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.
From my profile anyone can see I, as I type am sober using the program of AA.
Early in my recovery during a share I heard opinions are like arse holes everyone's got one. Whilst this is a bit crass it set my to think about opinions and experience. For me opinions are untried events, experience are tried events whether positive or negative outcomes. For me experience is more important to share.
For example in my opinion if I drink non alcoholic drinks I will be ok to in my experience when I have drunk non alcoholic drink I have picked up again.
Having said that I can only share my experience which is AA based, therefore, when I read 'I want to get sober but I am not interested in AA' I think to myself that is your right. I will respect and I do not share.
At the risk of sounding righteous it also means I may have said something that is the trigger that gets another sober.
I do not care how anyone gets sober, the important thing is to get sober, this is a dreadful condition whether I call it a disease or others call it an addiction the truth is it kills. For me at the end of the day someone's experience is more important than an opinion. Sometimes I have to set aside my opinion for me to reap the reward of your experience for myself.
More G8 waffling
Early in my recovery during a share I heard opinions are like arse holes everyone's got one. Whilst this is a bit crass it set my to think about opinions and experience. For me opinions are untried events, experience are tried events whether positive or negative outcomes. For me experience is more important to share.
For example in my opinion if I drink non alcoholic drinks I will be ok to in my experience when I have drunk non alcoholic drink I have picked up again.
Having said that I can only share my experience which is AA based, therefore, when I read 'I want to get sober but I am not interested in AA' I think to myself that is your right. I will respect and I do not share.
At the risk of sounding righteous it also means I may have said something that is the trigger that gets another sober.
I do not care how anyone gets sober, the important thing is to get sober, this is a dreadful condition whether I call it a disease or others call it an addiction the truth is it kills. For me at the end of the day someone's experience is more important than an opinion. Sometimes I have to set aside my opinion for me to reap the reward of your experience for myself.
More G8 waffling
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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...
I think it's the same thing when someone renders an opinion about what someone else SHOULD do. I'd like to see more posts that read "this is what worked for me. You might consider trying it too and see if it helps."
I find its very very hard to argue with someone's experience or take offence at it. It is what it is and mostly folks can only respect that. When we go off into theorizing about what "it" is, what we should and shouldn't do, what somebody else should and shouldn't do, how we should think, how they should think...offence is more likely...and we're more likely to trip ourselves up too. I don't remember too often anyone coming up to me and saying "I don't agree with what you said happened to you"...
Like Billy would say "Just the facts mam" :)
P
i've learned a ton from people who have had personally very negative experiences with AA and from those with very positive experiences.
I'm reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Augesten Bouroughs who has a very negative (and I think misinformed) opinion of AA. But its his opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzINc8fTDhE
Sticky
Im gonna have to read some Augesten I bet he has some great morbidly dark humor from what I saw Thanks! A sick family never stops giving.....
Billy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwGkplB_sY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2e9wWFg-pI
When I share my experience I am only telling you what has worked for me I can not guarantee others will get the same result. Here if I share my opinion neither of us know if it will work.
G8
Since putting the grog down I have listened to others experience of what happened when they picked up after a period of sobriety. There is enough experience of others telling me I will go they same way if I pick up again. Here Imp I again am learning from others experience. Not their opinion.
G8
Billy
There is a good book called "The 12 steps for everyone who really wants them" written by Jerry Hirschfield. It is the AA 12 steps adapted to EHA (Emotional Health Anonymous) You can get it at Amazon for a few bucks used. I have an extra copy if anyone wants one for free.
Just thought I'd throw that in there!
God Bless and many thanks to Gr8ful for all your contributions for this group through the years
God Bless!
You are never dedicated to something you have complete confidence in. No one is fanatically shouting that the sun is going to rise tomorrow. Theyknowit's going to rise tomorrow. When people are fanatically dedicated to political or religious faiths or any other kinds of dogmas or goals, it's always because these dogmas or goals are in doubt.
Robert M. Pirsig,Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
That matches my experience...when I have a burning desire to explain something to someone or go out and tell the world, it's usually the symptom of an opinion or a loosely held conviction. Experience and knowledge brings a quiter sense of security...we know, and if others care to ask for our experience we're happier to share :)
Oh and experience is subjective too right? Less right and wrong - we experience the world differently...I can't tell you how many times a difference of opinion for me has come down to two people seeing or experiencing the same thing different ways.
Plenty of folks here have the experience of getting and staying sober, I respect that :)
P