Alcoholics Anonomus In Libya

Dubbienu wrote:

I am an Active member of A.A. in my country for the past 4 years . Would like to know if there are any A.A. meetings being held in Tripoli , or if anyone would like to help me set our own fellowship in Tripoli.

Now there's an oxymoron....

Sandman6 wrote:

Dubbienu wrote:

I am an Active member of A.A. in my country for the past 4 years . Would like to know if there are any A.A. meetings being held in Tripoli , or if anyone would like to help me set our own fellowship in Tripoli.

Now there's an oxymoron....

To be honest it maybe isn't such a daft idea, but a dangerous one I would have thought.

I would like to see that happening in Libya............

A.A in a dry country, that's a thought!!!

Although Libya is a 'dry country', Debbienu is asking for some help from people on this web. Although I don't drink, I have friends that have and it takes guts to quit and join AA. Let's give some support here rather than off the cuff comments lacking sensitivity to someone asking for help!

sorry it does sound quite funny, AA in a dry country.  would be hard for an expat alcoholic to come 2 a dry country in itself! maybe though some are interested

Libya is far from a dry country.  Booze flows in abundantly on the black market and there is plenty of local drink as well.  There are definitely alcoholic foreigners in Libya and from what I can see they don't have much trouble getting alcohol.

Yeah right Gabacho, and no one else knows it?

The guy's post was made in all good faith, of that I'm sure. It just came across as very naively funny. No offence meant.

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Sandman6 wrote:

Yeah right Gabacho, and no one else knows it?

The guy's post was made in all good faith, of that I'm sure. It just came across as very naively funny. No offence meant.

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Don't worry about it, it wasn't meant to be a dig at you.  I do see the humour, but 5 posts making the same joke is a bit much.

Essentially what you say is altruistic and some what philanthropic, if not Utopian.

Although in my opinion, if one wants to get the youth and not so youthful population off substance abuse here, one should give them some future prospects in order to succeed at this attempt.
With a lifetime at their disposal to kill and no chance on earth of succeeding or even improving one's living ( let alone getting some vitamin P ), well it's though to stay sober, include isolation and poverty in the bash, and you'll get a clear picture of the present.

This is where the good part gets in ( believe it or not )
there has been a major crackdown on illegal substances since the beginning of the year, resulting in higher crime rates due to exorbitant prices and prisons packed with youngsters who just wanted to forget where they are, cause they have no means to change their miserable situation  regardless of any effort they make.
So things seem to only get better for the less fortunate.

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anyone who is slightly computer literate knows what's AA...

i'm just underlining the phenomenon here...the same one you got caught in during your summer visits and obviously need other peoples' support to get out of it.

If booze was legal or at least less restricted, the problem would be somewhat smaller.

Sandman6 wrote:

If booze was legal or at least less restricted, the problem would be somewhat smaller.

Definitely yes, just look at how alcohol sales are managed in the other Arab countries...but there's not the will to do so here due to a variety of reason.  i.e. stressing the population, increases the chances of being prosecuted for a criminal offence, and castrating any possibility to momentarily forget or getting away from this wonderful reality. 
As entertaining as it might sound and it's not an isolated case; an individual can be arrested and jailed for a year just for a hangover. Although driving under the influence of alcohol is prosecuted as attempted murder, good luck.

oh and needless to say, that this form of protection towards the naive population, results in a modest underground economy consisting of lawyers and prisons/jailers.

Don't be surprised at AA meetings in dry countries. Look at the link to see meetings worldwide (AA meetings worldwide) or in Arabia (Arabia)

No mention of Libya on that page but it is mentioned on the AA Factfile on page 20. Possibly there is a "Loners" group. You can request "Loner" info here: Loner info request

There is a group in Egypt if you can or want to travel (AA Egypt). Perhaps an Egyptian contact will know of a Libyan contact (contacts in Egypt)

Apparently there are such things as Online and telephone meetings: Online and phone meetings

...Stick, stick to what you know best and get your head out of your tree...

redsaraya wrote:

...Stick, stick to what you know best and get your head out of your tree...

Having a bad day, RS?

Yes he had, I hope to see him more positive in the future ...

I guess the subject of alcohol and alcoholics will now surface as the NTC consider what should be the founding principles to a new Libya.
I have been in recovery from alcoholism for 25 years and at the same time a treatment professional. I have been instrumental in founding a number of treatment centres round the world including the one I co founded with Eric Clapton in Antigua in the Caribean.
I am now actively helping the Government of Dubai to understand why AA should be supported with the founding of a treatment centre.
No doubt Libya under the new government would need to consider doing the same. Alcohol is a reality and will never be stamped out by prohibition - it needs to be dealt with as a very powerful drug to which some people will become hopelessly addicted like me.
Then there is the Moslim concept of remaining free of alcohol which I personally support - a true moslim will make a friend for life - they live by a set of principles.
I am currently in Madeira but would be happy to come and share my experience if it would be helpful.
I am also an accredited advisor to the British Government on alcohol dependency. We had over a million admissios into NHS hospitals with this problem last year alone. The number are rising exponentially because no efforts were made to help these people get sober over the last 20 years. We spent a £1billion on harm reduction and now swamped with dependent drinkers,
The fact that Libya is currently a dry country is entirely irrelevant to the founding of an AA group in Tripoli.
Good luck to all of you after a living hell which we watched in horror.
Yes I am prepared to travel and help our friend start a meeting.
Salaam
Goldenbob

Well, I came into this conversation late... Missed all the good one liners and am now stunned into silence.....

Hey!!

This is Tony from California, USA. 

Did you ever manage to find or start a meeting in Libya?

Since the onset of the COVID Zoom meetings are everywhere.  I was making a list of AA meeting links in other time zones to give to newcomers at my Zoom meeting that are having trouble sleeping.  This way if the newcomer cannot sleep and needs a meeting at, say 2:00AM, they can check-out meetings in other time zones like a 2:00PM meeting in Libya.  But it looks like Libya doesn't have any.  Well if you are still looking for a meeting, you may want to try another time zone.  I know Dubai has on-line meetings, and you're welcome to check out the meetings in the USA.  Just do a web search and type in; "AA meeting in (large US City Name)", and you'll get tons of meetings.

By the way I love the comment someone made; 'Why would a 'dry country' need AA?'  It made me laugh because that person obviously doesn't know that an alcoholic can find ways to get alcohol. 

I was in Iran 3 years ago and went to a birthday party where there was a gallon bottle of Smirnoff vodka.  I thought it strange to have alcohol in a 'dry country' but not surprised that someone (maybe an alcoholic?) was able to go through all the trouble to smuggle and bribe it into the country...LOL!!