone somebody smoking pot and calling themselves sober in AA.
Permalink Reply by kismet on October 10, 2009 at 4:17pm
I have heard some NA members use the phrase "Being clean means never having to say you're sober". The implication, of course, is that AA members are only interested in refraining from alcohol rather than other drugs. Although I have met a few who feel this way, the vast majority of AA folks I have met believe in refraining from all mood altering drugs( other than coffee and cigarettes....;-)
Permalink Reply by Scott Richardson on November 8, 2009 at 4:20pm
People who think AA's singleness of purpose means we can't talk about drugs in a meeting or elsewhere misunderstood something along the way. It means only that a pure addict without a desire to stop drinking and an alc9oholic can't have a closed meeting and call it AA. Drugs are talked about several places in the BB. I'll go with Bill, Bob, Paul O. and several others who talk opening about drugs other than alcohol. We need to let folks know what we are talking about is absolute abstinance. Drugs are a backdoor to alcohol for alcoholics. Experience has taught that to us many times over, hasn't it? Whether all alcoholics are more susceptable to addiction, I really haven't seen any studies. Doesn't matter to me. I am and I know it. I'll stay away from all of it. Skipped pain meds during my cancer so I wouldn't have to deal with the issue on the other side of it. Not encouraging all to do that - pain was very intense - but it is just an indicator of how seriously I take the issue.
Scott R.
Bloomington, IL.
DOS 10/2/88
Permalink Reply by SHERRY O. on February 12, 2010 at 9:32pm
This topic has certainly sparked quite a bit of intellegent thought. THank you. I truly dislike generalizing people in a group as ALL believing one way or another. (It's a great way of starting an argument in ANY program or relationship!)
I can ONLY speak for myself. In my experience, all chemicals that I have ingested over my lifetime, have had a wide variety of effects. And what has been the most remarkable, is that even any one of these, has CHANGED their effects on my body during that period of 37 years of sobriety. Probably the most bizarre is with morphine. I never abused it at any time in my life. Last year I learned that I had developed an "allergy" just within a month, to morphine. My BP drops drastically and it scares the hell out of the ER staff. The downside of this is that I have to wear a bracelet and would probably have a great difficulty in ever having any kind of surgery again. That's fine with me, 'cause I was kind of getting tired of the slice and dice routine.

I consider myself an alcoholic. Alcohol was my drug of choice. I never did like swallowing pills and I really don't care for needles...too many years of being sick as a child. I do believe that I have had an "addictive personality" since I was a very young girl...so perhaps if there had been something else offered or available during the time that I was searching for escape, that was as plentiful and just as alluring, I might just have easily gone a different direction. Wouldn't you?

Bottom line: I believe that each person is unique in their addiction(s), and that the effect that each drug has is different from one individual to another, and is different throughout each individual's lifetime. AND, even though I am considered an "Oldtimer" and sometimes get lumped into a category of old fogeys who persist in not allowing certain people to be a part of a certain group/meeting...I personally have no problems with anyone with an addiction sitting in and/or participating in an open meeting. Out here in some parts of the Midwest where there are fewer meetings in rural areas...we just might be that person's lifeline to recovery. Thank you.
Permalink Reply by Ted S. on May 19, 2010 at 7:45pm
I'm an addict who found my choice in the hard stuff: Scotch.
Permalink Reply by Mike J. on January 16, 2011 at 2:05pm


Austen B. said:
The only requirement for AA membership is the desire to stop drinking. There is a pamphlet called "problems other than alcohol" that addresses the issue fairly well.

Interesting topic. Someone already said food is a drug. True. (Especially coffee and chocolate!) What about television and the internet-things that produce chemical reactions internally?

Hang gliding or skydiving? Prayer? Watching a flower bloom?
Permalink Reply by Mike J. on April 22, 2011 at 8:23pm


Donna C. said:
I can't believe you were asked to leave. That pisses me off as it flies in the face of everything aa is about - where was their acceptance? They could have done some real damage to your sobriety. I'm glad you didn't keep a resentment over it and found another meeting. To hell with these self-righteous people who keep trying to divide everything - "women only" - "non smoking" - I can understand the smoking but if we smoke outside who cares?

velvetviolet said:
I hear ya Dwight....about twenty years ago, I traveled a lot, so I would pick up meetings on the go. And I found a womens non smoking meeting, and dropped in. I introduced myself as and Alcoholic and an Addict, and was promptly scolded for not being in the right meeting, and was asked to leave. They said it was for alcoholics only. Well are you friggin kidden me!....at least I got it two thirds right, I was a women and an alcoholic, guess they wouldn't let the addict part slide. I was really pissed off. But just left and went right into another meeting, and they didn't seem to care as long as they could smoke copious amounts of cigarettes, and consume gallons of coffee...but those aren't drugs right?
Addiction is addiction in my book...no matter what. And to ask someone making an effort to fellowship with another addict no matter what it is your addicted to, should never be an issue.
Permalink Reply by Just Some Guy on July 14, 2011 at 10:49pm
Personally i yhink if you are an alchy and u also do drugs or are an addict there is no reason to distinguish yourself or try to be "a different case". The fact of the matter is if you follow the steps and principals of AA your other problems will be taken care of too. Drugs, anger, depression, and alcohol will all fall if you really fearlessly practice the principals of AA in your life.  

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