[An article printed in
AA Service News (Autumn 2011, No. 148)]
“In response to several
queries recently from members regarding the issue of medication, this article
has been re-printed from the Grapevine [AA Grapevine May 1990 vol.46
No.12]”
“I have a high regard
and respect for AA's Twelve Step program and have witnessed countless success
stories. AA has saved many alcoholics' lives through support and sharing. As a
counselor who has worked in the front lines for ten years, with alcoholics and
their families, I am also aware of unnecessary human pain and suffering among
recovering members.
Often I have heard AA
members who think they know best for all alcoholics and perceive that if you
just "work the program" everything will be fine. That is not always the case.
There are members in your program who have experienced traumatic,
life-threatening events and who need professional help and, sometimes,
medication.
On several occasions I
have had clients who were extremely suicidal and had sought professional help.
Recently, two clients threatened suicide, and because AA members thought they
knew more than the medical and psychological professions, the individuals almost
died. Antidepressants had been prescribed to help eliminate the suicidal
ideations and acute depression, yet AA members stepped in and convinced my
clients to discontinue use of the medication. Using the argument often heard at
AA meetings, they said, "You are breaking your sobriety if you continue using
the drugs."
The two suicidal
individuals of whom I speak had been sexually abused as children by three or
more members of their families and had experienced other abuses as well. Both
were emotionally and psychologically fragile.
Those individuals chose
to drink to cope with reality and life, and to numb the pain of their youth.
Both realized that alcohol was a problem and joined AA to achieve sobriety.
Unfortunately, they had not dealt with the ghosts of the past. Trying to cope
with these feelings and to confront them is often terrifying. It requires all
the resources a person can muster to resolve and come to terms with the ghosts.
Incest survivors often become acutely depressed and suicidal.
Occasionally, because
of this acute depression and the haunting thoughts of suicide, more supportive
measures are required. In these cases, even therapy and AA is not enough;
medication may also be required. The temporary use of medication, coupled with
therapy and AA, is sometimes needed to help prevent suicide and to facilitate
recovery.
As a counselor, I must
admit that I feel anger toward AA members who practice medicine and
psychotherapy without benefit of training and licensing. AA members may have
good intentions but they can also cause more pain than they know. Members often
advise vulnerable, emotionally confused people not to seek medical and mental
health assistance, and to take no drugs. These advice givers often don't realize
that removal of tightly monitored medication may be endangering a
life.
As an experienced
counselor, I know I have more background in treating emotional problems of this
magnitude than do most AA members, and I resent interference in a recovery
process members know nothing about. I have had many hundreds of hours of hard
work sabotaged, due to an oversimplified attitude of "If you take pills, you're
eating your booze."
It is time AA members
realize that alcohol may be only one problem and once the alcoholic is in
recovery, other life threatening issues may surface. I suggest that each AA
member read in the Big Book where it addresses the issues of obtaining outside
professional help when it is necessary.
I do not like to be
placed in a position where people want to die and it's up to me to try and
protect them from self-harm. I am the person in the trenches, passionately
dedicated to saving lives and helping all people recover not only from
alcoholism but other life threatening problems. Please stop telling other
recovering AA members not to consult physicians and psychotherapists. Please
stop telling members that they are "breaking sobriety" by taking needed
medication. Please stop enabling members to attempt suicide.
Patricia B. Aurora
Colarado”
Comment: Notice the
date of the Grapevine article – May 1990 – and cult dogma is still taking lives!
We refer you (again) to the Dual Recovery Anonymous section: Medications and Recovery
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
(thanks to our reporter
for drawing our attention to this valuable article)
