Addiction Recovery : The Journey by vibr8 Blog entry

Blog: Vibrational Health Village
by vibr8

Addiction Recovery : The Journey

spiritual butterfly v8 flits about the 12-step realms

Date: 4/5/2008 12:12:47 PM ( 17 y ) ... viewed 2656 times

Update....April 7, 2008....After doing more thinking about what I've written about in this little article below, I realized that the big huge underlying reason I sometimes feel so uncomfortable within the 12-step realms is because the whole core premise of 12-step recovery seems to require that a person remain focused on the wound. The woundedness. How long can a person lounge around inside a bloody gaping wound, anyway? It's bound to become a toxic situation sooner or later! With that in mind, here's my original article:

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Certainly addiction recovery is a primary focus here in Vibrational Health Village. Just as we can see people in various stages of active addiction (that includes alcohol since it is a drug) in our society with behaviors that cause problems for themselves and others, we can see that addiction is a neverending issue to be addressed on a personal level, when one is ready to do so. Hopefully that happens before irreversible damage is done.

With more than 10 years in recovery...this means I do not use alcohol/drugs at all...I do pretty well. I have no desire to go back to the partying lifestyle. I haven't for some time now. Getting balanced healthwise and doing what I need to do to stay that way has helped and certainly the 12-step recovery process has helped too. Lately I'm questioning whether or not to continue in the 12-step program locally. Before launching into my narrative, a few things you need to know about me are that for many years I've actively woven the 12 steps into my life ("worked the steps" is the programspeak for it) and during more than 3/4 of that time I've spent several hours each week doing volunteer service work for the 12 step program. I'm sponsored and I've sponsored people in recovery over the years. I've got most of the literature except for a few new pamphlets they've come up with lately. Basically, I still regard the 12 steps as a potentially major transformative tool for those who choose it and consciously and conscientiously follow the program.

Furthermore, I do respect the Traditions and will therefore do whatever I can not only to maintain personal anonymity at the level of press (this blog), radio, and film, but also will keep the specific name of my 12-step program private as well.

My issue right now is the age issue. While I am happy to see a huge influx of young people ~17-29 getting into 12-step recovery, I've noticed that as their numbers increase there's also a growing disrespect for people who fall roughly into my age group--baby boomers in recovery. No matter what age people in recovery are, we are all at those meetings because we need to be there. Fortunately, I am able to get what I need out of the meetings while often being openly disrespected. It is not always personal and often involves general, blanket statements.

For example, at a recent meeting a national issue was discussed regarding the chips/coins that are given to people achieving milestones of recovery. Something about Roman Numerals vs. the 1-10 variety of numbers. The whole thing was presented with such a clear age bias, with people making blanket assumptions that some "baby boomers" were "resistant to change" and would cost the program thousands of extra dollars because it was assumed they were the ones who still would like to have a choice between Roman Numerals and the other numbers. There were no facts to back this up...just a bunch of stated assumptions.

However, it was then brought up that production of the Roman Numeral coins/chips was ceased without getting any feedback at all, and all decisions are supposed to be made with group votes on every level in all areas.

Truly, this issue ultimately had nothing to do with the ages of people in recovery, and people of all ages can be resistant to change, it is not an exclusive trait of baby boomers. Nor are all people over 40 resistant to change. In fact I know people of all ages who are both stuck in their ways, and open to change.

This whole thing that was discussed in the service meeting was then also extended to a smaller group at a restaurant later, when one over 40 person dared to speak about enjoying a local University event more in the "old days." Then one of the 20 somethings remarked that "aha, this is just like the Roman Numeral issue, isn't it?"

Only for him. Only for him.

But it makes me not want to be around those people. Sure, in one way or another I'm one of them and internationally, they are a group I fit in with, in some sense. I am becoming a fuller being spiritually, and as I expand I have less tolerance for petty people who can't seem to remain conscious of the bigger picture.

Sure, the 12 step programs should be there for people who need them. I have seen amazing transformations in these programs. Amazing.

I'm just tired of the pettiness, and especially the ageism. The interlude described above is just one tiny example.

It's just so rampant, and being treated differently due to age, no matter what a person's age is, does not help people who need it to stay in and participate actively in recovery programs.

I'm glad there are supportive places like CureZone on the 'net.

Thanks for letting me ramble. Your comments, as always, are most welcome.