Ellie first let me welcome you to SR, I want you to know that if you are willing to do what ever it takes, you never have to drink again unless you want to.
I know I have a reputation of being a boozehound.
Okay so you already have a reputation of being a booze hound, I was nick named "the one armed man" in my old neighborhood while I was drinking because I was NEVER seen without a cold one in my hand, reputations can be changed.
I am not at a point that I can risk it getting around that I'm in AA. I'm just not ready for that.
So having a reputation as a booze hound as you already mentioned is better then having a reputation as being some one who is doing something about thier drinking problem by going to AA?
Hon reread what you said?
I have gone in 3 short years from being "the one armed man", basically the neighborhood drunk, to according to my own children as the father other kids would like to have and the guy others call on when they need a hand.
No one knows me as "That guy who goes to AA!" I do not keep it a secret at all, nor do I advertise it.
Today I am not known as a member of AA by anyone outside of the rooms of AA, I am known as some one people trust and can rely upon.
Alcohol took me first to the point where I just did not give a damn if I was refered to, or known as a drunk.
The second place alcohol took me to was a point where I knew it was going to kill me if I did not find a way to stop drinking and stay stopped.
The third place alcohol took me to was to AA!!!
AA is the place I found respect for myself and my fellow man! It is the place I learned how to live life on lifes terms sober and happy. It is the place I have to thank for being the man I am today, a man that not only respects himself, but is respected by others.
Think long and hard about what I quoted you on...... you admit you are already known as a booze hound in your small town, if it is anything like the small towns I have lived in then EVERYONE knows you as a booze hound, the people at work know it to.
How many people do you know in your small town that go to AA?
I bet you know a whole lot more then you think you do! We do not advertise that we are in AA, we may let someone know we are in AA, but the last thing I nor the VAST majority of AA members would ever do is to say who else they know that is in AA.
Keep in mind, AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous, not Alcoholics Advertising.
"Oh" my some one who knows you might say IF they found out that Elsie is going to AA, "Elsie has decided she doesn't want to be a booze hound any more."
Today, for me, I prefer to be known as a recovering alcoholic much more then I would like to be known as a drunk!