higher power vx. suboxone REPLY

[Demandie]

You should do some research on Suboxone.  QUestion, are you an addict or just an alcoholic? Have you ever gone through opiate withdraw?
I am both an alcoholic and although I did not know it, an addict.  I got sober through God, AA, and the 12 steps.  After 2yrs of sobriety, I had a son, did not tell my dr. I was an alcoholic, and I got hooked on Vicodin.  My fault.  I knew what to do and didn't do it.  At any rate.  I NEVER understood an addict until I became one.  Please be very careful with this sponsee of yours.  Do not be judgemental.  I am a recovering addict and I am on Suboxone, and though it goes against everything I've ever learned in AA (any mind altering, mood altering drug......)  I truly understand the use of it and I get why people and why I myself take it.  You do not want to scare this person away from the program by being judgemtal.
I can tell you that if she's been on the Sub long enough, more than a week, that she is not in a "fog".  You should not deny her your knowledge and your experience, strength and hope of going through the steps just because she may be doing something that you do not approve of.  That would be going against everything you have been taught in the AA program. The point is, she's asked for help and for that, you are responsible.
Undoubtedly, sobriety will be much better for her(and me) once EVERYTHING is out of our systems, however, that is not the point.  
I so hope that you do not turn this person away.  What if you are the only "Big Book" that she's seen?  Is that what you want AA to say to her (and anyone she tells of her experience)?  THat she came to AA for help and the person she asked for help told her No?  That would be like going to church and them telling me that they could not help me because I was a sinner.
I'm surprised that one, sober for a while if sponsering,  would have to even ask the question.  Please pray about this before making this decision.
And just for the record, in my case, being on Suboxone has nothing to do with my faith in my higher power, but has everything to do with true physical PAIN. Uncomprehendible PAIN that you would NEVER understand unless you had felt it.  PAIN that makes you wish you could die.  PAIN that is NEVER ENDING for MONTHS.  Nothing, absolutely nothing like when I got sober from alcohol, and just so you know, when I got sober from alcohol, I had literally been drunk EVERY DAY for 12 years!! So it was no picnic either.
Also, how very judgemental of you to even say that she does not have a strong enough faith in a higher power.  Look at it this way, she had enough faith in you to ask you for help.  
I now am angered by your ignorance and your your condescending manner.  I truly will pray for you tonight and hope that you do a 10th step this evening and see where you may have gone wrong.
For myself, I've copiod and pasted this to my sponsor just to make sure that I will not owe you an ammends later--if I do, you'll hear from me when I get to step 9.

[worried878]

yey...we talk about a topic...ofcourse anyone with an issue that week brings that up and everone gives their point of view etc...before it is over the hour is gone,,sometimes if there is no issue...we read a passage from the NA book and everyone comments and we go from there...taalk about the past etc...no one says...i had a pill this week or I had a drink this week...just is not like that

[addictedme]

Your so right. People think that all the talk in meetings is about drugs when in reality drugs are the least talked about subject in meetings. Drugs are a symptom of addiction and quitting drugs is why people come into the program but recovery is about change and thats why people stay.

[worried878]

Drug use is not a topic of discussion in my groups  nor drinking  when someone uses they just listen or say i had a hard day or week...they do not go into detail nor does anyone ask what u took that week...i dont see any reason why it would be an issue really in aa or na...some alcoholics take antabuse...i think the original posrer was seeking info not understanding the whole stor of sub in the earlier post...it did not seem she was saying the person should not go to meetings because of it...if she is this persons sponsor...she needs to understand

[addictedme]

Your right ,,no one should be turned away from aa but no one in aa is obligated to be someones sponser either. Maybe this person believed that someone should be off all opiates before working the steps and felt they couldnt help her cause of this belief. Considering that in many aa meetings you cant talk about drugs this sounds reasonable. Remember that open mindness works both ways

[Demandie]

sub saved MY life

[puranx]

While I think suboxone is junk and worse than the opiates your getting off (just my opinion since i been on the bad side of both) No one should ever be turned away from AA or any kind of thing like that. And suboxone doesnt give all people a high or buzz. I know many people who dont feel a thing on it, except normal and not on there DOC. Thats aweful esp for the people in great need at those times. Not all of us can go it alone and make it.

[Demandie]

I understand that you may not have gotten what I got out of her post.  My biggest problem is that she had to even question whether or not she should "take her sponsee through the steps".
No matter what, in AA, if you are asked for that kind of help, you are never to say no.
It was my opinion that this woman did not want to help her because she was still, in her mind, using.  I am looking again at what I wrote and see how harsh I must have sounded.
Sorry to anyone if offended.  I'm very passionate about the program of AA.  I never want anyone to think that they would be turned away just because they were on Suboxone.

[worried878]

I re-read the higher/power suboxone post and just did not find anything negative that the poster implied...the poster was asking for information to help someone is the way i took it...no one downed anyone or any beliefs or ways they used to get clean...i thought it was a very peaceful and supportive discussion concerning tools and viewpoints on getting clean....I did not see anyone downing people who take sub in that post but i may have missed something...peace and luck with ur plan to get clean...and to all who are on the road to recovery...we all have a goal in common and staying positive is so important