Bass Players In Recovery Club

[TNCreature]

Hi,

If you are in recovery for some sort of addiction, and feel comfortable breaking your own anonymity, then please join the Bass Players In Recovery Club (BPIR?).

Feel free to talk about being a musician in recovery. How it has impacted your life. What it was like before and what it is like now. Or any humorous stories that others in recovery would "get". And by all means, feel free to post pictures of your basses!

I will start the numbering at "00" (me), so someone else can have the pleasure of being #01.

And hey, keep coming back!

[bassguitarthund]

Great Idea!! May give some____________(not sure of the word I am looking for so I will say), Motivation for those struggling with addiction of some kind. As for me I have no problems with drinking, don't smoke or ect. Eat to much though, suppose that could be one. NOt in recovery for that though, lol. One suggestion though, you may want to have a mod move this to the bassist section? This may fit better there and you make get more responses there. I hope this thread helps others though!!

[TNCreature]

Thanks man, that is a good idea.
Wating for the move...

[dharmashawn]

A little over 4 years, No opiates or "hitting the pipe"

[garmenteros]

No addiction to speak of, but have epilepsy which gives me a really hard time and interferes from time to time with daily life. Bass keeps me sane and makes me feel good about myself and makes me forget for a while.

[Devils Advocate]

Haven't posted in a while, but having someone very close to me who is in recovery prompted me to put my $.02 in here. For anyone choosing to join this group that is a member of any 12 step program, please be aware of the fact that if you mention any of the fellowships, you're breaking the suggested traditions that work so well in keeping things together. Know also that while many people have no problem with breaking their own anonymity, it can be unwittingly detrimental to others and to the recovery programs they belong to. I heard it said once that breaking anonymity should ONLY be done if it's for reasons of helping another person, and that one should thoroughly check their motives before ever doing so. Many times it's done for selfish or ego serving reasons, if even if to just feel a little "different" or 1 up on everyone else. Remember also that what's posted here may very well remain here long past your demise. It is as good as written in stone.

That being said, you might want to look over page 2 from the AA website regarding GUARDING ANONYMITY ONLINE. I tried to cut and paste it but it came out all jumbled.

http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/mg-18_internet.pdf

[dharmashawn]

So who is the"new guy" and has to make the coffee.

I got clean and remain clean through myself and through my wanting to be better. I stay clear of the rooms. It may work for others, but it is not a club I was interested in joining. And yet my sobriety still manages to stay my number one priority.

[TNCreature]

Bravo-
I'll make the coffee if you lock up!

Originally Posted by dharmashawn

So who is the"new guy" and has to make the coffee.

I got clean and remain clean through myself and through my wanting to be better. I stay clear of the rooms. It may work for others, but it is not a club I was interested in joining. And yet my sobriety still manages to stay my number one priority.

[TNCreature]

Hi,

you said some really good things in your post, so thank you.

I have to disagree however that merely mentioning the name of a 12-step program endangers anyone's sobriety or anonymity.
Besides, the only people here are people who want to be.

We are to keep what we hear in the rooms IN the rooms, we are not to divulge names or details of people and discussions or otherwise jeopardize anyone's anonymity.
BUT any individual is free to do as he pleases. 12-Step programs are merely suggestions, there are no rules or governing bodies.

That being said, I want to make it clear that this group is for anyone dealing with any kind of addiction (Nice to hear about the epilepsy angle as well) and would like to talk about it in relation to being a bass player, and is NOT an online 12-step group.

Originally Posted by Devils Advocate

For anyone choosing to join this group that is a member of any 12 step program, please be aware of the fact that if you mention any of the fellowships, you're breaking the suggested traditions that work so well in keeping things together.
http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/mg-18_internet.pdf

[Devils Advocate]

Originally Posted by TNCreature

I have to disagree however that merely mentioning the name of a 12-step program endangers anyone's sobriety or anonymity.
Besides, the only people here are people who want to be.

We are to keep what we hear in the rooms IN the rooms, we are not to divulge names or details of people and discussions or otherwise jeopardize anyone's anonymity.
BUT any individual is free to do as he pleases. 12-Step programs are merely suggestions, there are no rules or governing bodies.

Yes. They are suggestions. I stated that in my original post. Suggesions that have kept those groups working well for decades, and suggestions which are being ignored more and more, especially since the internet has come into play. I'd like to think that people would respect the traditions of an organization that has saved their lives, but many people don't. I believe many people don't understand the importance behind anonymity, and selfishly talk of themselves anywhere and everywhere convincing themselves they're doing something good.

I'll say no more after this, as it is absolutely true that anyone here is free to do say what they wish regarding their recovery, but I feel the need to point out 2 ways it can be harmful. First, to the individual. It's not terribly difficult to find out who's posting something. There's little anonymity here for most. If you tag yourself as an alcoholic or addict you put yourself at future risk. I've witnessed the negative consequences of this, and once the damage is done, well... it's done. Many people in recovery don't STAY recovered, and it's easy for people who don't understand about alchohol and drug addiction to make assumptions. Who wants an alcoholic or drug addict working for them? Who in their right mind would trust one? How does anyone know if they're going to stay off drugs? What if something goes really wrong? Addicts almost always have illegal activity in their past also. The list goes, on... you get the idea.

Secondly, and more importantly IMO, if someone makes a claim to AA, NA, DA or any other group, then it's easy for someone who doesn't know about that organization to take anything that person says verbatim. They in a sense become a spokesperson for the group. That's how things like this happen Statistics of Alcoholics Anonymous ,, http://missbruksportalen.blogspot.com/ - YouTube . And should that person screw up, use drugs again, etc., then it becomes a reflection on the group.

Ya'll do what ya want. But put your thoughts and actions (those that belong to groups) into your 10th step tonight (if you follow the steps), and use your best judgement when you post.

[TNCreature]

Welcome G RICH 5 #02

[G RICH 5]

Glad to be here. And also in the club

[Khronic]

This past October 9th marked Twenty-Two (22) years of sobriety for me. I used to wonder how someone could be booze free for so long and then fall off the wagon. After all this time it's still trying to lure me back in; "Come on Rick, you've been good. Just one!" LMAO!!!

It's good to be sober.

[TNCreature]

Khronic (awesome name)
Congrats!
After 17 yrs, I understand! It is never more than an arms length away.
Fortunately, it's a one day at a time program!
Thanks for the reality check.

[davidjackson]

Count me in. Playing bass each evening keeps my hands busy and my mind occupied for which I am incredibly grateful.

As for the anonymity bit, I draw enormous strength from reading the stories of people like Alice Cooper, James Hetfield, Johnny Cash and others who managed to keep the Rock and Roll but lose the bad stuff. If guys like that had all kept their heads down they would never have given me the inspiration to take a hard look at my own life and what needed to change.

Maybe another bass player might even see this thread and look at their own life and using as a result. Don't see how that can be a bad thing.

[Billy K]

28 years last Aug 21st 2011.I got my PHD in the Army and 15 years after Vietnam I was a mess. Thank God for the wife that kicked me to the curb.That's when recovery started for me.

[Khronic]

I almost bumped this thread a couple of days ago, glad I waited. davidjackson, Billy K, welcome to the club. Inspiring! Thanks.

[f64]

Just noticed this in a sig line and went looking. Glad it's here. I got off the merry-go-round Sept. 21, 1992 and haven't looked back. In that time I've worked at staying married (32 years) raised 3 kids and put then through college, own and run a small business, traveled the world, played gigs all over and continue to write and record underpinnings for many artists. Only regret I have is not coming to grips with things earlier.

[Rip Topaz]

Count me in.

In April of 2008, I injured my back. BAD. So bad that now, in 2012, I'm permanently disabled (after five surgeries to try to fix it, resulting in crippling nerve damage and a failed spinal fusion).

It started with Percocet for me. After the first surgery, I graduated to OxyContin.

Four years later, I'm a full blown addict. Still on low levels of Oxycontin and Oxycodone, fighting to wean off. Every day starts with guilt and dope sickness.

Unfortunately, my health problems weren't fixed, so there will probably always be some level of narcotic running through my veins, but I've grown to hate it. I'd rather be in pain than keep taking these pills every few hours.

At times it seems like I take pills when OTHER people mention their pains!! The feeling of waking up every morning covered in bugs is something you just can't explain to someone that hasn't been there.

I've managed to wean myself down to a safer level of the drug, mostly by constantly playing bass!! That's right. I keep a bass next to me at all times, and when the shakes get too bad, I sink myself into a bassline or groove until it passes.

Great idea for a club, however morbid it may be. It'll be nice to talk about my addiction with someone who actually understands it. Sometimes it feels like even my wife judges me. I'm sure we've all felt that.

So yeah. I'm in recovery. But I'm nowhere near clean. As far as anonymity goes, I don't care. If reading about my problems manages to help someone else avoid them, it was worth it.

[rickwebb]

To all of you who have "kept the rock'n'roll and cut out the bad stuff", my hat is off to you. God Bless and more power to you all!
Sincerely, Rick Webb