Oh peachy, we're people you pass in the street. We're from all walks of life. Mums, Dads, unemployed, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, etc. I spent 20 in the Navy, yet felt right at home sitting in the gutter drinking, would have ended up living there too. Many of those alcoholic losers you see in the streets once had jobs like you and I. I'm still with Defence, in IT, and funny enough, at lunchtime today, my colleague was astounded when I sat down in the city, suit and all, and just said a quick hi to one of our locals. I'm only one drink away from destroying my life. So I choose not to drink. One day at a time.

I have a state job, I oversee group homes and make sure standards are met.
I have friends in accounting, law, medicine....nobody is immune.

Preconceptions stunt our development, I'm glad you're acknowledging it so that you could get past it. Welcome to the alcoholism community.

Well Gunthar was God and he was an alkie so I don't think you can go any higher than that!

Hi Peachy, my name is Lizzie B.
(can't give you my last name cuz I'm in an anonymous program)

All kidding aside, I won't give you a resume but I will share with you about how incredible life is sober and that you don't have to drink if you don't want to. I didn't know I had a choice before I found AA. Why don't you just hang out on this site for awhile to see what we're about. Hugs

I am a public high school teacher.

I was someone who people would be surprised to know I drank as much as I did. I was a care provider for emotionally disturbed children and was often at meetings with social workers and other high ranking officials. Only the people at the bar knew how much and even they didn't, because I drank a few here and a few there and a few there.

When I finally went to AA, my "friends" at the bar were like "wow...I didn't think you were a drunk??" and by then, I'd lost my job as well.

My job was one of my reasons for getting sober. I was a secretary for years, but about a month ago I landed a great position as a coordinator for a program that helps underprivileged youth obtain their GED's. We also councel them, take them on service learning projects, etc. I was here for about two weeks before I realized I needed to practice what I was preaching.

I owned Bail Bond Companies... being an alcoholic was an advantage..

until recently, I was running my son in laws bonding company, what an opportunity for 12th step work.. what a difference being sober makes.

I'm a partner in two companies- a printing company and a business that sells high tech bindery and finishing equipment to the printing industry.

I got drunk off my ass EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK for 15 years. By the end, my work and my body were both beginning to suffer. I spent years telling myself that I wasn't "literally" in the gutter, so I couldn't be an alcholic. I think I would have ended up there if I'd have kept drinking. Either there or disabled.

If you think a title is going to save you from being an alcoholic, you have another think coming.
Even people without jobs are people. A lot are intelligent people that just didn't have the same opportunities and advantages that you had with education.
Keep drinking and see how far your job actually gets you. You see, alcohol doesn't care about all that.
Oh, I work in the power industry all over the country.

Yes I was a closet drunk. During my heavy use I worked as a Machinist sheet metal shop. I sobered up shortly before the company folded. They had no clue of my drinking.

Now I work in a county teaching hospital in the ER. As a CNA/Clerk for 21 yrs. Yes I am reminded every day dealing with alcoholics. Because here in Minneapolis there is a law that no one is allowed to be intoxicated on the streets. The police brings them to detox and if they are full they come to the ER til they sober up. Tax payers money at work.

During those years I have seen people die from alcoholism. Those who were murdered and from accidents. And they were or are from all walks of life.

I think that it is worse at the end of the day to be a so called functional alcoholic with a good job. You can fool yourself better.

I can spot an alcoholic a mile away-whether they are under a bridge or in Gucci loafers-got that same look in their eyes. I swear, I went to this doctors house for dinner and knew the second he opened the door he was an alki. Low and behold, wife left him a month later and he is trying to clean up his act. Through it all-is one of the top bone docs in salt lake.

Desperation, sneakiness mixed with overcompensating to make you think all is well-all active alkis convey this. Recovering alkis on the other hand have a sort of sparkle-a knowing grin, there is a peace, like they have been to hell and back and are happy to be back.

I was a therapist btw. Lotsa schooling-lotsa denial.

I am a chartered accountant. Being intelligent did me no favours as far as alcoholism went. It just encouraged me to think that I could use that intelligence to beat alcoholism. It took a long time for me to see that it counts for nothing as far as recovery is concerned.

We all have to learn to be humble. Being successful or smart does not mean that we cannot become an alcoholic.

I honestly believe that we were created to have an relationship with God. When we ignore God, we fall into these destructive behaviors. If I was so smart, I wouldn't have gotten myself into this mess, right? Wrong! I'm human and I'm fallible.

I was a researcher for and adviser to local and national government! High powered stuff and lots of important meetings with
high ranking officials and politicians.

I was also a very good actor............

but Im alright noww!