Went to first AA meeting..... - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

nabb1 · 12-11-2012, 06:26 AM

So, I went to my first meeting yesterday and let me say I was truly scared to death to walk through the door. But, once I was inside and was greeted by many people it was a whole lot easier. I have been rolling the whole concept over in my head after hearing some of the experience of others and of course part of me is saying well you are not that kind of drinker so do you really need to be there. Of course I need to be there since I question every time I drink and dwell on if I will drink or not. Just because I do not drink in the morning or everyday, by the time Wednesday or Thursday comes around I am instantly asking my self do I or don't I buy the wine, and once I do it is four days of buying wine. Sometimes it is only drinking one bottle not bad (ya right) but once the second bottle is opened a whole different person emerges and that is not what I want to see EVER again. So yes I do need to go to the meetings and grasp the reality of my situation so I can be free from this horrible disease. I will once again walk through the doors again today, I know it scares me still but that is a good thing right?:abcj

sugarbear1 · 12-11-2012, 06:42 AM

Helping yourself recover is an awesome thing!

My alcoholism was that I couldn't live life without drinking.....

***PaperDolls*** · 12-11-2012, 06:46 AM

It's a great thing whenever someone takes steps to better themselves.

I drank similarly to you so I get it. After a while, the fear will be gone. I feel weird when I don't go to meetings now. I never thought that would happen!

Welcome to SR! Glad you found us.

tomsteve · 12-11-2012, 07:23 AM

whats greater: the fear of walkin through the doors or the fear of another drink?
get that same courage ya had when ya went to the 1st one.
whne ya get in there, i highly suggest at least getting a copy of the big book and reading the 1st 164 pages. we help each other stay sober and help others achieve sobriety. we love it when someone comes in wanting help.

alcoholism isnt about how much we drink/drank.

MIRecovery · 12-11-2012, 07:36 AM

Very cool and congrats on the first step of a life time of getting better

Cwbugycody · 12-11-2012, 08:09 AM

Awesome, you will find lots of love and support through the doors of AA . Keep going back. It works if you work it! Good luck and God bless.

bbthumper · 12-11-2012, 08:12 AM

Welcome to AA! Please stay. We need you!

BruceJ · 12-11-2012, 08:16 AM

You did good.

When you attend meetings, try to listen for the similarities and not the differences. I've been to hundreds of meetings through the years and have never heard anyone describe their drinking patterns as matching mine. IOW...it really doesn't matter what you drank, when you drank, how much you drank, etc.
If, when you begin to drink...you lose control over a sane amount to drink......(and only you can answer that one to yourself) then you should probably go to a few more meetings and listen carefully.

All the best.

mfanch · 12-11-2012, 08:19 AM

I'm glad you are here. I felt exactly how you feel when I walked through that door. However, I started to feel better and thought that I was too young to be "an alcoholic". It took 20 more years getting beat down by alcohol for me to get back through the doors of AA and follow the simple directions of the program. Don't do what I did!!!

I would say read the Doctor's Opinion if you have a BB and call any numbers you may have gotten at that meeting! They really want to hear from you.

heath480 · 12-11-2012, 08:38 AM

Pleased to hear you are going back to another meeting.

They say if you keep going back you will hear someone with the same story as yourself.It happened to me when I was about 2years sober.

Look forward to hearing your progress.

bryangt · 12-11-2012, 08:44 AM

You will find the medicine you need at the meetings. And with time, the meetings will be an important part of your recovery and the stepping stones to a better way of living. Wish you well & keep coming back!!

***Anna*** · 12-11-2012, 09:17 AM

I'm glad that you found something that works for you.

IndaMiricale · 12-11-2012, 11:59 AM

Welcome Home {{{nabb1}}}

Keep coming back.

dragon12 · 12-11-2012, 01:09 PM

Thanks for your post. I am still trying to muster up the confidence to attend a meeting. To be honest, I know that I need to at least try a meeting and I know that I need the support but I'm scared to death. The more I avoid the meetings the more guilty I feel.

Well done!

Zebra1275 · 12-11-2012, 03:30 PM

Wwlcome to SR! Glad you made it to your first meeting and are going back.

BabyJane · 12-11-2012, 03:34 PM

That's a big step for anyone. I cried through my first meeting and I was terrified. Over the years I've been to hundreds of meetings and the thing that worked for me was getting a sponsor and actually working the steps to the best of my ability. It isn't for everyone but it works for me. I feel a part of something bigger and better than the alcohol. I feel like I have friends and family there. I even relate to other women differently because of AA. Keep going back!

12-11-2012, 06:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
nabb1 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 9	Went to first AA meeting..... So, I went to my first meeting yesterday and let me say I was truly scared to death to walk through the door. But, once I was inside and was greeted by many people it was a whole lot easier. I have been rolling the whole concept over in my head after hearing some of the experience of others and of course part of me is saying well you are not that kind of drinker so do you really need to be there. Of course I need to be there since I question every time I drink and dwell on if I will drink or not. Just because I do not drink in the morning or everyday, by the time Wednesday or Thursday comes around I am instantly asking my self do I or don't I buy the wine, and once I do it is four days of buying wine. Sometimes it is only drinking one bottle not bad (ya right) but once the second bottle is opened a whole different person emerges and that is not what I want to see EVER again. So yes I do need to go to the meetings and grasp the reality of my situation so I can be free from this horrible disease. I will once again walk through the doors again today, I know it scares me still but that is a good thing right?:abcj

12-11-2012, 06:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
sugarbear1 ~sb Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: MD Posts: 9,763	Helping yourself recover is an awesome thing! My alcoholism was that I couldn't live life without drinking..... __________________ Someday everything will all make sense. For now, laugh at confusion, smile through tears, & remind yourself that everything happens for a reason. All Big Book quotes are from the first edition. Linked with the permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

12-11-2012, 07:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
tomsteve Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: northern michigan. not the U.P. Posts: 2,883	whats greater: the fear of walkin through the doors or the fear of another drink? get that same courage ya had when ya went to the 1st one. whne ya get in there, i highly suggest at least getting a copy of the big book and reading the 1st 164 pages. we help each other stay sober and help others achieve sobriety. we love it when someone comes in wanting help. alcoholism isnt about how much we drink/drank. __________________ all big book quotes from 1st edition

12-11-2012, 07:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
MIRecovery A Day at a Time Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Grand Rapids MI Posts: 1,563	Very cool and congrats on the first step of a life time of getting better __________________ I've dealt with my ghosts and faced all my demons Finally content with a past I regret I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness For once I'm at peace with myself

12-11-2012, 08:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
bbthumper Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,139	Welcome to AA! Please stay. We need you! __________________ *~BBThumper* ~All Big Book Quotes from the 1st edition A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. C. S. Lewis

12-11-2012, 06:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
*PaperDolls* Community Greeter Join Date: May 2004 Location: Midwest Posts: 7,788 Blog Entries: 10	It's a great thing whenever someone takes steps to better themselves. I drank similarly to you so I get it. After a while, the fear will be gone. I feel weird when I don't go to meetings now. I never thought that would happen! Welcome to SR! Glad you found us.

12-11-2012, 08:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cwbugycody Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Borger Texas Posts: 119	Awesome, you will find lots of love and support through the doors of AA . Keep going back. It works if you work it! Good luck and God bless.

12-11-2012, 08:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
BruceJ Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Clinton, MT Posts: 249	You did good. When you attend meetings, try to listen for the similarities and not the differences. I've been to hundreds of meetings through the years and have never heard anyone describe their drinking patterns as matching mine. IOW...it really doesn't matter what you drank, when you drank, how much you drank, etc. If, when you begin to drink...you lose control over a sane amount to drink......(and only you can answer that one to yourself) then you should probably go to a few more meetings and listen carefully. All the best.

12-11-2012, 08:19 AM	#9 (permalink)
mfanch Recovered Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 381	I'm glad you are here. I felt exactly how you feel when I walked through that door. However, I started to feel better and thought that I was too young to be "an alcoholic". It took 20 more years getting beat down by alcohol for me to get back through the doors of AA and follow the simple directions of the program. Don't do what I did!!! I would say read the Doctor's Opinion if you have a BB and call any numbers you may have gotten at that meeting! They really want to hear from you. __________________ 6.1.2009: The first day of the rest of my life. There is nothing to figure out.

12-11-2012, 08:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
heath480 AA member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: United Kingdom. Posts: 1,580	Pleased to hear you are going back to another meeting. They say if you keep going back you will hear someone with the same story as yourself.It happened to me when I was about 2years sober. Look forward to hearing your progress. __________________ Sobriety Date 23rd May 2003. Sobriety delivers everything Alcohol promised.

12-11-2012, 08:44 AM	#11 (permalink)
bryangt Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bridgeton Posts: 611	You will find the medicine you need at the meetings. And with time, the meetings will be an important part of your recovery and the stepping stones to a better way of living. Wish you well & keep coming back!!

12-11-2012, 09:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
*Anna* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dancing in the Light Posts: 27,817	I'm glad that you found something that works for you. __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Marianne Willianson

12-11-2012, 11:59 AM	#13 (permalink)
IndaMiricale Powerless over Alcohol Join Date: May 2011 Location: Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny! Posts: 4,020	Welcome Home {{{nabb1}}} Keep coming back. __________________ "The only real thing in life are dreams, which nature cant touch with decay." Bob Dylan "Each day,somewhere in the world ,recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with another alcoholic , sharing experience,strength and hope."

12-11-2012, 01:09 PM	#14 (permalink)
dragon12 Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 206	Thanks for your post. I am still trying to muster up the confidence to attend a meeting. To be honest, I know that I need to at least try a meeting and I know that I need the support but I'm scared to death. The more I avoid the meetings the more guilty I feel. Well done!

12-11-2012, 03:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
Zebra1275 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 3,415	Wwlcome to SR! Glad you made it to your first meeting and are going back.

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12-11-2012, 03:34 PM	#16 (permalink)
BabyJane Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Diego Posts: 389	That's a big step for anyone. I cried through my first meeting and I was terrified. Over the years I've been to hundreds of meetings and the thing that worked for me was getting a sponsor and actually working the steps to the best of my ability. It isn't for everyone but it works for me. I feel a part of something bigger and better than the alcohol. I feel like I have friends and family there. I even relate to other women differently because of AA. Keep going back!