That's funny and so true, holycrp. And by the way, I am a bigger alcoholic than you. lol

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to drink with the people I attend AA with. I hope I never find out for real...lol....but I wonder if we would have gotten along as well as we do in sobriety.

Bato-someone at a meeting mentioned that a while back, they said "could you imagine all of us at a party drunk with all the different personalities?? There'd probably be a few fights & trips to the ER-but here we share a common bond that puts those differences aside"

And oh yeah??? Well listen to what I once did miss smarty pants!! You're not stealin my thunder!! lmao! It is crazy to me that some act that way, tryin to "one up" the other. :)

Karen, put the kettle on .... the term "real" is an unfortunate one but it is used in the BB. The term "real" means "chronic" - not that other alcoholics are "fake." The very idea! Lol. I've been around AA a while and never met anyone pretending to be one of us...

Hi rivlino,
In experience here downunder, I havn't heard (or maybe noticed) anyone use the term 'real' or 'chronic' or anything else. I've only heard "Hi Im Joe and I'm an Alcoholic" or "Hi Im Sue and Im a drunk" or just "Hi Im Jack". But one things for sure, they're all there to reach out for help.

I'm probably against the norm too here where sponsors are concerned. My sponsor was male, younger than me, and 'not' a real alcoholic. But fair dinkum he got me to brutally and honestly work the steps. Coogee xxx

OK, let's get this straight........I'm the realest alcoholic!!!

I've had to rescue women from other women who talk down to them from their spiritual hilltop. Maybe that's a reason why some people run from the rooms screaming and pulling their hair out never to return! I'm grateful that early on my sponsor steered me away from those that thought they had a lock on sobriety. I don't really care what someone in the room "qualifies" themselves as. I'm just grateful they're in the room. BTW, it's a beautiful day here in Texas. Have a good weekend y'all!

Why don't you ask the people that identify themselves this way. Really seems like a waste of energy to be taking someone elses inventory. I go to meeting to learn how to stay sober, and how someone introduces themselves is up to them. I'm just happy that they are there.

I am in the UK and have never heard anyone introduce themselves as a chronic alcoholic, although they may use that trem in their personal sharing.

At my home group, we introduce ourselves with our length of sobriety - those who have been sober for more than 12 months can choose to say 'over a year' but no one is forced to say anything they don't want to.

Newcomers have said how much hope they get when they hear everyone say how long they have been sober - from 15 minutes to 15 years is a usual range as it is a newcomers meeting.

I introduce myself as a recovered alcoholic.

Yeah, we aren't chronic alcoholics...we're alcoholics and our disease is chronic.

hi serenity
if you read my post you will see that i clearly wrote
"most people state there name followed by and im an alcoholic"
then some members not all will mention DURING their share "im a real alcoholic" or a chronicc alcoholic
i know the term real alcoholic is mentioned in the big book but that was not the point we have all been chronic at some point until we stopped and if we say we are an alcoholic then we are
only a minority add the phrase real alcoholic somewere in their share

I cant believe I am reading all this about chronic and real, I have never been to a meeting where I have heard anyone say they are anything but an alcoholic. Why do people want to make this whole thing so complicated ? No wonder newcomers become confused with it all, I certainly would not have hung around too long when I first got to AA. I thank my HP it was made so simple for me.

HC and bato, I'll out-chronic-real-alcoholic you! Dare ya! Get out your lists!

Oh wait, I'll lose...

according to the Big Book Of "Facts", if we get well some other way besides the steps, we were not chronic or real alcoholics. BAH! I find it loathesome (and silly) that anyone could possibly look at my history and for one second declare that I wasn't "real" simply because I choose not to use the steps as prescribed by some book from the 30's. Does it make any sense that your choice of get-well regimen determines whether or not you qualify as having the "disease" in the first place?

I understand the progression, believe me I do. I fully comprehend the difference. And the need for people who were so far into it to distinguish that from people who are struggling with abusive drinking. Yes, those people are on the progression but they're not "there" yet but they're most likely alkies too. They're just not as far along the slope and for the the people who'd call themselves "real" those folks haven't experienced what it's really like to have it take over your life, to really struggle. Sure, it's tough but it ain't nuthin' like literally drinking yourself to death and pulling back from the edge.

Regardless of different methods of getting and remaining sober, our common goal is to stay that way (on this board)

I can read the BB but I listen for the language of the heart. Tell me how you're living life on life's terms, it's ok to share your struggles..... maybe someone will share a solution to it.

Regardless of how we got sober, it's all about one drunk sharing with another.

I think it was Joe Maquany that really kicked off this introduction of "Hi I'm Joe and I'm a real alcoholic". He was, of course, one of first of the new wave of big book thumpers - I think we have all heard of Joe and Charlie and they have touched the lives of many alcoholics and have been instrumental in bringing the big book back into focus in our fellowship.

The real and chronic alcoholic are terms used ad libertum in the big book - mainly to distinguish between the hard drinker who can stop or moderate if needs must and the hopeless drunk who cannot control their drinking nor stay sober alone.

I identify with the description in the big book. However I feel absolutely no need to add any sort of qualifier when introducing myself. I avoid real, chronic, recovering and recovered.

All the newcomer needs to hear is that I am one of them in my opinion. My experience has proved to me that I am a real, chronic, yet recovered (from a hopeless state of body and mind) alcoholic and feel no need to prove it to anyone else. I don;t feel any anymosity to anyone who likes to add things in, even the word addict - as long as they are alkies or respect our traditions if they are not. I'd say I am probably an addict too, but then again, as ruled on in the international court system, addiction is not an illness and anyone and everyone has the capacity to be an addict.

I'm Huw and I'm an alcoholic (from UK Wales btw). Nice to meet you Rivalino - you Italian by any chance?

I lived in Manchester for a year or two - boy do you boys like to party :)

PS check Joe MaQuany's story out at this link:

http://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst

folder: AA JOE McQUANY - currently page 7.

Jolly good listening.