Hey guys,
I’m desperate to go to AA meetings, only problem is that there’s only 3 available in my area (on different days and times) eg…
1: Saturday morning
2: Thursday lunchtime
3: Tuesday @ 9pm
My problem is that I can only physically attend the Tuesday one… it’s so late, it’ll take me an hour to get there and back so I’ll be home at 11pm… problem is I have to leave for work at 7:30am and need sleep to function…
My question is in your early days, has got any advice on how they stayed sober without going to AA meetings? Or do I have to sacrifice sleep to attend it I’m just scared that it’ll screw with my sleeping patterns which would cause more harm then good
My day began with IOP at 9 am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, which lasted until 12, boogie the 15 miles to my homegroup meeting at 12:15, usually got there late but I didn’t care. Meeting got out at 1:15, stayed and chatted with the people another 20 minutes or so before heading home for lunch. Ate a quick meal and went on a 4 mile walk, got home from the walk and got ready for work which was 4pm to 1230 am.
On the days I didn’t have IOP I would get up earlier and get a pre-meeting walk in, or do the parenting class we had to do, or meet with the counselor, or did an hour of therapy before work.
Wasn’t a thing I was willing to try to get and stay sober.
Eat jalapenos and bark like a dog on the corner, I’d try it if it would keep me sober.
Make sobriety the priority early on, full throttle, you can ease off the gas once you get more solid foundation.
It’s not that I haven’t made sobriety a priority, it’s availability and the fact that I physically cannot make them.
And travelling alone at 11pm on a long bus ride when you’re a lone female can’t be the only option so that’s also why I’m asking for advice on how to work my sobriety without AA meetings.
@TeejLazer thank you, I’m very new to my sobriety and so will look into them now!! Just on a mission to make this work! Thanks again @Bootz unfortunately no was involved in a car accident when I was 6 so am a mess in cars am looking to see if I can venture further away for ones not so late, thank you
You make the meeting, ask around, people are willing to offer rides.
I had a guy I went out of my way to pick up and drop off every time he wanted to make a meeting. We also had just sitting in the car chatting time too. He went back out, got worse, finally took some advice and caved… took the help from the VA. He’s doing a lot better now, in a sober living facility up in Prescott.
I’ve managed to find one further out and going to ask my mother to babysit my son until I get back - there’s always a way!
I’m the only alcohol I know so my support group isn’t that big going to a regular group will change that?
Hope your friend is okay too… I think reality is kicking in now …that I need to meet people and also so I can put my own face against my addiction and not hide away
Also have you looked into NA you are very welcome in NA as well. Maybe you haven’t seen that as an option yet.
In NA we see alcohol as a drug just the same.
You’re in the right place pal. And you’re asking the right questions.
Maybe just go once to feel it out. Talk to the other ladies at the meeting. Tell them your problem and see if any thing comes of it. You may find a ride home and some phone numbers.
Maybe a close friend could go with you? I know that’s a lot as we are good with our secrets. But maybe you have someone you can trust like that.
There’s always a way, way I saw it, I did everything to keep myself drunk, I can do everything to keep myself sober.
Meeting with fellow alcoholic/addicts has a tremendous impact, the understanding of the struggle, the patience, the willing and wanting of a fellow struggler to succeed cannot be measured… regular folks just don’t seem to understand the way we do.
He’s doing so much better, he had changed his number, before that I would randomly message him to check in, even when he was lit, sometimes the only thing you can do is be there and be a positive influence. I was quite happy to get that call.
I’m not baring anything, helping someone who is trying to get sober keeps me sober, it’s a priority and privilege to be in a place to help at all.
I have never been to an AA meeting and I will be 3 years sober in March.
I wouldn’t want to dissuade you from attending AA, just wanted to share my experience.
I used a lot of meditation, yoga, physical activity, this forum and sobriety reading in my early days. It helped a lot. Especially being on here and reading reading reading. It was so nice to find a group of people who understood my problems with drugs and alcohol.
Do what works for YOU and keep doing that. There are many paths to sobriety.
You may also find some helpful resources in this thread…
was involved in a car accident when I was 6 so am a mess in cars 
