"Hi, my name is SUCK IT and I'm an alcoholic"
If I came here asking for help and said this, I'd be laughed at and told to STFU. I would be told I am a weakling, incapable of controlling my own choices, and that I should be ashamed of myself. Just stop, is what I would be told. Well, this sort of advice doesn't help all that much. What if I went to "the professionals" as advised by some posters, and told them this? They would respond by asking for my insurance card or my credit card number. It's sad, but true. These people spend a lot of money on their education, and expect to be paid back and make a good salary, this is just the world we live in. That's their right, and nobody should be forced to work for less money than they are worth. What if I went to an AA meeting and said this? They would say, "Hi, SUCK IT, why don't you have a seat and listen". So I would, and at the end of the meeting someone would probably come up to me, and say "here's my phone number, call me if you need any help, anytime", and then another would come up and say "do you have plans right now? want to get some dinner and discuss sobriety?" Another might question " Do you have a sponsor yet?"
Now look at this honestly. Pretend you are me, SUCK IT, the alcoholic. Which one of these options is the most helpful? Which one provides you with the most relief, and the best chance of recovery? I know the hatred for AA runs pretty deep, what I can't really figure out is why. I don't see AA in the business of running private teen programs, so what's the problem? I know it works because I've seen it work. But even more importantly, at least it's there. To be shunned by the people here asking for help, told you don't have enough money for "The professionals" help, at least there are people out there who are willing to help. They do so because they are empathetic towards other alcoholics and addicts, and they don't expect anything in return. A lot of families give up on alcoholics, and drug addicts, and it's not to say without good reason a lot of times. When you are somebody who has truly hit rock bottom like this, AA , well really the people who make up AA, they are guardian angels who are saving people's lives, in every sense. So think about it for a while. If you were desperate, and at your rock bottom, where would you go for help? I guess you could always call that guy who advertises on CNN who has "the cure" to addiction and see if that works.
