So, Last night I attended my 20th AA meeting . . .
 

And what I decided is it isn't for me.


What works for me is pretty simple. I don't drink. Ever.

Well, if you can do that without any problem, then you probably don't need AA. If you ever find that you do need support, AA will be there. Good luck!

Thanks. I don't need luck. I just don't drink.

Many people quit with no formal program, nothing wrong with that.

Well, it was just a phrase of support, but if you're going to have an attitude, I'll take it back. :tongue:

Congratulations (not good luck!) on your self-control. Please keep us updated on your progress.

suki . . . I didn't meant to cop an attitude. I felt from what you wrote that you were dismissing me somehow. If what you meant was in good faith then I surely accept it. I’ve had so many AAs tell me that I'M GOING TO DIE if I don't do AA. Well I’m going to die regardless. What fascinates me is watching someone drone on and on about addiction and then run out of the meeting to puff on a cig . . . Tobacco kills more people that alcohol does . . . even Bill W. died of emphysema due to smoking. Isn’t that an addiction too?

BHF, I intend to keep the forum updated. And for the record, I've only been sober since December of last year. . . 5 months plus a bit. You can root for my failure if that works for ya.

Many of our long term happily sober members do so by various ways..hope you will continue to enjoy yours...:yup:
Relax..there is no wrong way to stay sober.

I'd suggest you stop concerning yourself about others opinions...it does not matter one bit.
that includes AA members and who does what about their recovery.

Thanks Carol.

AA works for many people. I have a friend that has 20+ years and is happy in AA. I'm not sure why what I wrote makes some folk upset.

Thank you. I love this place!

Nope! I don't do that. I didn't use AA, and next month I will have 3 years sober. Yep, lots of addictions out there. If one doesn't kill you another one just might. Do what is right for you. :)

Congrats on 3 years!

BHF, I intend to keep the forum updated. And for the record, I've only been sober since December of last year. . . 5 months plus a bit. You can root for my failure if that works for ya.

I don't "root" for anyone to fail at this.

Best of luck.

Hi Ru-

I'm an AA'er and I don't think you're going to die without AA.

I don't know if I'd die without AA, but I want and appreciate the design for living without alcohol AA provides.

Keep up the good work!

Kjell~

Ru12: If I could just not drink on my own, I wouldn't go to AA meetings, wouldn't work the twelve steps and wouldn't need a Higher Power. If not drinking works for you, there really is no need to work any program whatsoever. Susan

Congrats on being sober and for finding your niche!

BHf . . . o.k.

Thanks Kjell.

Susan, that is what I have found . . . I don't need any program whatsoever. I can just decide not to put beverages that contain ethanol to my lips and swallow . . . kind of like I can walk past a dog terd and not pick it up and put it in my mouth. It isn't a willpower thing. It is just out of the question . . . FOR ME. . . AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE. Perhaps in the future I'll need something else. I don't know what the future holds. I just see no reason why I need to drink . . . so I don't.

"Then you're probably not an alcoholic to begin with."

I love this . . . if you are a flaming drunk . . . I was .. . and you stop without AA. . . then some AAer will say you weren't an alcoholic. Whatever. Your words offend me.

I was as bad as many here . . . And worse than a lot.

I stopped because I decided to stop. I just don't drink now. I control what I put in my mouth. Does someone else force ethanol down you throat Dark?

Regardless of what program you use, what I know about alcoholics (including many friends who did not use AA) is that it's very, very difficult to quit on willpower alone. And if you think about logically, if someone could merely decide to quit, why wouldn't they have done so a long time ago?

Because somewhere subconsciously in their brain they still enjoy drinking and don't want to quit.

I said I was going to quit 1000's of times, for my wife, for my family, I finally quit and lost the obsession when I quit for me and convinced my subconscious mind that I wanted to do it.