It's all about me today

[Andygirl]

Today is my first day back from work since my surgery on April 28 and the beginning of my recovery from drugs and alcohol. I'm pretty worried about making it to meetings and stuff and I just wanted to post on here to feel a bit connected to the group.

It's been ok so far and I'm thinking of sneaking off to my normal noon meeting. I might be gone a little long, but my boss is cool and doesn't mind as long as we make up the time somehow.

Does anyone have a story about getting on with their life after the initial phase of recovery? Did you find it hard to go back to work? Did it affect your sobriety?

Thanks everyone! I'm always glad this forum is here.

[Paulie]

Hi Andygirl -

You will be fine, I know it is scary.

You ask if going back to work affected my recovery. The answer is NO because if it had I might not be clean today. There were days in early recovery that I went to our local 2:00 meeting during my lunch, I wuold just leave 5 minutes early to get back to work.

It is part of recovery learning to balance our lives to include recovery (first) work, family, health .... etc. It is the whole package of life we are learning about, you knw what I mean.

When I got clean at 31, I had never been on a job interview sober, since maybe my first 1 at 15, but even then I was already using/drinking so I might not have been completely sober that day either LOL. Anyway, I remember I had 6 months clean and I had to get a job, I was out of rehab and life had to start. I went on my first interview and I ws a wreck. Shaking and stuttering, the guy probalby thought I was high. See, I didnt' take my HP into that interview with me. All I thought about before I walked in is how I used to do dope and walk in the door and sell myself. I had some really good jobs.

Anyway, so I went on my second interview, this time instead of tripping on what I used to do before an interview, I prayed in the parking lot before I went in and then I took my HP in with me. I was still nervous. but I got hired that day. I had that job until the owners got divorced and sold the company 3 or 4 years later. And one of the owners is still one of my best friends today.

Sorry, if I got of the subject here, I just wanted to show you tht we are all scared when we start our life again in recovery, but as long as we talk our HP and our program with us, we are fine.

Keep recovery first.

[Andygirl]

Thanks Paulie. It's all going ok. I'm just worried about some things.

I'm going to that noon mtg., so I'm sure I'll feel better after that. I always do.

And I'm taking my HP wherever I go, or at least I'm trying to.

[Andygirl]

Just got back. As always, the topic was perfect. One day at a time, just what I needed to hear.

Now if I can get my eyelid to stop twitching everything would be fabulous.

[roadie58]

I've found that a lot of AA members in our groups are either unemployed, self-employed, or barely employed. Our noon meeting has a lot of folks with non-traditional jobs or retired, that's how they can hang out at the club for so many hours.

I've found it difficult to concentrate on work. I gave myself the excuse to not book too many clients for 2005 so I could work on recovery, but instead have found myself getting lazy, sleeping too much, not working out, and relapsing. I'd probably be better off in a traditional work environment where I had to show up on a regular basis or be fired. Working for myself at home has too many distractions.

I hope it's not too early for you to return to work, but don't kick yourself if it doesn't work out. That would be a receipe for disaster. Keep at your meetings, it's cool that your boss is flexible with you. Just keep going. It does work, and especially early in recovery with the stress of a new job, you might not want to cut back on meetings.

Is the job good, in your realm of expertise, without too much stress? That's probably key right now. Keep in touch.

[namommy]

Originally Posted by Andygirl

Now if I can get my eyelid to stop twitching everything would be fabulous.

I work for an ophthalmologist. It's called 'Lid Myochymia" Guess what causes it? STRESS!!

Once you calm down and relax, it will go away on it's own.

As far as you going back to work and getting on with life, that is why we got clean. So we can start to live.

As long as you remember that you are an addict, each and everyday, and you apply a program of recovery in your life, you will be OK. Get into a routine.

For me, to incorporate my recovery into my day. I read the Just For Today meditation every morning. I pray and talk to God while I am in the Shower and in the car on the way to work. I shoot up little "God please don't let me snap out on this Old Lady" prayers during the day. When I come home, depending on which day it is. I call my sponsor, go to a meeting. Each night, I read from our literature, and pray again before I go to bed. I also talk to my sponsees and other recovering addicts each day. And of course, I check in here to see what's going on. (I've recently started journaling again.)

find a routine that works for you. A general rule of thumb. Make sure you include these 5 things into your day.

1-pray
2-go to a meeting
3-call your sponsor
4-talk to at least 1 other recovering addict
5-read/write from our literature.

as long as you've done at least 4/5 of these things you will be OK.