Originally Posted by rah555

As I read people's posts I see that we are working through many things- guilt, remorse, self-hatred, confusion. We need to come to terms with our past, need to do some soul searching to understand why we turn to alcohol, need to develop skills to overcome hurdles that come our way. This site is a great place for support and learning. I went to individual counseling some time ago. It was really helping. My counselor had me fill in a spreadsheet - what do I get from drinking; what do I lose by drinking. This was a visual way for me start understanding the impact of alcohol on my life. It showed I lost more than I gained and got me thinking about why I turn to alcohol. The paths that brought us here are quite different - for me, family background, low self esteem, gastric bypass (stopped compulsive eating), unexpected loss of my 24 year old step daughter in October 2010 in our home due to accidental drug combination, kids growing up and moving out of the house, taking on a new job, moving to a new state away from my kids and granddaughter - so many changes, so many emotions. This path has taught me compassion and understanding. I try not to be judgmental anymore and I try to look deeper into situations and people. I have lost friends and have found that most relationships are superficial. It does hurt but in the other hand it is better because I see people's true colors. We are good people who have stepped off the path a bit, trying to get back on. The best thing is, we can! All is not lost! Together we can overcome this bump in the road.