Guest guest Posted January 18, 2001 Report Share Posted January 18, 2001 The question set me thinking. One thing I always felt about AA was that it was very tailored to a (particular) male perspective e.g. very hierarchical and supportive of a " great-war-story " , " pub-type " of drinker etc. Although I was quite big on consumption(!) that model wasn't me - I often felt a greater empathy with what was assumed to be more a " female " type of drinking. I have heared this described in derogatory way by (male) AA's as " lace curtain alcoholism " plus I had a rather macho posturing sponsor who always got in his dig about " Our stories being very different " , whenever I shared. lol On searching the web for non 12-step organisations I have been rather impressed by the ideas of " Women for Sobriety " . It seems to describe a lot of *my* relation to acoholic drinking and now current thinking. Anyone given WFS a try? I'm the wrong sex! - I think there is now an MFS though? Mack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2001 Report Share Posted January 18, 2001 Hi Mack When AA's go on about genetic theories of alcoholism, they neglect to mention that one of its chief adherents Cloninger, posited two types of alcoholism, a bvery severe " male-limited " that was primarily genetic and only occurred in males, and " milieu-limited " that occurred in both sexes and was primarily caused by environmental influences. All women have the milieu-limited variety and jence are different from male AA members who tend to be, or talk themselves into being, the make-limited type. Another way of looking at this is an obscure nosological system that I draw attention to aoccasionally. That is addiction as " Hedomism " - to get loaded - or as " Nurturance " - to soothe. Males tend to do the former and females the latter. Alcohol can be used in either fashion. The early AAs were almost certainly all the male-limited " Hedonsitic " type and the 12-step program reflects this; something like Kasl's 16s-tep program might be more appropriate for " Nuurturants " . P. > The question set me thinking. One thing I always felt about AA was > that it was very tailored to a (particular) male perspective e.g. > very hierarchical and supportive of a " great-war-story " , " pub-type " > of drinker etc. Although I was quite big on consumption(!) that model > wasn't me - I often felt a greater empathy with what was assumed to > be more a " female " type of drinking. I have heared this described > in derogatory way by (male) AA's as " lace curtain alcoholism " plus I > had a rather macho posturing sponsor who always got in his dig about > " Our stories being very different " , whenever I shared. lol > > On searching the web for non 12-step organisations I have been rather > impressed by the ideas of " Women for Sobriety " . It seems to describe > a lot of *my* relation to acoholic drinking and now current thinking. > Anyone given WFS a try? I'm the wrong sex! - I think there is now an > MFS though? > > Mack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2001 Report Share Posted January 18, 2001 Hi Mack When AA's go on about genetic theories of alcoholism, they neglect to mention that one of its chief adherents Cloninger, posited two types of alcoholism, a bvery severe " male-limited " that was primarily genetic and only occurred in males, and " milieu-limited " that occurred in both sexes and was primarily caused by environmental influences. All women have the milieu-limited variety and jence are different from male AA members who tend to be, or talk themselves into being, the make-limited type. Another way of looking at this is an obscure nosological system that I draw attention to aoccasionally. That is addiction as " Hedomism " - to get loaded - or as " Nurturance " - to soothe. Males tend to do the former and females the latter. Alcohol can be used in either fashion. The early AAs were almost certainly all the male-limited " Hedonsitic " type and the 12-step program reflects this; something like Kasl's 16s-tep program might be more appropriate for " Nuurturants " . P. > The question set me thinking. One thing I always felt about AA was > that it was very tailored to a (particular) male perspective e.g. > very hierarchical and supportive of a " great-war-story " , " pub-type " > of drinker etc. Although I was quite big on consumption(!) that model > wasn't me - I often felt a greater empathy with what was assumed to > be more a " female " type of drinking. I have heared this described > in derogatory way by (male) AA's as " lace curtain alcoholism " plus I > had a rather macho posturing sponsor who always got in his dig about > " Our stories being very different " , whenever I shared. lol > > On searching the web for non 12-step organisations I have been rather > impressed by the ideas of " Women for Sobriety " . It seems to describe > a lot of *my* relation to acoholic drinking and now current thinking. > Anyone given WFS a try? I'm the wrong sex! - I think there is now an > MFS though? > > Mack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2001 Report Share Posted January 18, 2001 Mack, Yes there is a " Men For Sobriety " but I think their contact info is the same as WFS. I have not made a meeting yet, so I know little about it (I think I'm a bit gunshy from those AA meetings!).Hope you can get more info from this: Woman For Sobriety Box 618 Quakertown, PA 18951 Phone: Fax: http://www.womenforsobriety.org/ Email: NewLife@... _Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2001 Report Share Posted January 18, 2001 Mack, Yes there is a " Men For Sobriety " but I think their contact info is the same as WFS. I have not made a meeting yet, so I know little about it (I think I'm a bit gunshy from those AA meetings!).Hope you can get more info from this: Woman For Sobriety Box 618 Quakertown, PA 18951 Phone: Fax: http://www.womenforsobriety.org/ Email: NewLife@... _Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2001 Report Share Posted January 19, 2001 Thanks for posting the info, Sam. In the well-know European offshore paradise we call the UK, out choices might be limited re. WFS or MFS. Notwithstanding, they do seem to have some good ideas especially for those with the required prerequisite! :-) Good luck with whatever you choose to pursue. Mack > Mack, > Yes there is a " Men For Sobriety " but I think their contact info is the same > as WFS. I have not made a meeting yet, so I know little about it (I think I'm > a bit gunshy from those AA meetings!).Hope you can get more info from this: > > Woman For Sobriety > Box 618 > Quakertown, PA 18951 > Phone: > Fax: > http://www.womenforsobriety.org/ > Email: NewLife@n... _Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2001 Report Share Posted January 19, 2001 Thanks for posting the info, Sam. In the well-know European offshore paradise we call the UK, out choices might be limited re. WFS or MFS. Notwithstanding, they do seem to have some good ideas especially for those with the required prerequisite! :-) Good luck with whatever you choose to pursue. Mack > Mack, > Yes there is a " Men For Sobriety " but I think their contact info is the same > as WFS. I have not made a meeting yet, so I know little about it (I think I'm > a bit gunshy from those AA meetings!).Hope you can get more info from this: > > Woman For Sobriety > Box 618 > Quakertown, PA 18951 > Phone: > Fax: > http://www.womenforsobriety.org/ > Email: NewLife@n... _Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2001 Report Share Posted January 19, 2001 Thanks for posting the info, Sam. In the well-know European offshore paradise we call the UK, out choices might be limited re. WFS or MFS. Notwithstanding, they do seem to have some good ideas especially for those with the required prerequisite! :-) Good luck with whatever you choose to pursue. Mack > Mack, > Yes there is a " Men For Sobriety " but I think their contact info is the same > as WFS. I have not made a meeting yet, so I know little about it (I think I'm > a bit gunshy from those AA meetings!).Hope you can get more info from this: > > Woman For Sobriety > Box 618 > Quakertown, PA 18951 > Phone: > Fax: > http://www.womenforsobriety.org/ > Email: NewLife@n... _Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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