Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
here is something that i wrote, and shared at his eulogy fro a friend of mine... one that could not get sober. here it is.
Monday, July 10, 2006
absent companions
One of my shipmates committed suicide this saturday. He strangled himself in the middle of the night. He is Willy Hanson. He was a good kid, who just couldnt get things right. He was an alcoholic and a former drug addict. He joined the Navy to get out of his environment and hopefully to make something good out of himself.
He was caught underage drinking last november while going to BESS(Basic Enlisted Submarine School). He went into Subscol restriction in january 2006, and was given a choice on wether he wanted to stay in the Navy, or to pack his bags and go home. He chose to stay in. He knew that he didn't have anything that could be as good an opportunity as the Navy, and he knew that he messed up.
The thing is though that he was an alcoholic. After fighting to stay in the navy, he was presented an opportunity to get high while in restriction. He was caught, and his Navy career was over at that point. There was no one else to blaim for this, but himself... and he could not deal with that fact. He went UA before having to go back to Captain's Mast to where it would become official that he was getting kicked out. He completely relapsed.
Hanson came back to face the things that he had done after going on a month-long vacation. The Inevitable happened. He was put back on restriction, and was to be given an other than honorable discharge.
He got sober again while in restriction, and again realized how much he messed up. He decided to fight the discharge, and believed that he could be a beneficial part of this man's Navy. He was fighting it and doing well too. His girl was pregnant and he was going to try to do right by his future child.
Then he got out of restriction. He found out that his girl had cheated on him while he was in resriction. And he was now of legal age to drink.
He got drunk again and again and again. He could not stay sober. He was even drinking when he should have been at work. He would have had a hard time dealing with his problems sober... he was incapable of doing it while drunk.
his name was Willy Hanson, and he took his life late in the night when by himself in his barracks room on July 8 2006. His roommate found him with the cord still around his neck early Sunday morning.
He was a friend, and he couldn't stay sober. I will miss him, because he was at his heart a good person.
Willy, I wish you had taken me up on the offer to go back to AA, because you might still be here, and I wouldn't be crying .
Monday, July 10, 2006
absent companions
One of my shipmates committed suicide this saturday. He strangled himself in the middle of the night. He is Willy Hanson. He was a good kid, who just couldnt get things right. He was an alcoholic and a former drug addict. He joined the Navy to get out of his environment and hopefully to make something good out of himself.
He was caught underage drinking last november while going to BESS(Basic Enlisted Submarine School). He went into Subscol restriction in january 2006, and was given a choice on wether he wanted to stay in the Navy, or to pack his bags and go home. He chose to stay in. He knew that he didn't have anything that could be as good an opportunity as the Navy, and he knew that he messed up.
The thing is though that he was an alcoholic. After fighting to stay in the navy, he was presented an opportunity to get high while in restriction. He was caught, and his Navy career was over at that point. There was no one else to blaim for this, but himself... and he could not deal with that fact. He went UA before having to go back to Captain's Mast to where it would become official that he was getting kicked out. He completely relapsed.
Hanson came back to face the things that he had done after going on a month-long vacation. The Inevitable happened. He was put back on restriction, and was to be given an other than honorable discharge.
He got sober again while in restriction, and again realized how much he messed up. He decided to fight the discharge, and believed that he could be a beneficial part of this man's Navy. He was fighting it and doing well too. His girl was pregnant and he was going to try to do right by his future child.
Then he got out of restriction. He found out that his girl had cheated on him while he was in resriction. And he was now of legal age to drink.
He got drunk again and again and again. He could not stay sober. He was even drinking when he should have been at work. He would have had a hard time dealing with his problems sober... he was incapable of doing it while drunk.
his name was Willy Hanson, and he took his life late in the night when by himself in his barracks room on July 8 2006. His roommate found him with the cord still around his neck early Sunday morning.
He was a friend, and he couldn't stay sober. I will miss him, because he was at his heart a good person.
Willy, I wish you had taken me up on the offer to go back to AA, because you might still be here, and I wouldn't be crying .
It is a horrible fact of alcoholics that some of us die so we can stay sober.
Hopefully we don't have to travel that road.
My sponser told me that when I lost a dear friend to booze.
You are in my prayers. M
It is not fair. That is why I take it so seriously and reach out my hand to the new person. That is why I take phone calls in the middle of the night. That is why I go to meetings when I'de realy rather not. Because you know if that person you are reaching out to is another Willy Hanson and that what you say or do will be a deciding factor in their life. You will probably never forget Willy. What you do is a tribute to him and all the others that sobriety came by death. I believe God takes care of fools and little children.
And one more thing...the reason I do those things I mentioned is to keep me sober.
I wish you well Jimmysqui. Okiegirl
Your Story is "HEARTFELT" especially when our lose is through suicide. May God comfort you during these months so that you can feel his LOVE for you.
I have known way too many people through the years that have Od'd either through intent or accident.
I started drinking and using at 13 that was in the late 60's so needless to say what that was like.
I also have a SISTER right now that can't put down the bottle, an only child that has been on this road for 6 years. A brother in PRISON, and a Father that is dry. Me in Recovery for 13.8 years.
What I do know is that I made a choice to "STOP DRINKING" I hit a bottom that said I was FINISHED I couldn't die I kept trying to kill myslef with booze and drugs for years.
I gave up and gave my life over to my GOD.
I am pooped out Goodnight for now.
Tamar
I have lost 3 friends in recovery in the past 24 months and each one of them was sick..
My mother has attempted suicide twice ,, of which i found her both times...( i was a young boy of 9 and 10 yrs old)
Suicide is a very selfish act.. but an act of a very sick and hopeless individual...
two thingsi i will add... my AA friends that committed suicide.. didn't tell a single soul they were suicidal...and I sponsored the sponor of one of them...
(I even gave the guy his one year medallion the night before and drove him back out to his farm. because his sponsor was out of the country for work) This guy was also an employee of mine who i worked side by side with for a year and a half..
My mother never told my dad or my uncle or anyone else we have talked to in the years since that she was suicidal...
not everyone else is to blame for these unfortunate acts ...
the person that does the deed is ultimately responsible..
the only excuse is mental illness that the patient has never gotten relief from in all of the situations in my life...
I don't know if any of this is similar to your situation.. but it is exactly what it was in mine..
God Bless
botbotcoco
www.londonppbbs.com
And well..devon. I am sorry you have to go through this.
The only thing that i have to say is. you can't control the way your family members are. the only thing that you can do and control is what you do. I know of a few ppl that wrote Willy off. I never did. But i also couldn't help him. The only thing that i could do was to let him know that there was always a seat for him if he ever wants it. And on his last days... well, one time he stumbled up to the AA van, and asked if it would be ok for him to come. We said of course, that there was always a seat open for him. At this point he said well, tomorrow, he didn't want to show up at hte meeting drunk. We said ok. this was 2 days before he killed himself. He gave no one a hint that he was going to do it. Everyone was floored.
I will never forget him. that is the promise i made to myself, to some of our mutual friends. i will keep his name close to my heart until the day i die. do i hurt myself by doing this? some might htink so... but i will not run from this emotion. he was my friend, and i will not do him that disservice.
Also, when i was going through the shock of his death... i was sorely tempted to drink. But i didn't, because if Willy knew that i had for him... that owuld hurt him so much. As to whether he is in hell, heaven, or wherever he might happen to be... i will not add that burden to his already drowning soul.