Russian-speaking groups of help to alcoholics and drug addicts in the USA: how it works

For many years now, in almost all states of America, there have been anonymous help groups for Russian-speaking people suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. Everyone has completely different stories: someone could not cope psychologically and could not cope with the stress after the move, someone had already arrived with a problem and in immigration it only worsened ... Today we’ll tell you how such organizations function and how his loved one, and is it permissible that the initiator was not the addicted person himself.

In the US, Russian speakers can get help in the fight against alcoholism. Photo: Depositphotos

Andrei's story

I was born in Odessa. At 21 he moved with his parents to the USA. Now I am 43 years old. I drank for eleven years - from 16 to 27. Alcohol relieved tension, prohibition, and was a kind of friend in life. I am in my own world: not drunk, but never sober. I drank to function: to socialize, to work, to do what I needed. If someone told me that you are good, but you can’t drink, I would answer that everything is fine with me: I earn more than my parents, I like everything.

The addict lives in his own world. And this is very difficult to understand for a person who has not experienced this. My family protected me in every way. Plus this is a Russian family. Who among us wants to admit that their son is an alcoholic or a drug addict? Everything was hidden. But one day I had a moment when I began to disagree with this life. What happened? The consequences of my use began: I lost my job at a bar, I ran out of money, problems began with my parents, the girl said she didn’t want to live with me anymore.

Further thoughts arose: this world of mine is not that beautiful, I no longer want to pay too high a price for it.

I went through coding, stitching, psychics - the so-called “quick pills”. Paid - they conjured it. It didn't work. A couple of years later I ended up in a group of Alcoholics and Drug Addicts Anonymous. A doctor I know gave me their phone number. But it took me two years to decide to call. All this time I knew that there was such a place, that there were guys there who had overcome. I continued to walk the streets and drink, realizing that there are those who are ready to help. Nobody wants to come to a group where some people are holding hands and talking about a higher power. And then all the time I waited for the moment that they would say, they say, I have to bring money - ten percent, as soon as I start earning money.

The first time I attended groups, it was very difficult for me. Physically I was in poor condition. A few weeks later I started eating and sleeping normally... After two months I realized that I was on the right track, after three I felt confident; The fear that I would break everything went away. It became joyful. The first six months were the most difficult. In total, everything took a year. I can say one thing: when there is spiritual support, physically it becomes easier much faster. This is exactly what I received in the groups - understanding. Today I have not drunk for more than fifteen years. Yes, I have alcohol at home for friends. I go to restaurants, bars, I don’t hide from life. Important things have replaced addiction. I still attend groups, but for a different purpose - I enjoy helping other people.

Фото: Depositphotos

How to get into the help groups

According to statistics, 50% of people get there on the recommendation of a psychologist or doctor with whom the organizers cooperate. As relatives or friends of people with addiction admit, the biggest task is to bring a person to such groups. It is important that he decides for himself. But is this really so? Is it possible to influence in some way and is it acceptable for the initiator to be not the addict himself, but his relatives?

“In 99% of cases, when we give some information about groups, it is first picked up by mothers, wives, grandparents,” says Andrey, who, after completing a program for addicts, began to help others recover. — Calls from relatives begin. This is a big problem: the family really wants the person to stop drinking, to change, but he is not yet ready to do anything about this, he is in his own world. I usually ask the question: does your husband or son agree to meet and talk? If they say no, it means they need help more than he does. But if you are ready to talk, the process goes faster.”

Let's say a person has already recognized the problem on his own, but he is ashamed to ask for help. There is a cliché in society that dependent people are a kind of lower class of society.

“I’ll give you an example of one teacher,” says Andrey. “She was ashamed to come, since the Russian community is very small. Similar thoughts arise: tomorrow at her work they will find out that she is an alcoholic or addicted to pills. I have friends who changed their names. People are afraid, and I understand them. We have things that protect them: what happens in these rooms stays here. Anonymity is protected. And this is the main principle. If a famous person whom we see on TV turns up, he is exactly the same as the one who crawled from under the bridge. It doesn’t matter who, the main thing is help.”

Фото: Depositphotos

How it works

When a person comes, he is offered a program that is designed to help him recover and return to his family, to his business, to work. The goal is to remove the emptiness so that the addict does not need doping. People who have walked this path share their experiences and take care of newcomers. These could be phone calls or one-on-one meetings. Once a year they organize a conference where an express program takes place over the weekend. A person's path is individual, because everyone chooses what they want.

“For some people it’s enough just to attend groups and listen to other people,” explains Andrey. “Some people go to hospitals, find addicts there, others do the twelve-step program with a mentor, and begin to develop spiritually.”

There are groups for different addictions to make it easier to identify. You can visit them at least every day. The recommendation is this: give the program a chance for 90 days - groups, individual lessons once a week. By working in this mode, people lay a good foundation for the future. After three months, the person chooses how often he wants to visit.

Help groups for dependent families

If there is an alcoholic or drug addict in the family, then all the members are “sick”. There is even such a term “code-dependent”, which does not imply that they are also abused. It just happens before their eyes ...

“I don’t like the term “codependent,” says Andrey. “At some point, parents came to us with their children. We then talked to them and suggested that you create your own mutual aid groups. Today there are such in Brooklyn, in Chicago.”

By the way, there are groups on Skype, there are lonely people there, and not only. There are opportunities for each case.

Фото: Depositphotos

The period of recovery

First you need to “get back yourself.” People who are serious about the issue understand that they need to solve this problem first and not run and earn the money they then lost, or restore relationships with loved ones ... Help yourself, then you can help others.

“There are those who take six months, for others a year,” explains Andrey. — The first year is the foundation, it is the most important. Some are faster, some are slower.”

Summary

How to get into groups? Just come or call. Everything is simple and anonymous.

If a person is not ready to seek help on his own, his relatives can do it first.

You do not pay any money.

If you don't like it, no one will hold you back. The decision is made by you.

Where to go

United information line of Russian-speaking anonymous alcoholics in the USA and CANADA: Tel. + 1 (888) 601-2261

Website: www.russianaa.com

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