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Substance Abuse
WTF? difficult child's sponsor begins to seem really shady
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<blockquote data-quote="BusynMember" data-source="post: 611373" data-attributes="member: 1550"><p>Suz, EXAACTLY. Crack is the result of very poor impoverished individuals who can't afford cocaine. Sonic's birthmother grew up in EXTREME poverty and used crack and probably had to prostitute herself for drugs. Poverty to the extent that WE have it does not exist is some European countries, especially smaller, richer ones. Or the poor have a better safety net. We are very different culturally. In many ways, I feel it is not good for us, but it is what it is. We can't change it, but it is a cultural difference. Nobody in our government is going to make sure anyone has a place to hang his hat or food to eat...it is considered our own responsibility. I wish we took better care of our own, but this is our culture and we live in it.</p><p></p><p> Also, just the way mental illness is diagnosed and medications prescribed is different. And the reluctance to label a child across the pond, which HELPS a child in the US/Canada is different. And the fear of medications is different across the pond and the willingness to try to medicate a child who is struggling. Even the fact that some countries barely heard of ADHD or don't diagnose kids until six years old or don't really diagnose BEYOND ADHD is different. Mental illness is seen differently here and there. And our site is mainly about the mentally ill and what to do when we live with somebody who suffers from it plus makes poor choices that forces him to become impossible to live with.</p><p></p><p>The list goes on and on. Where you live permeates every avenue of life. Americans are individualistic and pretty much have to learn to take care of themselves. There is little money or help for homeless Americans. I have noticed that Europeans (minus Australians who seem to think more like us) feel very differently about labeling a child with a mental illness or giving out medications. There are other vast differences too which have nothing to do with mental health, such as the belief in God (which seems to be more prevalent and important in the US), views on politics, GOOD HEAVENS, even whether or not to spay/neuter our pets, whether college is mandatory, etc. It makes sense then that the same thing would apply to a twelve step meeting because the interpretation can be different and the personalities are different. Sometimes I even think I smell a little condensation when a European posts here. I am not speaking of you, but it has happened in the past, usually with people who didn't stay.</p><p></p><p>Since you don't post your country or even "Europe" I feel it is best to point out to the lurkers, who are probably mostly from North America, that this is NOT your typical twelve step meeting in the US. Granted, any meeting can be screwed up, but you can move on and likely the second one will be a good one. We have to use the resources available to us HERE. That's all we got, so to speak. </p><p></p><p>I am sure that, with the internet, we do have some young gamblers, but I still believe the problem with drugs and alcohol is a bigger issue with kids under eighteen. I mean, most of us gamble a little bit and nobody gets arrested for it.</p><p></p><p>The fact that this is not a group in the US, and that it could be somewhere in India where the world is so different, was my only reason for posting. Your son's experience was not the norm, at least in the US and probably not in Canada either. There are bad eggs, but in general the twelve step groups have helped many people (not everyone). It continues to be a viable and often very helpful FREE way to get help in the United States, which does not have healthcare coverage for everybody. in my opinion self-help groups are often even better than professionally sponsored ones and I speak as someone with mental health issues who has gone to both types.</p><p></p><p>And that's my message to lurkers in the US. It IS very helpful for MANY Americans who struggle with these issues. It was for me and many others here. That sponsor is not like a sponsor should be, at least not here.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BusynMember, post: 611373, member: 1550"] Suz, EXAACTLY. Crack is the result of very poor impoverished individuals who can't afford cocaine. Sonic's birthmother grew up in EXTREME poverty and used crack and probably had to prostitute herself for drugs. Poverty to the extent that WE have it does not exist is some European countries, especially smaller, richer ones. Or the poor have a better safety net. We are very different culturally. In many ways, I feel it is not good for us, but it is what it is. We can't change it, but it is a cultural difference. Nobody in our government is going to make sure anyone has a place to hang his hat or food to eat...it is considered our own responsibility. I wish we took better care of our own, but this is our culture and we live in it. Also, just the way mental illness is diagnosed and medications prescribed is different. And the reluctance to label a child across the pond, which HELPS a child in the US/Canada is different. And the fear of medications is different across the pond and the willingness to try to medicate a child who is struggling. Even the fact that some countries barely heard of ADHD or don't diagnose kids until six years old or don't really diagnose BEYOND ADHD is different. Mental illness is seen differently here and there. And our site is mainly about the mentally ill and what to do when we live with somebody who suffers from it plus makes poor choices that forces him to become impossible to live with. The list goes on and on. Where you live permeates every avenue of life. Americans are individualistic and pretty much have to learn to take care of themselves. There is little money or help for homeless Americans. I have noticed that Europeans (minus Australians who seem to think more like us) feel very differently about labeling a child with a mental illness or giving out medications. There are other vast differences too which have nothing to do with mental health, such as the belief in God (which seems to be more prevalent and important in the US), views on politics, GOOD HEAVENS, even whether or not to spay/neuter our pets, whether college is mandatory, etc. It makes sense then that the same thing would apply to a twelve step meeting because the interpretation can be different and the personalities are different. Sometimes I even think I smell a little condensation when a European posts here. I am not speaking of you, but it has happened in the past, usually with people who didn't stay. Since you don't post your country or even "Europe" I feel it is best to point out to the lurkers, who are probably mostly from North America, that this is NOT your typical twelve step meeting in the US. Granted, any meeting can be screwed up, but you can move on and likely the second one will be a good one. We have to use the resources available to us HERE. That's all we got, so to speak. I am sure that, with the internet, we do have some young gamblers, but I still believe the problem with drugs and alcohol is a bigger issue with kids under eighteen. I mean, most of us gamble a little bit and nobody gets arrested for it. The fact that this is not a group in the US, and that it could be somewhere in India where the world is so different, was my only reason for posting. Your son's experience was not the norm, at least in the US and probably not in Canada either. There are bad eggs, but in general the twelve step groups have helped many people (not everyone). It continues to be a viable and often very helpful FREE way to get help in the United States, which does not have healthcare coverage for everybody. in my opinion self-help groups are often even better than professionally sponsored ones and I speak as someone with mental health issues who has gone to both types. And that's my message to lurkers in the US. It IS very helpful for MANY Americans who struggle with these issues. It was for me and many others here. That sponsor is not like a sponsor should be, at least not here. [/QUOTE]
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