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.
And I relapsed last night. I was so excited to get that two month chip from AA. I don't go every day but I have been going. Any advice on staying sober aside from AA? I'm going to try to get a sponsor. I have a temporary one and I should've called her. This has been one of the hardest times in my life and I can't believe I made it nearly two monthsI don't want to throw it away. I'm disappointed in myself but I want to try again. I recently moved back somewhere and things are going really well. When I left here the last time, I had burned all my bridges. My parents even changed the locks on their house. I don't want to do that again.
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check out that smoke ring. It tasted really good. I smothered it with Maulls BBQ sauce which is Local to St. Louis and one of the best I ever had.....
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I was recently separated from my wife of 33 years and it's complicated. Anyway I rented a room about 15 minutes away and I see my kids about once a week. I see the people who own the house I live in once in a while but other than that I stay in my room where I do my cooking, wash dishes in the shower, read, color, and sleep. I get out at least once a day. I grocery shop and I attend 2 meetings...
Throughout all the treatment I had, AA meetings were mandatory and we had to attend a minimum of 3 meetings per week. I got a sponser and I did the steps. This was over 8 years ago.
Today, I live my life by the 12 steps and I have never been happier!
I wish the same for you but unfortunately, no program will help you unless you do the work at get at the root causes. That's what made me keep relapsing so I got help because I knew I couldn't do it alone. I tried hundreds of times but I failed miserably each and every time.
You have 2 months sobriety and nobody can take that away from you. I hope you get the help you need to make sobriety last a lifetime.
God Bless!
I made a meeting today and my last drink , this time... Was June 2012.
It is possible , I just have to stay in the action mode.
I had to figure out why I needed to escape me, basically I was afraid and ashamed of my feelings. I get those empty lonely feelings and the warm booze is the answer. But I had to learn other ways to cope. It is possible.
1is2many
Stop trying and just do it. Take the bull by the horns and holds on!
1-2
Read the book (repeatedly)
Work the steps.
This helped me tremendously. The first two months I was not working a solid program. Those elements are key and yes, call your sponsor next time, or some friends in AA.
It's ok. It happens. Start anew!
Dont be too hard on yourself but try to learn from the experience.
I have no experience of staying sober by methods other than AA but you will see several alternative options mentioned on other threads here. Some people find it helpful to read Allen Carrs Easy Way to Stop Drinking but I have not read it so I cannot tell you if it works.
If you plan to stay with AA, there are things that you can do to help you to achieve long term sobriety. Getting a sponsor is vital but that is only a start. The goal is to change your way of thinking so that no matter what life throws in your path, you will be able to deal with it without thinking of alcohol. This change of thinking is achieved through the Twelve Steps and the purpose of a sponsor is to help you through the Steps. Therefore, in choosing a sponsor it is important to pick someone who has a decent knowledge of the Twelve Steps. The best way to find such a person is to LISTEN at meetings. When you hear someone sharing about the Steps and you observe that the person has the sort of sobriety that you would like to have, you can ask that person for sponsorship.
Since you have been around AA for nearly two months now you will be familiar with meetings and how things work so this would be a good time to get into doing the Steps with a sponsor. Unless you put things right with yourself and with other people, including your parents, you will be eaten up by guilt and will always be in danger of relapsing. There is a definite sequence for doing this and a sponsor will help you with that.
You may be interested in the video at the link below as it explains why alcoholics drinks in the way that they do and why the first drink leads to many more. It is advisable to read The Doctors Opinion and Bills Story in the Big Book in conjunction with watching the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pVBDQPC2XQ