not going to AA meetings anymore

I'm tired of being treated like a piece of s**t just because I have to take meds!! I'VE HAD IT WITH A.A.!

What meds are you taking? What have people said about you taking these meds?

The only meds I can think of which addiction support groups would be skeptical of is Benzodiazepines and Opiates. If you are taking antidepressants, mood stabalizers, or antipsychotics, to me it seems bizarre that you would get negative comments.

I totally hear you on that. I was going to meetings for a long time. Earlier this year, after a series of several crisis, I was in the blackest darkest depression ever. I was having panic attacks, crying all day, unable to function basically (couldn't even watch TV really). I went to a shrink, prompted by my family. They diagnosed me with major depression and ADD, and gave me wellbutrin to start since I weaned off smoking with that and had no side effects, and stratera to start so I could function at work. I was upfront with the shrink about my use history.

During this time, my "best friend" and long time AAer completely stopped talking to me. After 8 years of friendship, me taking a .25 mg Xanax as prescribed by my doctor during a panic attack was enough to not talk to me, and miss my wedding even! Unhappy i was taking medicine as prescribed by a doctor! Another AAer tried to talk me out of taking the wellbutrin. (Mind you, major depression was diagnosed due to my fixation with suicide.) They told me I would just be hooked on wellbutrin for life. I almost stopped taking it, back then I was so terrified it took several people in my life including doctors to remind me it's depression, it's medical, the pills may work.

AA people are dangerous when giving medical advice. They are uneducated by in large, they are not doctors, they are in fact more likely than the average person to not have the right answer. The truth is the medical community and AA don't agree on alcoholism. Don't get me wrong, AA really helped me when I needed it, but there are two things they did really wrong. First, the fourth step should not be worked on abusive family members. I do not, and never will, believe that I need to inventory and find my fault as a child with my abusers. Attempting to do so did not help me. Secondly, they need to not give uneducated advice to people, especially those with serious issues like past abuse and mental depression.

Some AA folks and groups can have really strong opinions on medications. As a rule, it you are taking meds prescribed by an MD, and taking them as directed, I would just keep this to myself. There really is no need to disclose this to the group. If your sponsor has an issue with it, then get a different sponsor. Also, if you are in a large enough area, try a different group. No two are the same, and you may find another more accepting. Good luck to you.

After 17 years in AA, and taking meds the whole time, I've learn to ask the idiots that have a problem w/ it when they received their MD's. If they don't have one, I'll tell them that when they get one they then have the ability to give me medical advice.

As for the meds themselves, as long as you take them as prescribed, you are okay, and haven't relapsed. At least that's my opinion.

I'm sorry this is going on. I guess I got really lucky with my home group, I swear at least half of us are taking something for psychiatric problems or have in the past. They don't have any issues with me taking medication at all, in fact they encourage me to do whatever I need to do to be healthy.

I know that in some ppl's opinion in my AA homegroup I don't have a day of sobriety. I take valium PRN and pain pills PRN for 3 ruptured discs. The reason I started going to AA is because I was a blackout drunk and smoked pot from 9am to 9pm. I have not done these things in 9 months so I picked up my chip come hell or highwater. If big book thumpers have a problem with that so be it, my drug of choice was pot not doctor prescribed medication.

Any handful of people can establish & designate themselves as an AA group. That doesn't mean that all adhere equally to the original tenants of the Program founded by Bill W, not that they are in any sense "equal" in how they're run and treat members today.
The majority of AA groups I've been part of are closely tied to the dominant member or small (tightly-knit) group that often has seniority, a strong sense of investment in the group, and a feeling of responsibility.
I've never stayed in a group that made an issue of legal, prescribed medication. There have always been groups not so autocratic, and I sought those out.
The Big Book worked for me, and sometimes if I was visiting somewhere & didn't find a healthy group, I read the Big Book. i took prescription meds the whole time. And I was 20 yrs alcohol free last March.
It was the principalsof AA that worked for me, not any group and certainly no individual's variation on Bill W's theme.
My take ...
Roadie

Agreed! I'm in BP I, a recovering alcoholic & take psych meds (including a benzo, which I take as prescribed). My sponsor is the only one who knows about my bipolar & my meds -- & I prefer to keep it that way. Tell those Big Book thumpers that the book itself states that the program of recovery consists of suggestions only. I never had a problem abusing prescriptions, but was a falling down drunk for many years. As an alcoholic, I'm convinced that the only thing keeping me sober is warming a chair in meetings. As previously suggested, perhaps a change in groups would solve your problem.

Congrats on your sobriety, by the way!

There is one meeting I've kind of "switched" to that I'm going to on a regular basis right now. It's a women's meeting and a majority of the "regulars" there are in a similar boat as I am--so they understand. What's really great also is that I see my therapist earlier the same day and that office is just a couple blocks away from where the meeting is, so I can make a day of it! Thanks for all of your support everyone!

...plus, going to AA is one reason I got denied benefits: if i can go to meetings, i can go to a job.

Too bad you spilled the beans -- & it seems patently unfair they denied you because of that. There's a big difference between going to meetings & holding down a job. When I'm depressed or manic I don't attend meetings, but also don't drink between meetings. AA is anonymous...And so is my bipolar & use of meds. I keep my business between my pdoc, my therapist & my AA sponsor. Other than that, my "defects" are no one's business.

the only reason it even came up is because disability lawyer asked if I ever had a drinking problem; plus it's on my medical records that I've had a drinking problem in the past