I have a good sponsor who is helping me work the steps, and who has a really strong program herself. Generally we get along quite well. However she doesn't get concurrent disorders at all. She's one of those old timers who thinks AA is the answer to all my problems.

Today she told me that I have too many Dr's. I see a psychologist every 2 weeks, a psychiatrist every 2 weeks, and my addictions Dr. every 2-3 weeks. Her concern is that this keeps me too focussed on my issues, because it's "your issues all the time". I see my psychologist for PTSD and social phobia, which allowed me to get me to the point that I'm willing to go to AA meetings in the first place. I see my psychiatrist for meds management, and I'm on a complicated mix of high dose meds that requires careful monitoring. I see my addictions Dr. for help in dealing with my addiction. My addiction Dr. is however not a 12 step fan and also helps me work through other issues as they relate to my sobriety.

My sponsor also feels I should not be taking Antabuse. I currently have to take it. My addictions Dr. is insisting on it, and if I don't take it, she'll report me to the ministry of transportation for being an alcoholic leading to a 6 month medical suspension during which I'd have to go through another rehab and be subjected to weekly blood and urine screening. So obviously I'm agreeing to take it. Even if it wasn't forced I think I'd still want to take it, as it provides a strong discincentive to drink and I want that safety net until I have more sober time.

She's also not crazy about the fact that I go to 3 different support groups at the hospital that i did the rehab at, again it's something to do with being too focussed on my issues. I think that the basic issue, is this hospital's rehab program which is really good, is not a 12 step program and has no affiliation with AA. As a result it's either not very well known or outright despised within AA here.

I've made my position very clear to my sponsor that I disagree with her and that i feel my recovery depends on my mental health recovery as well as my AA program.

It just feels like there are big parts of my recovery & mental health that I can't talk about with my sponsor because she doesn't agree with them.

I'm committed to AA, because it helps me, but my recovery also includes outside supports. I don't think this is a problem.

And my AA sponsor is not the only person up here to hold these views, I've heard them expressed by other people in the program. It just drives me freaking nuts, that concurrent disorders are so bloody taboo in AA. I really get why so many people say AA isn't for them.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that all of their meetings are held during the day when I'm normally working, I'd seriously consider switching to double recovery, which is a 12 step program for people with concurrent disorders.

Sorry guys. Just needed to vent.

--splitimage