My name is Kyle. I am 37 and have an alcohol addiction.
I have been sober for periods over the years, and am a very funtional person with a good job and responsibilities, but I have struggled for many many years with this addiction.
I really want to be sober more than anything else in the world so I can become the best version of myself I know I can be.
I have thought about group meeting so many times, but have been too ashamed to find the courage to go. I know having a community of support helps so much through this journey, and when I came across this app it seemed like a great tool to climb that first rung on the ladder to sobriety.
Being so new and not having a great track record of long term sobriety, I could really use some advice and guidance during these struggling times.
Thank you All for hearing my story and Peace Be The Journey
Hi Kyle, welcome to the club. I found this app a day ago and am giving it a go as well. Your story resonates with me a lot. I did my first support group regarding drinking/addiction last week, in fact my second one is tonight and as much as I am nervous to go again I also want to go because the first time wasn’t that scary at all really, they made me feel very welcome and there where a lot of laughs too.
I would deffo say Google a support group close to you and check it out. It’s worth it, meeting people who are going through the same as you! You don’t feel ashamed, you don’t feel alone and you don’t feel like a freak(as I sometimes do). Good luck
Welcome to the forum Kyle. I feel you already thought stuff out very well. You need some help. You are asking for it. That’s one. You know you can’t do it alone. You have experience with sobriety. The one thing you need is longevity if I read you right.
One day at a time. It really is that simple. Today we will not drink / use. And we will use all tools we have to achieve that goal. A hard day is just another day where we will not drink. Just for today. Will see about tomorrow when it comes.
For me this group has been my life saver and has been my main peer support group till today. But for many face to face contact with fellows is also of big importance. You won’t feel ashamed there and I’d say go for it! You can have a look at this link if you’re interested in a wide range of support possibilities. Resources for our recovery
Knowledge is power. Wishing you all success in your sober journey Kyle.
Hi Kyle,
Stick with it mate. It’s so worth it. You’ll already know those first days are hard, but later on you have the problem of relaxing your guard. I find it easier to say no than to say whoa! In fact I know after the first glass it is impossible to stop.
I have lost 2 kgs in 3 sober weeks, a welcome little spinoff. Didn’t expect it as I was a gin and water guy, but it has largely come off my pot.
An odd thing too that is occurring is that friends and family are all drinking less without my encouragement. Not, I think because they are being kind to me but they just don’t have to keep up.
Enough rambling from me, just know we all in this journey together and from reading these forums, see that the common thread is positive benefits all around and all the way. Cheers
Regarding in person meetings, know this…you’ve not done anything that someone in those rooms hasn’t done. We are like-minded, and feeling that sense of belonging has made the difference in my recovery. The people in AA WANT to help. That’s how we keep what we have…by giving it to the newcomer. Try not to compare yourself out of something before ever trying it. I promise you’ll be welcomed, helped, and loved in the rooms of AA.
Hey Kyle,
I’m 37 too and am also a high functioning alcoholic. I don’t like group meetings either because I find them embarrassing and I prefer digital socializing anyway. I’ve had a few fairly long stretches of sobriety (including during the pandemic lockdown where my crazy government actually instituted a total alcohol ban) and for me the encouraging thing at the beginning is weight loss and a return of my motivation (I’m in school studying hard stuff for a career change) and being able to wake up in the morning with my memory intact not having to worry about what I did, or comfort myself that it wasn’t THAT bad or wasn’t THAT embarrassing. That last one never gets old because as someone who drags myself through shame cycles (I literally still beat myself up over things I did in like 7th grade) it’s a relief to not put myself in a position of feeling shame.
Welcome, I am glad you found your way here, and hope you will stay.
Take motivation from this: you’ve managed short quits, and maintained a stable life for the most part. You have the neccessary elements for successful sobriety at your fingertips. Being a regular part of this sobriety community just might be what you need to keep your forward momentum.
I too was a high-functioning drunk, until my last year of drinking. After my mother passed, I drank with intention, and my life was at the beginning of an eventual death-spiral. I’d had many, many short quits along the way, but always went back to the bottle before really gaining momentum.
My last drink was 1,634 days ago. One of the things I am convinced made a difference is my my almost daily visit here. Sometimes I just read a couple posts. Sometimes I like and reply. Every so often, I post a topic. What really matters is that I am here. Mindful sobriety reinforced with every visit.
Thanks so much for your response! Your words gave me a lot of peace of mind and I am ready to start looking for a support group nearby. This app and the comments I’ve received are so welcoming and supportive. Definitely feels great knowing there are others out there who have each other’s backs so we can all get where we want to be.
Hope your session went well tonight and I wish you the best in your journey! Thanks again!!
Thanks for these great words. I can tell this app is going to be such a great help and I’m so glad I made the decision to join this community. Best of luck to you!
I’m so happy for you, and thank you for sharing some of the positives you’ve experienced so far. Definitely looking forward to getting back in shape and shredding that beer belly.
Thanks for the advice. Just from the reception I’ve received in these comments I am very much looking forward to joining a group near me. Everyone here seems supportive and I’m sure, as you said, I will have an equal experience at a meeting.
Thanks so much for your support. I’m studied chemistry and I know what you mean, it’s so nice to wake up clear headed and be able to focus on your work. I feelblike this community will be a great tool to help me find the longevity I am searching for.
Wish you the best in your schooling and career change. You got this!
That’s incredible, 1,634 days!! I’m so happy for you and thank you for sharing your journey and I’m sorry to hear about your mother.
That’s the worst part, that alcohol addiction is mentally knowing you’re committing a slow suicide with every sip, but still keep drinking. I could definitely see death around the corner the rate I have been drinking the last several years. I’m excited to get health and meet supportive members like you who have had such great success.
Thank you again for sharing, truly, and I wish you the best in continuing your success
We all are high functon alcoholic…untill we aren’t anymore.
Glad you decided on time to change your life.
So welcome here!
This app has loads of information to share trough the old and new treads about recovery. You can find good reads trough using the magnifying glass above and fill in the search bar.
This app and the people in it has helped me a lot to become and stay sober. Sober for more then 3 years now.
It gave me tools to use when I need them. Recovery is collecting those because what works for me maybe not works for you. So I tried many and kept those who worked.
I read a lot of recovery books too like “This naked mind” for example. There are also podcasts to find wich are very helpful like " Recovery elevator"
Make yourself your own addiction escape plan
You can do it!
Welcome to the forum, Kyle. You’ve already gotten great responses, so I’ll just say to take things one day, one hour, or even one moment at a time. Be kind to yourself. Watch your thoughts and work on catching those unconscious thoughts that slip through because your thoughts create your emotions and the two of those give birth to your actions.
I hope you fill find this forum to be a good tool for you in your sobriety journey. Good luck with everything!
