debs

Yep, I know....

Been to the 'Triangle Group' on Commerce street a lot of times....

I have no idea why I keep making excuses...

I'm leaving right now to go to take my son to my parents' and go to the 6 o'clock meeting.... Pray for me please... x

Astro

Awesome deb. I'm outta here shortly and on my way to the 6:00 PM meeting I attend almost every night, so I'll say some prayers for both of us and our recovery.

Dee74

go (((Debs)))

D

yeahgr8

Well done Debs!!!!! Can't wait to hear how you get on:-)

Sugah

Peace & Love,
Sugah

debs

-The meeting was phenomenally good....

I'm a bit depressed tonight cos I just want to be able to snap a finger and it all go away...

But I reckon I oughtta be grateful that indeed made the first meeting (this time)...

I want to be a statistic of success... not of failure.

And tomorrow I'll go back.

Taking5

That's a great start. Just remember what Laurie and I and others have said: In AA you need to surrender to win. That's what step 1 is all about.

yeahgr8

That's great stuff...keep going back. Just wanted to say, for me, i went a few times about 10 years ago, which would have meant i was 28 at the time! Remember a part of you doesn't want to do this and will mess with your mind, creating every 'rationalization' under the sun for you not to continue down this route. If you've been drinking for say 10 years, then make a committment to yourself and your son that you will go as often as possible for 3 months...even if 'you' think it's not for you, it's only 3 months...the liquor store will still be there.

Charmie

great job debs! im so glad you went to a meeting,now the work can begin! its not easy but in my short term sobriety i have found putting the work into AA and the recovery progamme has been a pleasure.being in active alcoholism is the hardest job in the world i think,so it was suggested to me,if i think about how much work i put into "performing" then put the work into sobriety,,and boy how things change! please keep us posted on your progress,i wish you well debs.

serenitylpch

REHAB i was 35years old when i first went to St Marks rehab I found myself in the walls off Rehab i was a lost addict with NO hope NO goals & hated life i masked everythink i did. I was blessed with a new life in recovery the tools i learned help me get through the hour and the day and it has got easyer like thay say rehab arnt easy fare out i didnt want to deal with my life i went there to get clean it works if you work at it. I had a relapes 8mounts clean because my head took over however my heart got mended in rehab and held the tools i learned tight thanks to my higher power i made it back to a meeting and im now clean126 days now Go for it lady i beleive your worth it.

Dee74

good work Debs

D

Mark75

We all want to be able to do that... But as you accumulate days, weeks, months... things will fall into place, I promise.

Good for you.

Mark

Tazman53

Debs going to rehab or IOP I have no experience in, it was offered/suggested, but I decided I did not need it.

First my getting sober story:

I saw a doctor who specialized in alcoholism and drug addiction, I was hopeless and beaten, some how I thought that one of the meds out there for killing the cravings and or making one sick if they drank would be the trick for me. Well after telling the doctor the truth about my drinking he told me that the meds were not the ticket because I needed to be medically detoxed.

Well I went into detox where they gave me tons of vitamins, blood pressure meds, and I found out on the third day they were also giving me anti-siezure meds. Every night we went to an AA meeting, we had classes all day long and had kind of a self evaluation mini-program. They also drilled into our heads that if we wanted a CHANCE at long term sobriety we needed to go to at least 90 AA meetings in 90 days when we left detox and to get a sponsor.

Well the day I was getting out of detox my counselor spoke with me, he asked me if I was going to go to AA and get a sponsor? I said yes but I was married with kids and had a full time job so going to even 90 meetings in day days would not be possible for me. Well he asked me if I was really serious about staying sober? I said yes and then he asked me if I was williing to commit to simply spending as much time working on my recovery as I did drinking? I said yes and he grinned, he knew how I had drank and as a result he knew I was going to easily do more then 90 meetings in 90 days.

When I was walking out of the detox center to my drunk there was a battle going on in my head, one half was telling me to stop and get a 12 pack for the ride home, the other side was screaming and praying for me to get home sober!

Well I made it home sober and hugged my wife and kids (OKAY!!!! Maybe my wife did not hug me back) and then told them I was going to an AA meeting that night. Well I went to that meeting scared to death and introduced myself as a newcomer and an alcoholic. Right after the meeting I asked a guy to be my sponsor, he agreed to be my temporary sponsor.

I went to a TON of AA meetings and then went to my scheduled appointment to be accessed for IOP or rehab. Well the guy was very nice, we spoke for quite a while, at the end of it he said I seemed to be doing well enough at the time to not need rehab, he asked me how I felt about IOP? I asked him could I do it later if I thought I needed it? He said of course, just call and I will get you into the next available group.

He walked me out to my truck and once we got out side he let me know he was in AA as well and had been sober for quite a while, we spoke of AA for a while, he let me know that it was a lot more then just meetings, that taking the steps with my sponsor and applying them was the real key to long term sobriety, the meetings/fellowship were support and to learn how other recoverinig alcoholics applied the steps to thier lifes.

Well I never did IOP, I did take the steps with my sponsor, I apply them daily to all areas of my life today. A drink has not been a good idea in my head for a very long time. I also sponsor other men today.

Look Debs that is what worked for me, several of my sponsees went through IOP, they found it educational, but said they found sobriety in AA & the steps.

I know folks who have gone through rehab/rehabs, to a man every one of them has said they did not stay sober long term until they followed up rehab with AA and taking the steps. They said that rehab did help at the time and gave them a good start, but AA & the steps is what made the long term difference for them. The folks I mention have many years of sobriety today.

What should you do? I would suggest you do what ever it takes for you to do to stay sober long term.

Glad to hear you went to a meeting, keep going, get phone numbers of other ladies and actually call them.

FightingIrish

I went to a few IOP things after getting out of rehab, but once I hit A.A. I found I would much rather be in an A.A. meeting, where most people wanted to be sober, than in IOP, where many people seemed to be either mandated or trying in some way to pull something over on the system. I didn't find an overall environment in IOP of people wanting sobriety...something to do with the **** tests, perhaps.

Believe808

Debs that's great you went to a meeting and that you are willing to go back to another. I really do love everything about AA..

debs

My son's dad just came and picked him up and is gonna be gone for a week...

I'm so scared and miss him so much already...

He's a big reason I choose not to drink some days.

Astro

(((debs))) I think quite a few of us struggle with that. Each week I say goodbye to my kids for a few days, every year they go away for a week or two with my ex, it's just part of being a single parent with joint custody. It's never easy, I know I miss them dearly and my heart aches.....

But! I get to look forward to the next time we'll be together, and I'm left with warm memories of the fun we just had and the love we share.

While they're gone I go to extra AA meetings and work on my recovery. I think that's God's way of giving me the necessary time to work on myself, so I can be the parent every child deserves to have.

Believe808

Debs, God does give us opportunities to work on our recoveries. I have been unemployed and I believe it is so I can work hard on my recovery. I go to 2 meetings a day and have really gotten involved with the people and the program.

Just think how wonderful it will be when he gets back and you are another week sober and feeling recharged from just taking care of yourself.

debs

I so want that.

Pray.

Please just pray for me.

And thank you Astro.

Gypsy Feet

thanks sug, I needed that as well.

I say do what ever is in your power to do, and do it now.