In!
Thanks Mags, interesting OP as ever.
Originally Posted by
eve123 
This is giving me huge turmoil at the moment. I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself for letting my loved ones down and causing damage. I find it difficult. Somethings cannot be unsaid or undone and I do need to feel that so that I never ever go bk. sorry to be nagative but really struggling with the above
I think we can forgive ourselves for doing or saying stupid or hurtful things whilst drinking without condoning or minimising whatever it was we did or said. It might sound pedantic but forgiving ourselves allows us to move on and attempt to be better people in respect of how we treat ourselves and others. It is not the same as pardoning or absolving ourselves of responsibilty for all the bad things we might have said or done.
I also think that our AV - addicts or alcoholic voice is sneaky in as much as it uses our guilt and self loathing as a crowbar to get us to drink again. Drink to remember, drink to forget but in fact it does neither.
I'm stuck at home recovering from a minor hernia operation this week and annoyingly it is my birthday (59 sheesh!) My outpatient discharge note gives repeated and dire warnings about drinking alcohol so that's one more reason I am grateful to have quit.
My forced immobility reminded me of this thirty five year old clip which is a bit like how I am feeling and which still made me laugh.
https://youtu.be/0VH-tJSpkjA