MattM316

I had about 5 one on one meetings a few months ago and altho the first time I thought it was a complete waste of time, it actually ended up being worthwhile and helped me out alot.
After those meetings I was put on a waiting list for more and I got a letter through last week to arrange another one on one and then group meetings two nights a week for 6 weeks.

Now the group meetings were something I never wanted to do at all, i'm sure I made that clear but they must have added me on the list anyway. Either way I decided i'd give it a try.

Problem is, they ring me at 9am today to see if I can change my one on one meeting to 10am. Sorry, can't do it, I'm in work and to be honest I didn't even know I had a one on one meeting today.
Then I had to tell them I couldn't do this weeks group meetings (on a Wednesday and Thursday at 6pm) because I'm working all day interviewing new staff, don't finish work until 5.30 and won't be able to make it in time.

Thankfully it seems I can do it all next week, but the thing that struck me is....don't they think we work?
That's the impression I got, that they think alcoholics don't have a job and just sit around all day!

CarolD

MattM316...
What type of meetings are you talking about? Do you have a contact person to call about scheduleing?
Hope your life is smoothing out..

endlesspatience

Hope you manage to sort out the timings of these meetings. I have a couple of observations, based on what you previously posted. Firstly, you said that you regularly drank heavily before going to work. Has this now stopped? I mean, completely stopped? Because frankly, if it hasn't, you're likely to put your job right on the line as I did a few months ago before really deciding to put my sobriety first. I sometimes skip work to go to meetings and my employer knows this. He would rather I miss a few hours a week to go to meetings than miss days on end in a drunken stupor.
Secondly, I didn't notice anything in your posts about going to AA, getting a sponsor, or working a programme. Now, I know that many people on the Forum say they have recovered without using those tools and I wish them the very best of luck. But many, many more of us have found the group support of AA to be the most precious thing about recovery. And the great thing is, you don't really have to make an appointment - you just turn up.

There's a newcomers meeting in ******* on Wednesday at 1930 at Catholic Chaplaincy, 103 Queens Rd, Clifton. I am sure they would be pleased to see you!

SASA

I completely understand. It is typical for Drs to call during the day assuming you are avaialble 24h. I think for them in general they assume you have to take the time off. I would look for some other meeting places and times