This is how I know I am close to a drink or drug!!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
This is how I know I am close to a drink or drug!!
1. Complacency-Letting up on my AA program, cutting back on meetings, not calling sponsor, not working steps.
2. Isolation- Sitting at home alone, not answering the phone, not leaving the house.
3. Dishonesty- Making excuses as to why I am not calling sponsor. Telling little white lies.
4. Depression- Feelings of hopelessness
5. Argumentativeness- Confrontational
6. Self pity- Poor me, poor me, pour me a drink.
7. Cockiness- Hey I've got this I have been sober for awhile. I know what to watch for.
8. Expecting too much from others- I can't do this without you. If you leave me I will drink. Or I will drink if you don't do what I want .
9. Letting up on daily disciplines- Stop praying, stop reading lit, stop meetings
10. Forgetting gratitude-Forgetting how far I have come and where I came from.
11. Omnipotence- I have this thing licked. It could never happen to me again, not after all I know.
12. Obsessive and compulsive thinking- Romancing the drink or becoming compulsive with other stuff like computer, texting, eating.
13. Boredom- Not filling my mind with healthy activities such as AA literature. Not keeping busy. Losing interest.
14. Maintaining resentments- You hurt me and I am not gonna forgive you, so there. So I"ll hurt you, by hurting myself. ( maybe I'll have a drink)
15. Old “people, places and things”- I have been sober awhile it's ok to go to a bar and watch the game with friends.
16. Keeping drugs and/or alcohol in the house-Well I may need to serve wine to a drop in guest.
17. Anger- Heck with you I don't care I will drink you don't care about me anyhow. Jerk!!
20.Shame- I will never amount to anything I am so worthless.
2. Isolation- Sitting at home alone, not answering the phone, not leaving the house.
3. Dishonesty- Making excuses as to why I am not calling sponsor. Telling little white lies.
4. Depression- Feelings of hopelessness
5. Argumentativeness- Confrontational
6. Self pity- Poor me, poor me, pour me a drink.
7. Cockiness- Hey I've got this I have been sober for awhile. I know what to watch for.
8. Expecting too much from others- I can't do this without you. If you leave me I will drink. Or I will drink if you don't do what I want .
9. Letting up on daily disciplines- Stop praying, stop reading lit, stop meetings
10. Forgetting gratitude-Forgetting how far I have come and where I came from.
11. Omnipotence- I have this thing licked. It could never happen to me again, not after all I know.
12. Obsessive and compulsive thinking- Romancing the drink or becoming compulsive with other stuff like computer, texting, eating.
13. Boredom- Not filling my mind with healthy activities such as AA literature. Not keeping busy. Losing interest.
14. Maintaining resentments- You hurt me and I am not gonna forgive you, so there. So I"ll hurt you, by hurting myself. ( maybe I'll have a drink)
15. Old “people, places and things”- I have been sober awhile it's ok to go to a bar and watch the game with friends.
16. Keeping drugs and/or alcohol in the house-Well I may need to serve wine to a drop in guest.
17. Anger- Heck with you I don't care I will drink you don't care about me anyhow. Jerk!!
20.Shame- I will never amount to anything I am so worthless.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Originally Posted by tomsteve 
hope yer not feelin any of those tonight my friend.
and dont forget another important one:
letting up on the spiritual program of action and resting on our laurels.
and dont forget another important one:
letting up on the spiritual program of action and resting on our laurels.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,947
Awesome, working is a good thing. I know that when I started work after my stay in rehab and a week off, it required a new balance. For me, I am incredibly blessed with a job that requires that I not be too self centered and that i get outside myself. Doing a good job at work is one of the best ways to practice the principles of the program. That doesn't mean I don't have bad days, but I know why, often, and I know the solution.
I found SR real helpful during the day, checking in when I need to decompress for minute. Getting to my home group, trying to be attentive to the needs of my coworkers and family. All that.
It is a transition back into life. It was a little bumpy for me at first, well, for the first year or two, LOL... Just don't drink, no matter what.
I found SR real helpful during the day, checking in when I need to decompress for minute. Getting to my home group, trying to be attentive to the needs of my coworkers and family. All that.
It is a transition back into life. It was a little bumpy for me at first, well, for the first year or two, LOL... Just don't drink, no matter what.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Originally Posted by Mark75
It is a transition back into life. It was a little bumpy for me at first, well, for the first year or two, LOL... Just don't drink, no matter what.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 249
Yikes, I feel a lot of those (or do those things) on a daily basis and I'm almost 8 months sober! No wonder I am still nuts a lot and feel like I need a drink. I always notice that there is a direct correlation between my desire (or lack of a desire) to have a drink and how I am feeling spiritually inside. No wonder I had no desire to drink on Friday night but sort of do now (or at least did earlier). Anyway, it goes to show that it really does come down to how I am applying these spiritual principles into my daily life.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
A couple missing might be:
18: Not willing to spend time and effort sponsoring others.
19: Not willing to carry the message to the alcoholic that still suffers, even if it's inconvenient.
..."Particularly it was imperative to wokr with others as he had worked with me.... For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead."
18: Not willing to spend time and effort sponsoring others.
19: Not willing to carry the message to the alcoholic that still suffers, even if it's inconvenient.
..."Particularly it was imperative to wokr with others as he had worked with me.... For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead."
2Cor5:17
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Between Doctor's opinion & pg 164
Posts: 4,187
Deeker,
sry to hear that a strong lady such as you is going thru rough time & even tho you've been sober for good while, this disease doesn't let up.
Remember pg 98 big bk? Job or no job, husband or no husband (in u're case)...etc
I know u're able to weather whatever storm u're going thru
Rom8:37
sry to hear that a strong lady such as you is going thru rough time & even tho you've been sober for good while, this disease doesn't let up.
Remember pg 98 big bk? Job or no job, husband or no husband (in u're case)...etc
I know u're able to weather whatever storm u're going thru
Rom8:37
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South East England
Posts: 8,009
Thinking of you Deeker. I know how working can put us a little off-balance and how hard it is to keep juggling everything.
Remember it is your sobriety that underpins everything. Without that, there will be no job to worry about.
It's ok to miss a meeting or two, but never stop praying and talking to your HP.
You won't go far wrong if you keep the faith.
Big hugs
Xxx
Remember it is your sobriety that underpins everything. Without that, there will be no job to worry about.
It's ok to miss a meeting or two, but never stop praying and talking to your HP.
You won't go far wrong if you keep the faith.
Big hugs
Xxx
Fellow Traveler and Seeker
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 2,408
Sorry to hear that you're feeling some of those things, deeker. I recall going back to work was a big transition for me as well. I was going like mad to meetings - 210 in 90 to start and then still hammering at it. I wasn't working, had been kicked out of the house and living on my own, no real responsibilities other than working on my recovery. So when I started working, and then slowly started to make my way back into my family's life, it was a bumpy ride. As mark said, work is good for balance and a place to practice spiritual principles in all of our affairs. Work has been a great place for me to really apply the program to real life, as opposed to just applying it to AA rooms. It also helped me to practice and adhere to setting and keeping boundaries.
But what really keeps me in tune and in balance is working with others. It really does. Even when I am tired, even when I'd rather be doing something else, even when it's too early or too late...when I am finished meeting with another guy, I am recharged. Mentally, physically and spiritually. It's a powerful thing.
But what really keeps me in tune and in balance is working with others. It really does. Even when I am tired, even when I'd rather be doing something else, even when it's too early or too late...when I am finished meeting with another guy, I am recharged. Mentally, physically and spiritually. It's a powerful thing.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
Jeez i'm glad that isn't true for me or i would have been drunk by now! They are warning signs though that you need to change something:-)
I've had a go at every one of them in sobriety, most after a while i have gotten fed up with and they have dropped away. A couple i am going to counselling for to change my thought process slightly.
I've had a go at every one of them in sobriety, most after a while i have gotten fed up with and they have dropped away. A couple i am going to counselling for to change my thought process slightly.
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