I think it's fabulous that you are embracing all the aids that higher power has sent your way.

I don't think you have as much trouble with spirituality as you think - whatever invisible force is sending all these helps your way is something you can be grateful towards and seek more & more help from. Destined to be always mysterious & invisible except for the effect - of sending us help!

Another acronym of help (step Two) is Good Orderly Direction.

My present sponsor who like me has a MH issue said that in the programme we admitted powerlessness over one issue. In the steps we will underpin our recovery from alcoholism. These various steps will help - at least indirectly - with all our affairs including gaining better MH. They will do that by our relating them to what the BB suggests we relate them to. My sponsor & I chitchat a bit about our MH but we concentrate on the programme as suggested. He doesn't understand my physical problems at all so I have to be patient with him over that.

(I am getting stuck-into step 4 at the moment)

I think it's best, if people in AA really tackle you about your other helps, to remind them that AA doesn't have an opinion on issues outside the program and the fellowship, and that you are gratefully embracing these, just as you are grateful for all the other helps your invisible HP has sent you - home, car, temporarily some money, the ability and opportunity you had to come straight back to the fellowship & the program after your relapse, good memories of previous sobriety from alcohol, etc. The rest of the time, don't be nervous of those people - nor of the hospital people who are (out of kindness) concerned for your wellbeing vis-a-vis concepts of spirituality.

Also the AA preface states it does not claim exclusivity in relation to recovery from alcoholism.

A good sponsor will be learning from you and will show signs of it from time to time whether they are saying so or not. Here's hoping that mutual patience between you will bear good fruit!

I remember fondly a meeting secretary that sometimes reminded us of the existence of her MH issues in passing (not in detail) and that she was grateful to higher power for the opportunity to take meds, as she was grateful for all her other helps in life. It gave me a sense of identification as I was experimenting with ADs under the MH clinic at the time.

(I found with hindsight that getting manic was followed by drinking and drinking made me more manic at first then more depressed. But my MH issues were and aren't an excuse - I drank because I wanted to.)

My sponsor, at meetings, sometimes briefly mentions his MH issue & that he takes meds, but concentrates on his quest for sobriety and his gratefulness.

Both put the focus in their message on their quest for sobriety. For any variation on that they said, "but that's just me", so that others don't feel they need to stress that part for themselves.

I sometimes leave it as vague as, "I have other issues and I make use of other helps".

Newcomers are urged to look for the similarities. At the same time our diversity is there for a reason, so that a wide range of people can find identification.