Follow on Google News News By Tag Industry News News By Place Country(s) Industry News
Follow on Google News |  AA and NA Fanatics Attack new Addicts NOT Anonymous Founder for calling Program a CultFounder of Addicts NOT Anonymous, Tom Retterbush, was recently bombarded with attacks of criticism and hostility by members of AA and NA for calling their program a cult.
By: Thomas Anderson AA Is A Cult Its no secret that the AA focus on submission to a higher power has broad potential for abuse, as Tom outlined in his article, Addicts NOT Anonymous as an Alternative to AA, NA and other 12-Step Programs, at, http://www.addictsnotanonymous.com/ Ego is not Evil Though AA, NA and most of the other 12 Step Programs insist on humility, many hard-core members even going as far as to condemned Tom’s promotion of the ego as evil, though he found that most people, particularly addicts need the affirmation and acknowledgement associated with success, therefore wanting to attach their names to their accomplishments. This doesn’t mean that addicts don’t ever want to do something for someone else without receiving recognition or reward, but sometimes an addict, particularly someone at rock bottom, needs a pat on the back as reassurance that they are on the right track. If people didn’t need rewards, they wouldn’t have invented awards! You can’t hide from your addiction any more than you can hide from drugs. Another point of attack against Tom’s character by the AA and NA fanatics was his public outcry for the legalization of drugs. Tom is a firm believer of, “drugs don't cause addiction, people do,” and that nobody has ever become instantly addicted to a drug. There are those who will claim that they took one hit and were hooked, but they merely liked the feeling so much that they wanted to use the drug again and again. Drugs don't Cause Addiction, People Do Tom believes all drugs should be legalized, particularly marijuana, as it would stop addicts from being criminals and becoming ex-cons. Tom believes that it is not the government’s place to dictate what we can and cannot put into our own bodies. If people are allowed to drink alcohol, they should be allowed to use drugs. It’s a matter of personal preference. It is a matter of choice. It’s a matter of freedom! Anonymity is a Cop-out By shedding the anonymous, addicts are held accountable for everything they do. Which, Tom believes, is a very important and necessary step in addiction recovery? Recovering addicts need to face their problems and quit hiding behind anonymity, instead of making excuses, being accountable with their names, faces and actions. Tom has said for a long time that the world needs more alternatives to 12-step groups so that those in recovery can have more choices. It is his intention with Addicts NOT Anonymous, to build a support network based on tolerance, approval and understanding around shared experiences, rather than the rigid, inflexible program of rituals, traditions, even secrecy found associated with AA and NA. If you would like to get involved with Addicts NOT Anonymous, no matter if you would like to help build the planned addictsnotanonymous.org website, help with the projected forum and possible chat-room, by writing articles, by submitting stories, or by helping with the always much needed funding, administration and planning, please contact Tom at the email address bellow. He would also welcome any feedback, comments, questions or suggestions to the Addicts NOT Anonymous blog, at http://www.addictsnotanonymous.com, on the new Addicts NOT Anonymous Facebook Page, at http://www.facebook.com/ # # # Addiction, treatment and recovery articles by recovering and using addicts who do NOT wish to be anonymous, nameless, faceless statistics who want to put their name on stories, articles, tips and techniques to help them overcome or cope with addiction. End
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Account Phone Number