Originally Posted by
AprilMay1895 
Funny you say that, antiderivitive, I think the AA groups that I'm in are really full of inane sayings like that. lol I'm still working through the "3 meetings a week or you'll drink" concept...just haven't been able to buy it.
Out of all the meetings I have been to, I have never heard of this saying. I have heard that "meeting makers make it", but I have never heard anyone put a magical number on weekly meetings that one needs to attend in order to maintain sobriety. Even the "meeting makers make it" saying isn't explicitly in the AA program, unless one argues that they are also incorporating some 12 step work. However, people who tend to be proactive in their recovery tend to have a better chance. We were proactive in our drinking/drugging, so we can also be proactive in our recovery.
Trying to move yourself from perverse situations such as a working a job that is taking advantage of you, is being proactive in your recovery. If you get a new job, then finding new AA groups or a support group in your new location, is being proactive in your recovery.
Seeking advice and guidance is good, but it is not without its caveats. Sometimes you get what you seek, others times you don't, and other times you get bad advice. However, at the end of the day, the only person who has to make the decision is you.
My advice to you, is to be brutally honest with yourself. Can you handle a potential move without it jeopardizing your sobriety? If you answered "yes", then start looking. If you have any uncertainties or reservations, then you probably need to ruminate about your decision more.
If I were to actually find a great job somewhere else, I think my dedication to sobriety would be higher because I would not want to risk my job over it.
This is a most reasonable argument, but remember we are dealing with alcoholism. Alcoholics are not always reasonable. It is simply insane what some of us do. We **** all over opportunities and throw away good lives, and sometimes more than once.
I remember when I drank again a couple weeks ago, one of my not-so-intelligent thoughts was, "who cares what this does to my job, it's probably never going to go anywhere anyway."
This is why self-pity is dangerous for alcoholics. In fact, self-pity can be deadly for some of us.
But the way I see it, there's no sense in being apprehensive about sending out my resume anymore.
You shouldn't be apprehensive. In fact, you should cherish the opportunity you have. While it is true that you are stuck in a lousy job, you have an education, experience, and youth on your side. If you get this sobriety thing now, you will have the whole world laying ahead of you with new horizons.