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[george]

A.A. Thailand: http://www.aathailand.org/A.A. Thailand

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international, spiritually oriented community of alcoholics who meet in groups. The primary purpose of A.A. members is to stay sober and help other alcoholics do the same. A.A. formed the original twelve-step program and has been the source and model for all similar recovery groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, Emotional Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Al-Anon/Alateen, among others.

Until the mid-1930s, alcoholics who did not have the financial means to hire a psychiatrist or admit themselves to a private sanitarium could find help only at state hospitals, in jails, or through street ministries. The founding of Alcoholics Anonymous marked the first approach to supporting the sustained recovery of the alcoholic, regardless of their financial standing.

One aspect of Alcoholics Anonymous is their definition of alcoholism. They define it as a progressive disease from which the alcoholic is suffering. A.A. prescribes that alcoholism, as a disease, cannot be cured. A.A. believes the recovering alcoholic has no option but to completely abstain from alcohol.

Another aspect of Alcoholics Anonymous is that it is exclusively run by alcoholics (aside from 7 out of 21 members of the A.A. Board of trustees who are listed as “nonalcoholic friends of the fellowship”. A.A. believes that the relative success of their program is owed to their opinion that a recovering alcoholic has a special ability to bond and provide insight into the necessity of sobriety to the alcoholic.

A.A. literature describes a difference between an "alcoholic" and a "problem drinker", claiming that unlike a ‘problem drinker’ who may drink alcohol but retains the ability to stop or moderate his or her drinking, an alcoholic has an incurable disease rendering them unable to moderate their consumption of alcohol. A.A. states that only the individual him- or herself can determine whether he or she is an alcoholic.

Source: http://en.wikipedia....olics_Anonymous

A.A. Thailand: http://www.aathailand.org/A.A. Thailand

[robitusson]

A list intended to offer choice and alternatives to the usual routes when seeking help for problem drinking, alcoholism and addiction.

http://www.assistedrecovery.com/

http://www.secularsobriety.org/

http://www.rational.org/

http://www.moderation.org/

http://www.womenfors...y.org/body.html

http://www.smartrecovery.org/

http://www.recoveryfree.com/home.html

http://www.addictioninfo.org

http://www.unhooked.com/msk/index.html

http://www.aanottheonlyway.com/

http://www.acay.com....rcosis/yes.html

http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/DBs/RedBoo...gs/1/12865.html

http://www.sinclairm...clairmethod.htm

http://www.harmreductiontherapy.org/

[sabaijai]

Two other links for alternative views/programmes:

http://www.peele.net/

From AA Deprogramming:
Reading list.
Alternative recovery choices

[sabaijai]

The world-renowned detox/rehab programme at Wat Tham Krabok boasts a high success rate for substance abusers (including alcohol abusers).

http://www.thamkrabo...handlungen.html
http://www.tara-deto.../html/faqs.html
http://www.thamkrabo.../treatment.html

[robitusson]

Addiction Alternatives and AA
Five major differences between the philosophy of 12-step programs and the philosophy of alternative treatment options.
This comparison chart can help you see philosophical differences, but there is no right or wrong answer.

Addiction Alternatives: Addictions are learned behaviors with biological influences and cause physical alteration and neurological changes in the way the brain functions. People vary on their degree of biological propensities.
AA: Addictions are caused by a disease, a genetic inheritance from birth.

Addiction Alternatives: Not everyone with an alcohol problem needs to stop drinking forever.
AA: Everyone who has ever had a drinking problem or drug abuse history must forever maintain complete abstinence from all mood/mind altering substances.

Addiction Alternatives: You can learn to empower yourself.
AA: You are powerless over your addiction.

Addiction Alternatives: Belief in a higher power or anything spiritual is completely optional.
AA: A spiritual approach, including belief in a higher power, is essential to overcome your addiction.

Addiction Alternatives: You can learn how to overcome your addiction and move on to enjoy an addiction-free life.
AA: You must attend meetings for the rest of your life because you never overcome your addiction.

http://65.109.14.13/habit/aaonly.htm

Edited by robitusson, 2006-09-17 11:31:27.

[robitusson]

http://www.brianlync...otionhealth.htm

http://www.sossobriety.org/aalinks.htm