Originally Posted by
redfalcon 
Hi All,
Here I am starting again. I have tried a number of times to stop drinking, but when I dip low and start struggling I drink again. I have been diagnosed with PTSD. Ex military and now a first responder. Struggling to maintain my job, and struggle with family life. The drinking definitely doesn't help, but is my go to, unfortunately. I even went to AA and didn't drink for a year and a half, but was miserable the whole time, and then broke. I find the vibe at AA isn't good for my PTSD (please don't think this is an anti AA post, just stating how it makes me feel), but cannot do this alone. Can you give me some advice on alternative approaches, ie what worked for you. If you are an alcoholic who has PTSD I would really love to hear from you. Thanks.
Hey Red, welcome brother!
I don't have PTSD, but I am a professional drunk who has been in recovery for the last 5 years with varying degrees of success and failure at this thing, so maybe I can help (or try my best to at least).
I don't hear any anti-AA in your post at all. It just didn't work and you don't enjoy it. In my opinion, that's perfectly fine. I don't view recovery as a one size fits all type of thing. Even in AA people work their program differently than the next person. We all have to find our way. What works for you might not work for the next person. Personally, I've done the AA thing for years and it just hasn't worked for me either and quite frankly I didn't enjoy it.
I definitely think I have learned a thing or two about alcoholism from the rooms, literature, and from so many people I have met along the way. I'm sure you have, too. Just more tools in the toolbox for both of us, right?
Have you tried therapy for your PTSD? Like seeing a counselor or psychologist? Group therapy from an IOP (out patient) has been beneficial for me in the past (more tools in the toolbox). God knows I've done enough of it.
Given what you stated in your post I would not suggest inpatient rehab. I've been to 4 of them in the past 3 or 4 years. They all pretty much follow the same approach which is based solely on AA mixed with holistic practices. The good ones encourage 90 days inpatient with a transition to sober living and AA meetings/fellowship. Not knocking it. Got me 8 months of sobriety, but again, I'm the same as you. I did not enjoy AA.
What I found worked best for myself during my times of success were staying positive, staying active (exercise), eating healthy, spirituality (prayer & meditation), treating others how I would like to be treated (kindness, patience, love), being HONEST (at all times, even if it is uncomfortable), a sobriety journal (this was a game changer, done in a notebook by hand each day), being easy on myself (no negative self-talk allowed) and finally practicing GRATITUDE on a daily basis.
Another big one was something I got from AA which is the 10th Step, probably the most useful for me.
"Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it."
I try my best to take my personal inventory every night before bed in prayer. It really helps me. And when I (bleep) up, I address the situation immediately to whoever I messed up with and owe up to my BS.
And I'm really finding that SR is quite amazing. So this forum is just another tool in my toolbox and I am grateful for it and everyone here.
Hope this helped in some way. Glad you are with us!