Are Wet Shelters a Good Idea?

I agree most people don't consciously decide to put alcohol over other wants. Most people think they can have both. When it becomes apparent to the person that alcohol is jepordizing his other goals, he has to decide whether to keep trying to find a balance or whether to give something up. Either way, it is all a choice.

I meant to say "other things."

But there are some that abstinence is the only solution.

But of course you are not one of those people.

Jews can't eat pork because God says so. That's the reason. Isn't that similar logically to how AA supposedly "works?"

I'd be cool with that, Becket. The alternatives are good because they are something other than AA, but if we could eliminate them all, I'd support it.

Exercising for physical and mental/emotional fitness is a wonderful thing. I understand that it's the most effective and a harmless approach. That's wonderful, but what if it doesn't work for some people?

For several years I was completely miserable. During that time I was able to stay clean off of opiates, although it was very difficult because of the PAWS (post acute withdraw syndrome). Time didn't heal it and I tried everything else that was suggested to me in order to find some relief. Exercising, eating healthier, therapy, anti depressants (all different kinds). I even tried ECT (electric shock treatments), and those scared the heck out of me. As you know I also tried AA . None of these did I benefit from.

I didn't want to be on Sub because in the program I was told that if I used it I wouldn't be considered clean. I also learned that I would be physically dependent on it which wasn’t preferable to me. However, I was completely depressed nearly all of the time and sadly I was also suicidal and also suffered anxiety/panic attacks. Other than my illness my life was wonderful. Happy marriage, healthy family, secure jobs. Just about everything a person could dream of having. I wasn’t rich but definitely comfortable, and I was perfectly happy being an average citizen, living in a modest home and thankfully in a safe neighborhood. I didn’t have any “reason” to feel so awful, but I did.

The very last option I had was to try Suboxone to help alleviate the symptoms of PAWS. FYI, I didn't need it to wean myself off of the opiates (pain killers), because I had given the pills up many months prior (this was after a relapse that lasted about six months). Trying Sub wasn't an easy decision to make because I didn't want to become dependent on an opiate-like medication after going through so many wd's in the past (detoxing off of opiates is no fun at all). I also wasn't sure if it would help me or if it did help that it might not last more than a few months.

I started the Sub last September (2011) and it relieved my depression and helped my anxiety nearly immediately. I'm not exactly sure why this helped so well but I was told that more and more people with refractory depression have been recently taking Sub for depression and having great results. I am one of those persons. It isn't a miracle drug and it doesn't get me "high". Sub has naloxone in it which blocks the effects of the opiate buzz, only sort of igniting my brain into making the dopamine that I had not been able to produce on my own.

I don't advocate Suboxone for others because I think it's a personal decision and one that should be discussed and made with a doctor/psychiatrist. What I do advocate for, if I'm asked, is that people strive to find what is the best for them. There are options out there and I'd suggest that people look into all of them and try the ones that best fit them personally. If it's AA than they should do that. I only hope that if they do become a member that they are respectful to the decision of others and not lie, push the HP aspect, and try and recruit.

Since other support groups or recovery programs weren't for me I don't advocate any of them personally. I would only tell people of the options that I know of and let them decide for themselves what they want. I'm a big believer in that all addicts are different, use for diff reasons, and have their own preferences to which they choose help them reach their goal.

When I was actively using and in bad shape I sought out ways to help me get clean. This is what I wanted, not a maintenance plan. I wasn't aware PAWS existed. AA was all that was ever given as an option (besides resuming using) so that is the route I took. While there I learned many things that were actually unhelpful for me, some of it was damaging to me. "Recovery" seems to have been redefined by AA's to mean complete abstinence, actively working steps, regularly in contact with a sponsor, and regularly attending meetings. I don't believe in that definition of recovery. For me the standard definition applies and that is "being restored to a former or better condition". I have achieved that.

PS. Sorry for the long, exhausting post.