AA online meetings, working the AA program still the best way to get, stay sober

by Mark H.

Since the most recent partial lockdown here in Minnesota, there has been a large increase in attendance at Uptown House online meetings. That’s good.

Also, the rate of covid vaccination should really take off in 2021 so we can finally ‘stick a fork’ in this pandemic and get back to normal, in-person AA meetings later in 2021. Hang in there folks, good, big, change is on the way.

Until then, we’re still dealing with this mess. Here’s the latest:

The Centers for Disease Control discovered 31 percent of the all adults, sober or not, that it surveyed this summer were struggling with anxiety and depression related to COVID-19. In a separate study, RAND Corporation found the frequency of alcohol consumption of adults over 30 grew by 14 percent; women increased their heavy drinking episodes by 41 percent.

A story on the Fox 9 website quoted John Curtiss, treatment center owner. “Its hard when you have a disease – alcoholism – that requires connection, and COVID that requires social isolation, that creates a whole set of unique challenges.”

Lydia Burr, director of clinical services at Hazelden Betty Ford’s St. Paul campus said, “We’re seeing sick people get sicker. People are really struggling with their mental health, their depression and with the anxiety. And then there is that added layer of stress that exists in society right now because of the pandemic that is layered on top of that, and it’s really exacerbating the problems that somebody might have.”

Fox 9 television started broadcasting a three-part series December 28 entitled “Hidden Crisis.” The story mentions AA, among others, as a resource for help. Here’s the links to all three Fox 9 stories:

https://www.fox9.com/news/pandemic-creates-perfect-storm-for-those-seeking-recovery-from-addiction

https://www.fox9.com/news/covid-and-addiction-recovery-sobriety-is-still-possible

https://www.fox9.com/news/online-group-therapy-serves-as-addiction-recovery-lifeline-during-pandemic

Thanks for Meeting Uptown House Pandemic Fundraising Goal

You did it! Uptown House’s faithful members helped us reach our goal, $15,000, and even exceed it! The Uptown Steering Board and Foundation thanks everyone who contributed as the House was facing a serious deficit thanks to the pandemic driving down attendance and, therefore, contributions. The Uptown House now has an adequate prudent reserve of funds to make sure we can keep the house open and offer safe meetings for the foreseeable future.

We’re keeping the campaign open for the next week, so if you haven’t contributed and would still like to, please do so (see the Uptown website). As always, any funds not used for the basic operation and maintenance of the house above the prudent reserve will be donated to St Paul Intergroup and the AA General Service Office in NY.  Please give what you can, and have a safe and sober New Year. 

Thanks Earl W.!

Speaking of money, many thanks to retiring Uptown House Steering Board volunteer treasurer Earl W. He did a lot of work keeping the House finances in order. We all owe him, and others who recently left the board, a big THANK YOU for a job well done.

And finally……

Thought for the day from pioneering Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Carl Jung:

Until the unconscious becomes conscious, it will direct our lives and become fate.