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.
Before I become sober I used to think alcohol was my problem in that I could not control it. If only I could control it everything would be great.
When I become sober I learned alcohol was my solution and for this old bloke that was a wow moment. I had never looked at alcohol as being my solution but it was true.
When I was sad I turned to alcohol, when I was angry I turned to alcohol, when I was happy I turned to alcohol. So no matter how I was feeling, to deal with or enhance that feeling I turned to alcohol.
So if alcohol was not the problem then what was??
You can imagine my rebellion when it was first suggested that my thinking was my problem, that it was my thinking that put me in harms way.
Thinking alcohol could make me happy when I was sad, make me chill out when I was angry or enhance the experience when I was happy was pure insanity. So eventually I had to admit that maybe the problem all along was my thinking and if I could not trust my thinking what was I to do???
G8
When I become sober I learned alcohol was my solution and for this old bloke that was a wow moment. I had never looked at alcohol as being my solution but it was true.
When I was sad I turned to alcohol, when I was angry I turned to alcohol, when I was happy I turned to alcohol. So no matter how I was feeling, to deal with or enhance that feeling I turned to alcohol.
So if alcohol was not the problem then what was??
You can imagine my rebellion when it was first suggested that my thinking was my problem, that it was my thinking that put me in harms way.
Thinking alcohol could make me happy when I was sad, make me chill out when I was angry or enhance the experience when I was happy was pure insanity. So eventually I had to admit that maybe the problem all along was my thinking and if I could not trust my thinking what was I to do???
G8
I believe in the comcept that there are no vacuums in Nature. So, if I stop one behavious, ie drinking, unless I replace it with something else, preferrably productive, I will inevitably revert to drinking or other destructive coping mechanisms.
So for me, for 11 years, it has been the Program and Fellowship of AA, as well as a Higher Power of my Own Understanding - no conventional religion in my case, replacing the destructive drinking (people drop like flies from alcoholism in my family). It works!!
I can relate to that.
In early recovery I would have told you alcohol wasn't my problem sobriety was because when I was drinking I thought I had no problems . It was only when I wasn't drinking I had all these problems.
When I was drinking the Girls looked better, I looked better, I drove better ,I played pool better. I could be anything or one I wanted to be when drinking , A Pilot ,A jockey even though I was 16 stone the list goes on.
When I wasn't drinking I hated the world. I had this family who only wanted to argue with me .I had these fears ,paranoia ,panic attacks,I had all these people who wanted money from me .Banks, stores ,courts the list goes on again.
So It was not hard for me to see alcohol was my solution not the problem. What a Paradox. I was insane.
Well I will leave it there The alarm just went of I am cooking a casserole for dinner and I better get out and check it .
Thanks for the post .
God Bless...
Lionel
Peace!
Alcohol for us who have abused it or let it control us was just one big lie. Lied about giving us more creativity or energy or social skills. I've seen my "creativity" in sober lights and soberly, I am MUCH more creative than what the "spirits" told me I was.
Ever wonder why they call them "spirits"? Maybe a new thread....hmmm
My thinking problem has been addressed through the 12 Steps, my HP (who I found through the Steps) and outside help.
I read similar threads when I first joined DS and just didn't understand alot of what I read. This makes perfect sense, thanks for putting it that way and I hope it helps a lightbulb go off for someone who needs a light at the moment. :)
I would add that my problem is also a spiritual one. and for a while alcohol seemed to be the solution to that too - until it stopped working and made everything so much worse.
This is why the 12step spiritual solution works so well for me because it treats that spiritual sickness that made my life so impossible to live.