OutwardBound

Hello all,

I am looking for opinions on an apportunity I have to join a 1 year outpatient program. A brief recap on my situation might help:

I am 25, have been drinking since 16, heavily since 19, and everyday since ~22. It has gotten much worse this year, with lots of partying and binge drinking pretty much all day on weekends. I can drink a rediculous amount (15-20 drinks) without anyone even seeming to notice a change in my behaviour, which has lead to problems. My family knows I drink regularly on weekends, but don't know the extent of the problem. I live with my GF, but I have been great at sneaking around and lying, and she doesn't realize the extent of it either.

I have tried to stop drinking a twice over the past year, never making it past ~1-2 weeks. The last few months I have been going through 2+ 1.75l bottles of hard alcohol per week, plus beer. I have horrible hangovers, and I black out, but never feel "drunk". It is NO fun anymore, and I can tell my health is suffering.

Long story short, I am on day 4 of sobriety (and loving it!), and this is honestly the first time I have thought to myself that I need to stop for life. I clearly have no control over my intake and it is going to kill me.

So, I met with a counseller yesterday at a chemical dependency clinic run by my healthcare provider. Based on my drinking habits, they advised me to stop working for 3 weeks and do an intense (6 hour per day there plus lots of AA meetings) for those 3 weeks, followed by 49 weeks of meetings and counselling.

I work full time during the week and part time on weekends, and travel fairly frequently for work (and pleasure), so there is no way I can do this. They also have a less intense program that meets 4 days per week in the evenings and requires 4 AA meetings weekly for 3 weeks, followed by meetings and counselling for the remaining 49 weeks.

I don't want to pass this opportunity up if it could change my life, but I am having a hard time making this commitment. I know that this would require less of my time than what I have been investing getting alcohol and getting drunk...but this seems like alot. It will also be pretty expensive, but I am trying not to worry about that.

Has anyone been through a program like this? Did you like it? Did it work? Worth the time and commitment?

Orientation and the first meeting are on Monday, so I have until then to make a decision if I want in on this now.

Any thoughts/shared experiences greatly appreciated.

Thanks

OB

PaperDolls

Congrats on your sobirety.

I work a full time job and was able to go to a 30 inpatient rehab. It was the best thing I ever did. If hadn't done it .... I'm not sure where I would be now, but I'm pretty sure I would have been fired long ago.

aasharon90

28 day stay in rehab with a 6 week
outpatiant aftercare added plus doing
whatever i needed to do to stay sober
following and incorperating the steps
and principles of our AA program in
my everyday affairs.

I did whatever it took so i wouldnt be
sent out of state for 6 months away
from my babies and little family.

Took the cotton out of my ears to
listen and absorb the message of
recovery from many who stayed
sober for a number of yrs before
me.

That was 21 yrs ago at 30 yrs old.

Today I continue on my recovery
path sharing my own ESH with those
who still suffer with addiction in order
to stay sober, happy and healthy myself.