Becoming Sober (Page 20)

powerman - 2012-07-07 10:35 AM

cgregg - 2012-07-07 8:33 AM

lol! We still measure it 24 hours at a time It is pretty cool to be so close to so much of AA's roots, though. I haven't yet visited Dr. Bob's house, but taking a walk through the gatehouse at Stan Hywet Hall and seeing THE room and THE very table and chairs where it all began, and doing that on Founder's Day on AA's 75th anniversary - that was pretty special to me. If you've never made it to Founder's Day, add it to your bucket list. The experience of sitting in an outdoor stadium with more than 10,000 other people from all over the world to have an AA meeting and listen to one individual share their story is singularly Awesome, in every meaning of that word. One of the most powerful things I've ever sat through. @mdg - Congrats to your cousin! Keep her going - bet her that she won't make it to 16 weeks, then watch her prove you "wrong" out of spite

I made it to our 50th anniversary in San Diego. We sat in a room with 20,000 people, had several State Pens on phone hook up, listen to Bob with 47 years talk about the begging. The night before we listened to 7 people from around the world talk about starting out in their countries. One gentlemen started meetings in his country where it is illegal for him to do so... just like it was for us 50 years ago. That was an awesome experience to say the least. How fortunate we are today. How grateful am to those that cleared the road.

Happy 6 and thanks for getting my day started right.

He is from the Middle East. It is illegal to be a drug addict, period in some ME countries. It was beginning to change for him in his, but it was still very risky to "come out" in the open. Obviously it was not illegal to be an addict here, but it was illegal for known drug addicts to congregate together in many states. Meetings were originally held in secret and were surveilled by the police.

Celebrated 6 years earlier this month - one day at a time.

Sobriety is the best thing that's ever happened to me.  If I didn't make that decision on 7/1/06, I'd be (at best) in prison right now, or - far more likely - dead.  That's no exaggeration - it was no-sh*t that bad.

I know all too well that it's nearly impossible to imagine life without booze/drugs when you are deep in that hole, but I cannot imagine now ever returning to that crap.  I'm lucky to be alive today, and that realization helps keep me sober and grounded.

I'm forever grateful for this second chance, and I intend to make the most of it (see sig line).

Cheers, Chris

Happy 6th, Chris!!!!! Hear, hear.

I have been glancing at this thread for a while now and I am going to kind of get on the sobriety wagon.

For the last few weeks I have been slowly making changes to how I have been lately. (Not drinking all the time) I figured out recently, or actually a while ago and am now addressing the issue is that I have zero ways to cope with anything besides drinking. I am a veteran (used to be an Infantryman) which is where I think most of my issues are coming from. I am pretty sure I am actually going to start going to therapy to try and find new ways to cope with anger, anxiety, and pretty much anything else that sets me off to drink this week. So I guess I will keep a closer on here and enjoy reading your stories of ups and downs and keep you informed with my road to recovery.

Here's the deal... there are differences between normal people and addicts.. that means anyone with a substance abuse problem. But whether you are someone predisposed to abuse substances... or you just happen to use them to cope with some sort of stress... the answer is the same, stop using the substance.

In your case, it's easy. If it is just a way to deal with stress, then there is plenty of help to find better ways... and I don't mean to make "light" of your stress by saying it is "easy". What ever it is, I realize it does not feel "easy" where you are at right now. But trust us, there are better ways. The beauty of asking for help, is that you get it. It is there right in front of you.

As far as long term, well you can cross that bridge when you get to it. For right now, I 100% applaud you for recognizing a problem and resolving to deal with it. That is the first step to getting better and getting on with your life. Sometimes when we are in the thick of it it gets hard to see solutions, but they are there.

I also want to thank you for your service and say I know for a fact you are not the only one. I see a lot of them. I would strongly suggest you get with those that have the same problems and see what they are doing. No matter what one's "problem" is, there is someone that has gone through the same thing and is willing to help others. There are a lot of groups out there helping vets.

Welcome!

Thank you for your service, and I sincerely hope that you find the peace you are looking for.  I know that mine is not in the bottom of a bottle.

I am still sober, not entirely sure how many days it's been, need to figure that out.

Doh!  I screwed up. not in that way though.  I am happily going into my 7th month sober and things couldn't be better.

I hosted an A.A. meeting the other night.  You basically read a script.  I've heard it dozens of times before.  Well, I asked a guy to read "How it works" and another guy to read the 12 traditions.  before I got up to continue the meeting he had turned the page in the script.  I started reading, and the guys iun the front row kept stopping me!  "Ask for announcements", then :Ask if there are birthdyas" etc..I thought I was going to read that stuff on the next page, and it turns out that I skipped a page!!  

So in front of about 40 people, I screwed up the flow of the meeting I have been going to for 7 months!  No b ig deal though, I think they got a kick out of it....

Yes. We did.

Basically they're just happy they didn't have to do it, but were also happy to yell corrections from the floor.

AA, as such, ought never be organized ... no wonder I fit in so well.

Good on you for stepping up and being of service.

There are no normal people. 

The majority of people can take it or leave it. You can call them what you like, but that is not me, and it's a big difference. YMMV

Heh, first meeting I chaired really bombed. It wasn't planned for me to run it, I just happened to be standing there and a guy grabbed me and pushed me in the room and said it's your meeting and shut the door! A couple people actually got up and left the room.

 I think this was a tongue in cheek comment about all people in general.

HAHAHA!

I have noticed that tends to happen in every meeting, though. A random small number of folks just get up and leave for no apparent reason. If it makes you feel any better it's happened more than once folks have come to a meeting, seen that I'm the speaker, then left

Isn't that how all crimes and AA service happen, though? "See, I was just standing around ... "

I get that too. Not trying to get all defensive.... just trying to clarify if anyone else may be asking themselves questions and don't know the difference. As far as substances... I have always been night and day... but then we learn about all kinds of "bad behavior" we have and then finally realize the rest of the population does too.

Bump. Just want to see how everyone is doing.

I'm great. I have successfully managed to strike a balance with alcohol. Interestingly enough, I lost the desire to drink as much/as often after my daughter got her body cast off. Life smoothed out and I no longer needed alcohol as my escape.

However, just as we hear "this too shall pass" during the bad times, I believe "this too shall pass" in relation to the easy times. So I am using this down time to explore why I turn to self-destructive habits so easily when faced with a life hurdle. I have no interest in going back to that dark place. I am seeing a therapist again and have set some healthy goals for myself and lined up a couple accountability buddies.

AND, after years of back and forth, I am smoke free! It's only been 12 days, but that's a big deal for me!!

How's everyone else?

AWESOME!! Cigarettes are yucky. I think I have quit for about 8 years now, and I wish I never started. 

There is a guy (a friend of my coworker) who shows up at our lunch break and drinks 3-4 beers while chain smoking. I can't ask him to stop or go outside, because I live in redneck country and you are supposed to just deal with things like that. The last guy who quit this job was looked upon as weird because he didn't eat with the group of coworkers. I am beginning to see why he did so.

LOCAL DRUNK STORY: I routinely have to go to lock up buildings after the businesses inside have closed for the day. While walking to close up the restrooms outside of one of the buildings, a man was sitting on a bench. Being friendly, I say 'hello' and can smell the strong booze. He said he lost his job today (again) for being drunk at work. He was wasted, and then told me his whole life story, from high school to present. The thing that stuck with me through the long slurring rambling rant was that he said he could go get his driver's license, but didn't think he should because he knew he would drive drunk and possibly kill somebody. He walked everywhere or hitchhiked instead. Very respectable, in a very strange way. 

QUESTION FOR THE SOBERS: What's the most amusing way to turn down offered drinks without telling folks you are abstaining? I just tell people "no, thank you anyway" but that is getting boring. I'd like to have some fun with it.

 Thanks, but I just snorted a load of model airplane glue and I don't like to mix the two

QUESTION FOR THE SOBERS: What's the most amusing way to turn down offered drinks without telling folks you are abstaining? I just tell people "no, thank you anyway" but that is getting boring. I'd like to have some fun with it.

 Thanks, but I just snorted a load of model airplane glue and I don't like to mix the two

I have found that it's easier just to tell people the truth.

MOST are very very accepting of it..