Can I go to an AA meeting and introduce myself as follows

Advice & Questions
1

Hi I’m freckles and I have an alcohol misuse issue

I don’t identify with the words alcoholic because I can go weeks without then binge and blackout

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2

Hmmmm :thinking: Interesting. I’ve heard people say “I’m an over commer” or I’m a “member” but never heard them identify as "an alcohol misuse issues " if you do go to an AA meeting and introduce yourself in this manner please let me know what their response is. :wink:

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3

Yea sure. They can’t stop you. Some might have an opinion on it but most won’t care. There’s no AA jail, say whatever you want.

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4

Thanks I didn’t want to offend anyone there or for them to think I was in denial but it’s the truth I feel!

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5

There’s an old timer in my home group who would drink just like you. It took her years before she introduced herself as an alcoholic. So you’ll be welcome!. It’s always good to look for similarities rather than differences

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6

Yep, it’s not uncommon, the other members won’t think anything of it. I agree w the idea to keep an open mind and look for similarities w others. Hope you enjoy attending :+1:

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7

I recently read the sober diaries book and she said that AA people told her that an alcoholic is not necessarily that you have to drink every day. A true test of an alcoholic is can you have one drink and then stop? I had always justified to myself that I was not an alcoholic because I could put it down for two weeks or whatever. But have one drink and I need 10. But I don’t call myself anything because alcohol is the problem, the poison, not me. So I choose to steer clear.

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8

One guy i know used to say, I’m (name) and i have a desire not to drink today, i always liked that introduction

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9

It sounds like you’re a periodic drinker like me, but still considered alcoholic. :unicorn::unicorn::unicorn:

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10

Hi it doesn’t matter what we are called ie alcoholic, it’s if alcohol is affecting our lives and those around us, say whatever you need to say at AA, I went years ago and there wasn’t any right or wrong way, wishing you well.

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11

You don’t have to walk into the meeting and profess yourself an alcoholic as a condition of attending if that is what you are asking.

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13

There are other ways to get sober and stay sober if AA is not for you, smart recovery, dharma recovery, easyway Allen Carr etc also checking in here daily, everyones recovery is different and personal to them.

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14

Meetings are for people who think they have a drink problem and want to do something about it , its how drink effects you not how much you drink , and as for introducing yourself used to be a guy in our Glasgow group many years ago now introduced himself as my name is Bill and im here sober , Big book has a story of the guy who went to jail for 25 years never drank got out within a week he was back to were he was when he went in ?

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15

Only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

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16

Maybe this:

“Hello everyone; Freckles. I am powerless over alcohol”.

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17

You can introduce yourself however you want. The only requirement there is, is a desire to stop drinking.

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18

@Freckles2
I began to say “I abuse alcohol” when I first started entering the rooms because I could stop drinking for a week & have no withdrawals. It was simply denial. I was a functioning alcoholic. Then to prove to myself I wasn’t an alcoholic, I tried to limit the amount I drank per night. That didn’t work. I entered a 6 weeks program and now I’m 14 months sober.

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19

Thanks all for your help on this. I went back to drinking, a small amount, then it gradually built up and I ended up vomiting and passing out on Saturday night. I cannot keep on this cycle of harming myself. I am back to day 1 now. @Delaine54 - thanks for sharing - what was the 6 week course?

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I completed rehab and IOP (intensive outpatient) therapy.

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