It only “helps” the people who never leave
I am one of a very small group of people I know who left insight and is still sober and it is definitely due to me “not working a program” aka I kept up a life outside of the group.
I was looked down on due to being “uptight” because I didn’t want to stay up late or brake the law. there was one day when I was in outpatient where I was told by the counselor that I “wasn’t fun” because of not enjoying what people normally did at hangout. keep in mind, I was still in highschool and had a part time job, so I only had free time at night. but I have problems sleeping so I need to be consistent and focused on healthy sleep habits, but that “didn’t matter” and I was told I “should quit and drop out.”
the counselors were very unprofessional because they simply weren’t qualified I was told that I was “lying and exaggerating” about how my BPD makes me different then other people in the group.
I also have PTSD and there was one time were group members that triggered flashbacks and panic attacks and I was made fun of by other group members during outpatient and the counselor sided with the group members.
I also was pressured to apologize to my outpatient counselor after I yelled at him because I had a panic attack after he said “if a girl dresses like that (girls dressing in sexual crop tops) they are asking guys to mess with them)
also when I requested that during outpatient people don’t use phrases [referencing suicide] and do [actions mimicking suicide] due to the fact that’s how my sister died I was made fun of and ignored for being too sensitive.
I was also told that “I don’t wanna walk on eggshells around you, you need to stop being so sensitive” by a counselor because I didn’t want to hear misogynistic, racist, bestiality, rape, incest, and suicide jokes that triggered extreme flashbacks.
I shamed for using dating apps by everyone even though my therapist approved. and I was shamed for wanting outside help from a dietitian by a group member because I “didn’t need one if I actually did the steps right”
I felt so alone I spent too much time in the group to have a good social life outside of it and not enough time to connect with group kids.
this program hurts more people than it helps and it only “helps” the people who never fully leave.
and lastly there are so so many sexual predators that join and stay in the group. during my time I was aware of at least 3 kids who joined with rape accusations, and I know of 5 kids who committed acts of SA and DV and 2 threats of SA.
Insight is not safe and I hope that this wonderful organization can end insight at some point
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Share your story to help other survivors feel heard, seen and understood. We aim to expose the consistent patterns of abuses in Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs and prevent potential families from years of suffering from undue influence and abuse under the guise of drug and alcohol treatment. Enthusiastic Sobriety Survivor stories can be submitted anonymously by former group members, staff and families.
