New here
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southwest MI
Posts: 24
New here
Hello!
I am new here. I have been reading several of the posts and am amazed how many of the things people are saying about drinking and alcoholism have rung true to what I have experienced.
For probably 20 years I drank every day. each year a little more each night...until it became day and night, and at least a pint of rum every day. That is, until one month ago when I hit that rock bottom. I was in a car accident while driving drunk. Fortunately, I did not hurt anyone, but did total my car. How my two dogs in the van survived I do not know.
I spent the night and most of the next day in jail worrying whether my dogs were alright or not. Fortunately, a tow truck had towed them back to my house and parked the destroyed van in the shade.
Since that day I have not had a single drink. Of course it helps that it is court ordered, and truth be known, I have not really missed it that much. I have even been able to go to a restaurant with a friend who was drinking and was not even tempted. I think I scared myself bad enough that night.
I have 2 more months of probation and I hope once that is done that I will still be free and clear of any temptation of going back to where I was. I hope so...I am encouraged that at least at this point I am alright with no booze in my life. A drink is not worth going back to jail for 3 months as a parole violation.
So, that's me. I have a lot to learn yet, and am glad I found this place!
I am new here. I have been reading several of the posts and am amazed how many of the things people are saying about drinking and alcoholism have rung true to what I have experienced.
For probably 20 years I drank every day. each year a little more each night...until it became day and night, and at least a pint of rum every day. That is, until one month ago when I hit that rock bottom. I was in a car accident while driving drunk. Fortunately, I did not hurt anyone, but did total my car. How my two dogs in the van survived I do not know.
I spent the night and most of the next day in jail worrying whether my dogs were alright or not. Fortunately, a tow truck had towed them back to my house and parked the destroyed van in the shade.
Since that day I have not had a single drink. Of course it helps that it is court ordered, and truth be known, I have not really missed it that much. I have even been able to go to a restaurant with a friend who was drinking and was not even tempted. I think I scared myself bad enough that night.
I have 2 more months of probation and I hope once that is done that I will still be free and clear of any temptation of going back to where I was. I hope so...I am encouraged that at least at this point I am alright with no booze in my life. A drink is not worth going back to jail for 3 months as a parole violation.
So, that's me. I have a lot to learn yet, and am glad I found this place!
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome to our recovery community.....
I'm so glad you and your dogs survived that accident.
Please do keep posting with us....many SR members are
winning over alcohol. That can be true for you too!
I'm so glad you and your dogs survived that accident.
Please do keep posting with us....many SR members are
winning over alcohol. That can be true for you too!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 138
Good to hear the puppies are alright, I don't know what I would have done had I hurt anyone or anything when I had my accident. We can only go forward, what we did before is sunk cost, can't be changed. What we can change is the future, let us make it the best and brightest future possible.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal CA
Posts: 1,319
I got the DUI and the court ordered sobriety 8 years ago, but I didn't feel I had a problem at the time. I did the counseling and attended 52 weeks of AA, and found it fairly easy not to drink for 13 months. Then I decided that I wanted to drink again, and I did for 8 years. Now that I have made the decision to quit for good because I want to, I found that all the counseling and AA sessions really helped me realize that I needed a little more support if I really wanted to quit. Thankfully I found SR to be a fantastic place to get the support and to stay active in my quest for lifelong sobriety.
So I am guessing that your court ordered stuff will include a heavy dose of AA, and hopefully some counseling and alcohol awareness classes. Use these programs to your advantage, (because you are paying for them), and also because they will help you learn more about your individual drinking issue. I had to take part in them 8 years ago, and although I wasn't a very happy or active participant, I can honestly say they are still helping me today.
Good luck!!
So I am guessing that your court ordered stuff will include a heavy dose of AA, and hopefully some counseling and alcohol awareness classes. Use these programs to your advantage, (because you are paying for them), and also because they will help you learn more about your individual drinking issue. I had to take part in them 8 years ago, and although I wasn't a very happy or active participant, I can honestly say they are still helping me today.
Good luck!!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Welcome DoggTrainer...me and my dogs say Hi! Glad you all survived your accident, phew!
I've noticed my dogs are so much happier and balanced since I got sober, especially my super sensitive Ridgeback. Just another benefit to sobriety.
I too have found it easy to quit but one thing I realized when I removed booze from my life, was that my life needed work...there was a reason I was abusing after all. So I encourage you to read up on things here. We are all supportive of each other
I've noticed my dogs are so much happier and balanced since I got sober, especially my super sensitive Ridgeback. Just another benefit to sobriety.
I too have found it easy to quit but one thing I realized when I removed booze from my life, was that my life needed work...there was a reason I was abusing after all. So I encourage you to read up on things here. We are all supportive of each other
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Welcome, DogTrainer!
I've often thought there should be a "Pet-Anon" for critters who have to live with alcoholic masters! My cats took over ownership of my house while I was drinking, and we are still negotiating the boundaries.
I recommend you give AA a try. Your probation may keep you from drinking now, but it's amazing how the sneaky thoughts of drinking "just one" can work their way into your head once the immediate danger has passed.
I've often thought there should be a "Pet-Anon" for critters who have to live with alcoholic masters! My cats took over ownership of my house while I was drinking, and we are still negotiating the boundaries.
I recommend you give AA a try. Your probation may keep you from drinking now, but it's amazing how the sneaky thoughts of drinking "just one" can work their way into your head once the immediate danger has passed.
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
From one Michigander to another.... welcome my man.
Love the yellow Lab avatar too!
Keep an objective eye on yourself. I was a "good little boy" after my first DUI for about 6 months or so - partly because I was court ordered and scared but, if I recall correctly, mostly it was because I was scared about where my drinking was taking me. After many months, I went back to it and......nothing happened! I didn't get caught......didn't get in trouble....I just got to party and have fun again. I thought I was in the clear. I wasn't....although I felt like I was. During that "good time" I wish I would have taken a serious look at alcoholism and learned about it. Maybe I would have been able to save myself from what came several years down the road.
Take your time here. Ask a LOT of questions. Get an AA book (you can get them cheap at an AA meeting or do like I did and pay double at Barnes and Noble because I didn't want those AA'rs to see me buying a book - LMAO). Find out what alcoholISM is - it's a lot more than "just" a drinking problem. Then, if you find you're "in the club," take some time to decide IF you want to do something about it NOW. You're free to wait and see how things go but....as most everyone around here with some time in this game will tell you....IF you're an alcoholic you've just received a taste (perhaps a plateful) of how bad life can get if this disease is left unchecked. Luckily, there IS a way out... there IS a way to get better - to recover, there IS a solution.
Good luck to you bud. This site is a FABULOUS place to get educated and learn....but learning is only part of the deal. You've got to decide whether to go forward with what you learn or not. I'll keep you in my prayers that you find your way.
...and for what it's worth... my alcoholism, 3 DUI's, all the court costs, all that pain was WORTH it. It helped me open my eyes to my problem and get me to where I am now - and "now" rocks.
Love the yellow Lab avatar too!
Keep an objective eye on yourself. I was a "good little boy" after my first DUI for about 6 months or so - partly because I was court ordered and scared but, if I recall correctly, mostly it was because I was scared about where my drinking was taking me. After many months, I went back to it and......nothing happened! I didn't get caught......didn't get in trouble....I just got to party and have fun again. I thought I was in the clear. I wasn't....although I felt like I was. During that "good time" I wish I would have taken a serious look at alcoholism and learned about it. Maybe I would have been able to save myself from what came several years down the road.
Take your time here. Ask a LOT of questions. Get an AA book (you can get them cheap at an AA meeting or do like I did and pay double at Barnes and Noble because I didn't want those AA'rs to see me buying a book - LMAO). Find out what alcoholISM is - it's a lot more than "just" a drinking problem. Then, if you find you're "in the club," take some time to decide IF you want to do something about it NOW. You're free to wait and see how things go but....as most everyone around here with some time in this game will tell you....IF you're an alcoholic you've just received a taste (perhaps a plateful) of how bad life can get if this disease is left unchecked. Luckily, there IS a way out... there IS a way to get better - to recover, there IS a solution.
Good luck to you bud. This site is a FABULOUS place to get educated and learn....but learning is only part of the deal. You've got to decide whether to go forward with what you learn or not. I'll keep you in my prayers that you find your way.
...and for what it's worth... my alcoholism, 3 DUI's, all the court costs, all that pain was WORTH it. It helped me open my eyes to my problem and get me to where I am now - and "now" rocks.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,095
Gald you found this place, Dogtrainer, and are off to a good start.
I was out having dinner with a couple other folks last night, and we get into telling stories about some of the insanity, drunk driving and crashing cars, crawling home, jails, hospitals. And we are in this public restaurant, just laughing so hard we're all crying. I know it's not funny at first, but after some time sober and living a spiritual life, the acute pain goes away and these become hilarious true events of the past.
But one thing was consistent in all this comic, tragic, hillarious heartbreak; our best tales and circumstances didn't sober any of us up for long.
All four of us had some tragic events, and all four of us returned to drinking some time after that. How stupid is that? That's the humor of it. You would think that those events would sober me up for good. But that was never my experience, nor was it the experience of the folks I was with.
For the real alcoholic, something else is required.
Originally Posted by DogTrainer 
I think I scared myself bad enough that night
But one thing was consistent in all this comic, tragic, hillarious heartbreak; our best tales and circumstances didn't sober any of us up for long.
All four of us had some tragic events, and all four of us returned to drinking some time after that. How stupid is that? That's the humor of it. You would think that those events would sober me up for good. But that was never my experience, nor was it the experience of the folks I was with.
For the real alcoholic, something else is required.
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Originally Posted by DayTrader
Get an AA book (you can get them cheap at an AA meeting or do like I did and pay double at Barnes and Noble because I didn't want those AA'rs to see me buying a book - LMAO).
I sprang for the "next day delivery", if I remember correctly. I'd read it many times before (thanks to ex-partners in recovery), but I loved reading the familiar words in the first 164 pages--and suddenly realizing they described ME--and enjoyed reading the new stories they had added for the Fourth Edition.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between Serenity and Despair
Posts: 522
DogTrainer, I do not have anything significant to add. I am glad your near brush with real tragedy is having a positive impact. Take this time to learn as much as you can about yourself and your drinking. That helps a lot.
And, like SuperCrew said, get as much as you can out of your court ordered sobriety programs. You are paying for it.
Welcome to SR!
And, like SuperCrew said, get as much as you can out of your court ordered sobriety programs. You are paying for it.
Welcome to SR!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,237
Hi DogTrainer! and welcome to SR!!!
I was arrested for DUI in January and have been sober ever since....my court date isn't until June of next year...hard to live with it over my head but I'm managing... The DUI scared me too...scared me to see just how far I was willing to go while drinking...alcholism was ruling me...so glad to hear you are making the life changing decision to be sober..and yes your labs will be thrilled too!!
I was arrested for DUI in January and have been sober ever since....my court date isn't until June of next year...hard to live with it over my head but I'm managing... The DUI scared me too...scared me to see just how far I was willing to go while drinking...alcholism was ruling me...so glad to hear you are making the life changing decision to be sober..and yes your labs will be thrilled too!!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southwest MI
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by keepcominback
Is that a your dog in your avatar? How beautiful!
Originally Posted by LaFemme
Welcome DoggTrainer...me and my dogs say Hi! ...I've noticed my dogs are so much happier and balanced since I got sober, especially my super sensitive Ridgeback. Just another benefit to sobriety.
Originally Posted by LexieCat
I've often thought there should be a "Pet-Anon" for critters who have to live with alcoholic masters! My cats took over ownership of my house while I was drinking, and we are still negotiating the boundaries. ...
...Thanks for the welcome everyone! I know I have a lot of things to sort out yet. I have not yet looked into AA, but am sure I will at some point.'
Again thanks for the welcome!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
welcome Dogtrainer! your story scared even me....thankfully you and the pups survived. if anything, it is GOOD that you are scared and now aware of the insanity.
I never had a legal issue or DUI, but I was killing myself healthwise. Finding SR was a turning point for me.
there are lots of ways different people use for recovery & support. when I first joined, one of the moderators pointed out to me that it was important to recognize what works for myself, it's not one size fits all. (in my case certainly not the traditional AA). You'll pick your path, but I feel that it helps to have a plan.
I think you will find a great deal of help and support here.
I never had a legal issue or DUI, but I was killing myself healthwise. Finding SR was a turning point for me.
there are lots of ways different people use for recovery & support. when I first joined, one of the moderators pointed out to me that it was important to recognize what works for myself, it's not one size fits all. (in my case certainly not the traditional AA). You'll pick your path, but I feel that it helps to have a plan.
I think you will find a great deal of help and support here.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
My dogs were and still are a big part of recovery and my wanting to stay sober. Two of them are special needs and I wasn't giving them the good care they need and deserve while I was drinking. Now I'm giving them excellent care and all the tummy rubs they want and am able to be alert and aware of any problems they may have.
I've been trying to get sober for over two years and just now have over 8 months. Staying sober has given me a new attitude and a new healthy outlook on life. I want to stay sober because it has improved my life (and my dogs' lives) and I don't ever want to go back to that dark hole of my drinking days.
Welcome to a great place for recovery!
I've been trying to get sober for over two years and just now have over 8 months.
Staying sober has given me a new attitude and a new healthy outlook on life. I want to stay sober because it has improved my life (and my dogs' lives) and I don't ever want to go back to that dark hole of my drinking days.
Welcome to a great place for recovery!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 163
Four arrests while drinking didn't stop me. Two DUIs, one of them an accident that left me in the hospital, didn't stop me. (No convictions on the DUIs. Horrible police work and really expensive lawyer work got me out of them). No legal probs the last five years or so.
Nope. Just sick of being a drunk. It's time.
Fact is, if you want to stop, you can, but you'll need help. I know I do. I'm only day 3, I feel terrible, and my body craves booze. But I ain't going to give it any.
Nope. Just sick of being a drunk. It's time.
Fact is, if you want to stop, you can, but you'll need help. I know I do. I'm only day 3, I feel terrible, and my body craves booze. But I ain't going to give it any.
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