I had my own self-test. If drinking was getting in the way of life, I was abusing alcohol. If life was getting in the way of my drinking, I was an alcoholic. My wife asked me one day last November, if I thought I was an alcoholic. I told her that the only thing I was sure of was that life was getting in the way of my drinking.
I have yet to attend a meeting. I reserve the possibility of attending one, because I promised myself that I would, before I gave myself permission to take another drink.
There are people who can do this without meetings. I am fortunate in that I have a loving and supportive family and my friends are respectful of my choice to not drink. We don’t have discussions about alcoholism. Stevie doesn’t drink. Simple as that. Not a big life-defining deal. 111 days.
AA is what you want it to be and youll meet people with the similar story but for me AA gives me fire to keep on fighting especially hearing the people who have to fight the hardest and keep on taking a relapse over and over again and i dont want that and im quite sure you dont want that either
I have been to many aa meetings and found it just did not fit me.
I then found the one I go to now and I love the people and how it is run.
Lots of short readings of other alcholoics and actually do not mind the God talk no matter what I believe.
A spiritual power is more my take and works great for me.
I am also a regular at SMART meetings too.
I have learned to take the bits and pieces from all I have spoke with and have heard speak and add them to my toolbox that helps me maintain my sobriety.
I am not promoting either organization but here are a few from the aa group I attend regularly as they meet in the morning and can still get to work within plenty of time.
Being told you can NEVER drink again is a really hard thing to accept, so we often look for reasons and excuses to prove that we don’t really have a problem or we just look for ways to validate being able to drink in the future by minimizing the issue.
Lmfao! I literally do yoga with a teddy bear and a stuffed duck. It’s a thing we do in our family when someone is sick or having mental health issues. My son was born with a congenital heart defect that required immediate open heart surgery and the hospital gave him a stuffed duck blanket. He took it to every Dr. Appointment since. When my withdrawal symptoms uncovered an underlying heart condition Zach gave me his duck until I get better. My husband bought me a stuffed panda (my favorite animal) on my 1st day of recovery. So I put them just at the front of my yoga mat for inspiration and strength because my family means everything to me.
Have you checked out naked mind podcast. Been very helpful to me this week. In the first one she states that unlike AA, we do not need to admit we are powerless, we can take control and weild power over our addiction. I am on day 50, so keep going.
when people have to be told if they are alcoholics or not by third parties they are either looking for an excuse to drink or they do not have sn issue with alcohol.
In all honesty i believe you know when it would be better for you to abstain totally. No academic definitions needed or need to join a group. Join one by all means if you need the help of a group. I have stopped now for almost 2 years and already the memory of night sweats, sickness, despair is fading. After 30 years i would expect it to be a very distant memory and do not believe i would still be in touch with people who are newly trying to quit and could actually assist them much. my story may interest a few but thats it
This is for alchol only and my thoughts only
The man who persists in knocking will succeed in entering also Confucius say man with rock in pocket make not good swimmer. Remember you cannot change the past only learning from our mistakes. Look to the Future by forging a path that is clean and sober. Being not weak-minded you can do all things possible through a higher power of your understanding.
I have seen this differentiation made about the Naked Mind. I am confused and really haven’t had the opportunity to dig into the Naked Mind literature and all the stuff that follows therefrom. My understanding was that the Naked Mind also focused on ceasing alcohol consumption. How does ceasing alcohol consumption via the Naked Mind method differ? I often see the word powerlessness used when discussing this point.
What I am getting from it is exerting control over your addiction, whether that is a program or just self control. She has some interesting insights on the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol.
Shit, if I had power over alcohol I wouldn’t need a book, or AA or this forum. The powerlessness stems from the fact that once I start drinking I will continue drinking, whether I want to or not.
I have power over not picking up that first one. Once I have one then the booze has the upper hand. That’s what AA taught me.
Great stuff none the less!! I’ve totally done this on multiple occasions. It ends up being good tho cuz a whole new conversation can get started cuz posting on a thread brings it to the top. Keeps it fresh😉
I’m 516 days sober. I’m fixing breakfast this morning, looking outside at the grass and sun thinking how nice of a morning it is. When I began thinking about this would have been a good morning to have a drink a year ago and then I got this euphoria feeling like I was high from drinking. Scared the shit out of me. I could actually feel a bit of the buzz, but as write this I also remember I drunk a Supergreens supplement drink maybe that’s what caused it. Still scary, but that’s what makes me an alcoholic. I still have those thoughts and feelings.
Good job. Ive had some moments like that too and its very scary but also very good that its scary. Its been a long time since i felt a buzz thats not real but im on day 3162 now but i still tell my self every day that today will be a good and sober day
Went to AA because drink was controlling me and i knew i would die if i didnt stop ,today im still a alcoholic but i dont drink in 2 days ill be 32 years sober been a great journey and yes Zeeke todays a good day to be sober .
