Why some people fail here and some rule?

Unfortunately I came to this website after I had the nervous breakdown in 2013. So I was pretty much depressed and done with life. I couldn't free my mind of this regret of not finding this website sooner, and thus the mind couldn't focus on other stuff like a good streak.

 

In that specific instance I was talking about something relating to source and severity of addiction, but those two things definitely do play a role in how difficult it will be to recover.

 

Look man, you are confused. This is the right place for you.

 

People are different. There are many, many different factors relating to getting addicted, how severe the addiction is, and how the recovery process goes.

The 12 step process helps a lot of people and is a great resource, but it is not the one permanent solution to recovery. Some people use it and get better, some use other methods and get better.

 

The stats don't reflect that.

In AA, 1/3 of the population on average has more than 5 years of sobriety.

(There are about 2 million people total in AA, so roughly 600k-700k have 5 years continuous sobriety or more.)

No other organization, institution or recovery group is anywhere close to that.

 

I think the stats reflect exactly what I said, that AA is a great resource and helps a lot of people, but for some people a different method/process of recovery works for them due to their circumstances.

 

Ok Candun, you say the stats reflect that?

Prove it.

Cause the stats I quote are from wikipedia.

You got nothing.

 

Be careful with the wording here, I think "rule" will give you the wrong impression. "Manage" would be better, in my opinion. The thing is that the people on this site who talk as if they have all the answers are often the ones you can safely ignore. It's the people struggling on the same journey as you who are worth listening too.

There's a brain dump of the things that work for me here, and I like @IGY's thread The Rebooting Toolbox (Tips and Tricks).

Each relapse is an opportunity to learn about yourself and to try out a new technique. Read what works for others here and experiment with what will work for you. Don't give up. Don't just listen to the addicts with amazing long streaks, the inspiration and support that you need could come from anywhere.

 

You misinterpreted what I said. Not questioning your stats. Just saying they do not contradict my original statement about AA, which was positive.

I respect your opinions and passion for AA, but saying things like "Not one of those are factors" in response to my orginal post is contradictory to the science of addiction.

 

How many times are you going to move this goal post in this discussion?

 

Everything I have said has been relevant to the topic. I'm trying to refocus the discussion to the original point of disagreement since we haven't resolved it yet.

 

You're trying to refocus it? blahahah.....

Like I said, you need to be here....

 

I will provide one final explanation on my stances with 1. Factors relating to how difficult recovery may feel 2. AA as a method of recovery

I will first provide an example as to how each of the things I have mentioned can impact addiction recovery.

Cause of addiction/experiences: Similar to what I said earlier, lets say someone suffers abuse as a child. This makes them not only more prone to picking up an addiction, but it can also impact how difficult it is to kick it. This is in part due to how the experience has changed their adrenal and stress system, which is a driving factor in relapse.

Time spent in addiction/Time spent in recovery: Lets say there are two different people, one has been an addict for 9 years and is trying to go 7 days clean for the first time. The other has been addicted for 2 years, and has been working in recovery for the past 90. Who is more likely to have an easier time being 7 days clean?

Family/Environment: Having a family who knows about your addiction and supports you can definitely make recovery easier for people. Being in an environment free from stress and addiction cues also can make it easier.

Genetics: Some people are just genetically more prone to hypofrontality (among many other things) in addiction. This makes it harder for them to control their urges, thus making addiction recovery harder as well.

All these are POSSIBLE factors. Not all of them apply to everyone or everyone equally. But to say "None of these are factors" its just plain false.

Regarding AA: AA and 12 steps is amazing and helps a LOT of people, but it is not the ONLY solution. Some people find other recovery methods work better for them personally. This is simply a fact.

 

Whatever man. Continue to use at your own peril.