Hi Danshu, going on day 9, should be past the worst of the physical stuff. I wondered what it means to be a confirmed athiest. Does that mean the mind is closed to all spiritual concepts, or is it open to some ideas if they are backed with evidence you can see and feel?
It is just that AA has a spiritual solution, that it didn't invent, that has been working in peoples lives for centuries. For it to work requires an open mind.
This came into my mind as I was pondering your dilemna with family. A) they want you to drink responsibly, and B) they don't want you to behave like you did last weekend (which was probably not a first). How many times have you tried option A). Is there any evidence to suggest that it will ever work? Could you guarantee everytime to meet the required standard in option B?
If you are like me, these "demands" are impossible to meet so the reality is that moderation is off the table, it is unworkable.
That only leaves two alternatives (in AA terms) lead a spiritual life (which I have found to be a pretty liberating way of life) or face an alcoholic death.
AA use the term spiritual because its method of sobriety is a way of life, not a stop drinking therapy. It is effective because the principles employed bring about a very satisfying and rewarding existence which in turn provides the motivation for sustained sobriety. It goes a whole lot further than mere abstinence.
I guess you could reword it to find a satisfying life or face an alcoholic death.
I might place these two options before your wife and ask her what you should chose.