Thank you for your post. I recognize myself in your comment about "getting up before everyone else and do shots." I didn't usually get smashed, but I set myself up for drinking all day long.

I don't do that any more. Now I'm just an evening drinker. And I think that soon I be completely sober.

It's never too late to change, unless of course you're dead. Sounds like you have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot to live for.

What I am saying is that you're not alone. And you can get better. What works for you may be different than what works for other people. So, read as many posts as you can, and try something that sounds good to you.

For myself, I have the best luck with a designated number of days to be sober, and then a "substitute" non-alcoholic beverage to drink when I used to drink alcohol.

Hope that helps.

Still going strong ????? Just checking on you....

Go to AA.

Still going good, just enjoying some much needed family time. Woke up amazed first sober New Year's eve since, wow God only know s .

Sorry AA isn't a option right now.nearest one is to far. I'm going it alone for now. Well not alone, I have all of you wonderful people. And I have my beautiful wife and our wonderful sons

The realization of not another hangover again is a incentive all on it's own......Lol

There are alternatives to AA, such as SMART Recovery.

Yes agree with the other poster on alternatives. I do know that I was able to stop drinking many many times. I started again each time after a few weeks, a few months, even a year + when I tried to do it on my own. I could talk myself into all sorts of things and the answer to my alcoholism wasnt in my alcoholic mind and heart. If it were, quitting alone would have worked the first time.
Try AA, or try SMART, or try counseling but get some help as it will make the journey safer.

Everyone keeps saying about going to meetings Can someone tell me how to get started. Cause there are no groups near me. I live in rural Pa. And as far as counseling everyone I call isn't taking New patients. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Type into your search engine AA meetings (your town and state) and see what pops up. I didn't check but that would be a good place to start.

I have been an alcoholic since i was 18 years old. ive ran into brick wall after brick wall again and again. im almost 31 now and believe ive hit my final brick wall. i have lost job after job, friends, husbands and respect from everyone around me. i just lost the best job ive ever had and i have a daughter to support and im at a total loss. ive ruined so much in my nearly 13 years of this insane addiction. ive been in and out of AA since i was 20 and never took it seriously. I am not a religious person so i always thought it was BS. I believe this is my final chance to recover once and for all as for ive lost so much. ive decided to try this support group, go to womens AA and seek therapy. I need all the help and support i can get right now and i will do the same for others. thank you for listening. much love to all that is suffering from this horrible addiction.

Hi SurvivorRH, if you could cut and paste what you wrote here as your own new discussion it would probably bring you more replies - just a thought.

I've done the in and out of AA thing thinking I could stay sober by going to AA meetings. I could not. I needed to go through the actual 12 steps with a sponsor. That made the world of difference and I haven't wanted a drink in a lot of years. it could make the same difference for you. It can be done fairly quickly and then you will know for sure.

Congrats on making the first step--admitting you have a problem.
Drinking is drinking--doesn't matter what kind of poison we prefer.
This is a long and rewarding journey if you stick with it. I suggest learning more about yourself; when did you start abusing alcohol? Notice any patterns? What trends do you notice get your drinking? Find these out and eliminate them. That is just one step, albeit a big one. Statistics show that Buddhism and AA are two of the most effective deterrents to alcohol. I am not saying become a Buddhist or a daily AA goer (although there is NOTHING wrong with it...a member on here is a Buddhist and a long time sober member, too), but there are reasons they are successful.
Keep coming here. You will learn a lot and you are bound to find things that resonate with you.
Tell your family you admit you have a problem and you want to stop. Your sobriety is not their responsibility, but any support you can find will help.
I suggest the book "Living Sober"; you will find stories in there that may make you think, "Oh my God! That's me!" Realising there are many like you and me can be a dose of encouragement, too.
Good luck! Hope to see you on here!

There are a bunch in PA. Is York near?
http://york-pa-aa.org

Pa hotline 717-854-4617.