Well, it doesn't "work"...people work.
by Rick B.
Jimmy,
I know that embarrassment and frustration very well. I know the
hopeless feeling of continuing to drink after I'd sworn I had to stop,
and the fear that my drinking was something beyond my ability to
arrest.
Now I know that there was nothing to fear, that sobriety really is
achievable, that I don't have to drink. You will know these things
too.
LSR is not a pill, or a magic spell, or a secret formula. LSR is
simply an organization of people who share a common goal - sobriety,
and who share some common basic beliefs about how sobriety may be
achieved and maintained. We come together any way we can to talk
about how our lives are going, what successes or failures we've
experienced, what works and what doesn't for us. We care about each
other. We care about you, Jimmy, you're here, you're one of us.
One of the things we believe is that sobriety is completely the
responsibility of the individual who wants it. No Higher Power, no
other person, no group or book or slogan can "confer" sobriety on
anyone. Breaking an addiction to booze is hard work, particularly at
the beginning. Nobody can do that hard work for you. What a group of
people can do is share suggestions, moral support, encouragement, and
ideas. What a group of people can't do is put the bottle down for
you.
There's nothing mysterious about stopping addictive drinking. People
have been doing it for centuries. Countless books are available which
detail what you can expect in terms of physical withdrawal symptoms,
the effects of alcohol on your body and your mind, the healing
process, and the roles of nutrition, exercise and other life issues in
recovery. LSR has available a terrific workbook, "Recovery by
Choice", which many of us have found very useful. I find reading to
be central to my recovery.
So, how can you stop drinking? My opinion, there are just a few
necessary conditions: You must be willing; You must believe it's
possible; You must believe it's what's you must do for yourself; You
must learn what to expect to feel and experience when you quit, or
else you'll likely be discouraged by the discomfort and get drunk;
You must stop choosing to drink...no matter what.
Others will prescribe a different formula. None of us knows the
answer for anyone other than ourselves. I can tell you what works for
me, there's no guarantee it'll work for you. It's up to you to get
started finding out what works for you. It starts with doing
something, anything, other than picking up a drink. Your head will
clear, your thinking will become rational, your body will begin to
heal. If you drink, you start over.
Sobriety can be difficult to achieve. It gets easier to maintain with
practice. It becomes a way of life, a habit, an attitude. It's worth
whatever effort is required to get it and keep it. Sobriety is not
likely to result from simply trying to not drink and waiting to see
what happens. Success comes from action an effort, from intentionally
taking responsibility and directing your own life.
So, how does LSR work? Well, it doesn't "work"...people work. LSR is
a community of people bound by a common belief in the free will of
every human being. We are not powerless...quite the contrary. The
only thing in the universe that can get Jimmy sober and keep him that
way is Jimmy. LSR is a place to find folks who've done it, folks
who're trying to do it, folks who want to do it.
Tell us about you, Jimmy...your life, your work, your family,
yourself. Let us get to know you a bit. And take it easy, you can do
this if you want to, but it'll take some time and maybe a few tries to
get a good solid start...you'll figure it out. We'll do all we can to
help you find your way.
Rick