AA's Singleness of Purpose

For me, AA's singleness of purpose has been, and continues to be, absolutely crucial to the program's ongoing success. I've never bought into the view that AA can somehow be one, big, happy 12-step family, which can simultaneously cure every drug addiction, eating disorder, gambling compulsion -- you name it -- under the sun.

I realize such "big umbrella" 12-step meetings do exist, and if those meetings work for the attendees, I genuinely wish them the best. What I don't agree with is when "big umbrella" advocates barge into AA meetings and demand that the AA meeting morph into a generalized, one-size-fits-all, 12-step meeting.

As far as I'm concerned, this is tantamount to a group of Pagans showing up at a local church or temple, and demanding that the location become a nondenominational house of worship, merely for convenience sake.

Essentially: I don't know what it's like to be addicted to heroine. I never woke up every day and took PCP with my morning coffee. I have never -- and hope to God will never -- know what it's like to have a crack pipe as an extension of my body. Please don't ask me to pretend that I do.

Don't get me wrong. I always feel an immediate affinity to anyone working a 12-step program, no matter what their addiction. And I also believe that if a heroine addict, or someone with an eating disorder -- or someone with any other non-alcohol addiction for that matter -- shows up at an AA meeting, they should be received as guests, and later gently, sincerely and lovingly guided to a 12-step meeting that specializes in their particular addiction.

That said, if AA is to endure, the program needs to maintain the same, laser-focused singleness of purpose that enabled the concept to capture the world's imagination in the first place -- at least as far as I'm concerned. For me, this oft-vehement controversy is really little more than a labeling issue. If you want to have an AA meeting, make it about getting free of alcohol. Trouble with coke? Make it a CA meeting. Problem gambler? Check out Gamblers Anonymous.

As for facing the inconvenience of being forced to drive a little further -- or take the bus a few more stops, or peddle a bike a few more minutes, or lose a little more shoe leather -- to find a meeting specializing in your addiction, I guess my question would be: "Are you willing to go to any length to achieve sobriety?"

-Joe@aalivechat.com