robbieswan

I went to the AA meeting last wednesday and I have to say it did help, but I am still drinking. I stopped for 2 days, but I had a drink this morning. 2 glasses of whiskey. How do I combat this demon in my life. I need it. I love the way it makes me feel.

Johnny3times

keep going tha meetings bud, hit the steps soonest and the obsession to drink is removed

ps/ super swans is it?? lol

robbieswan

It's so hard. I love the way the drink makes me feel. Swans are doing well

Johnny3times

you'll luv the step 3 buzz even better mate, it blows the drink cravings out tha water, give it a crack

didnt do too well against newcastle tho lol

Firehazard

Keep going back maybe you will hear something that will spark some solid recovery.

langkah

Looks like a meeting every 3 days isn't enough of an answer for you.

Why not find the level of involvement that makes a difference? For most, going as often as you drank when new and talking with a member before you drink again is about right for starters.

The level of inconvenience and involvement that works is generally far higher than we'd prefer it was. Thinking our preferences would matter in the least regarding solving this problem is pretty funny when you think about it, as the problem itself isn't affected at all by what we'd like very much to be so.

BlueEyedBoy

Did you get numbers of other men at the meeting? I am not sure if you do that in the US but here in the UK newcomers are encouraged to get numbers of people in the meeting, and ring them if they're struggling at home. I was so skeptical about it, thinking 'Why do I want to ring these random strangers?' but the intention is purely to support your recovery.

I was given some advice that in the early days of AA get yourself to a meeting every day, share, and don't pick up a drink in between. It is BLOODY hard. But it works if you do it.

Have you thought of maybe some medical advice from a doctor, maybe to give you some decent period of sobreity to help AA start working?

CarolD

Welcome...

Why not make a list of all the bad and good things that happen
to you when you drink? That might bring you a new way of
thinking about alcohol.

There must be some thing going on that makes you want sobriety.

desertsong

I'm sorry you're struggling, Robbie. It can be hard to imagine a life without alcohol, but it is possible and it is fuller than you can even imagine. I can totally relate to that wonderful feeling that alcohol gave me in the early days but I can also promise you that it won't last. The longer you drink, the less it will feel good, and the harder it will be to stop.

Gottalife

This might be a silly question, but if you love they way it makes you feel, why do you want to stop? What prompted you to go to an AA meeting?

AA as such doesn't try and persuade people to join, nor does it furnish the motivation to quit. But if an alcoholic wants to stop drinking, then we will do all we can to help.

That starts with the first step which really sums up why we want to stop. Does it fit you? 1) We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.

TigerLili

Would you go to the gym twice and then give it away because you didn't lose 10lbs? Of course not! Keep going to meetings, try differrent meetings, talk to people after the meeting - if you don't know how to talk to people, then start by going up to someone who shared and tell them you're new and you really got a lot out of what they shared. When the meeting ends and everyone says the Serenity prayer or whatever they say, turn to the person next to you and say "How are you going? This is my 3rd/4th/5th meeting. Do you have any tips for me?" or "How long have you been in AA?"

Sobriety has so much more to offer than drinking. It really does. It's worth putting a LOT of effort in.

FlyerFan

Keep going to meetings and find yourself a sponsor.

2granddaughters

robbie, AA isn't the "morning after pill". You don't go and get "cured". There is no cure.

You go to AA to grow and maintain your sobriety..... an ongoing process that keeps getting better.

All the best.

Bob R

kanamit

If it turned out there was nothing to cure, then you certainly wouldn't ever find one—and could spend forever looking for a it (a cure).

Some of us just realised there was no room for us to drink any more, and if we did continue it, it wasn't morally right for ourselves, our friends, our family, society, etc. So we cut it out.

It's just some food for thought for the OP. The same free will he exercised to get him into this mess can also get him out of it.

There are some good self-recovery options in the Secular Connections forum here. Check them out.

foodie1

Hey Robbie, I'm sure we all understand the push and pull that is alcohol. We loved the way it made us feel, but admittedly there were also plenty of times filled with disgust and despair. The road drinking alcoholics travel goes only one direction, some of us may go slowly and we may have some fun times along the way, but ultimately we end up with nothing but an empty bottle.

There are some great words of advice on this thread, maybe there's an idea that appeals to you?

TheJungianThing

My life experience suggests otherwise. Like a sweet tooth or a salt craving whereupon one sits down and compulsively keeps reaching in a bag of chips to the effect of salt on the taste buds or in the M&M bowl for the sugar rush and taste of chocolate, the phenomena of craving for liquor once I've taken a drink is too powerful for my will power. There is no known cure for that to my knowledge. The physical effect alcohol has on me once I take a drink will always be there. I know this for a fact in my life. The smell, the foods that they say "the alcohol is cooked out" but it isn't always does something to me bodily. I'm very sensitive to alcohol.

That would be enough to get some folks to stop but my main problem is in my mind. There is a "cure" for that, several apparently. But that "cure" must be administered on a regular basis. Not unlike a diabetics need for insulin for their body it seems that most alcoholics need a "mental insulin" to keep them from taking - that FIRST drink.

Staying away from the first drink is key. How it's done is a matter of several other factors outside the scope of this post.

I can testify about the effect produced by AA practices. Meetings, Steps, and Service. That keeps me from thinking it will ever be a good idea to take that first drink and when the thought does come, I can see it for the utter insanity it is - laugh - and move on.

Perhaps like penicillin, some are allergic to a "spiritual approach" to curing oneself of the peculiar twist of the mind that suggests to alcoholic that taking that first drink is a sensible idea. Just as there are other anti-biotics the universe has provided much needed alternatives. But the same principle applies - the cure must take place in the mind of the alcoholic.

I've explored enough of these alternatives to know what they have in common. The Mind.

I think it's imperative when discussing notions of "cures" and what not to stress what can be cured and what cannot be cured. I disagree with the notion that there is nothing to be cured. Something is broken and needs fixing. I imagine none of us would even bother posting if that weren't the case.

What can be fixed ? - The Mind.
What cannot be fixed (yet) - The body's reaction to alcohol. The only way that can be "cured" is complete and total abstinence.

jojoba

After you make conscious contact, the desire is lifted.

aasharon90

No one twisted my arm to take a drink
when I wanted one. Will Power, didn't
have any. I was completely POWERLESS
over that first drink and because of that,
my life became UNMANAGEABLE.

For me, im extremely grateful for the
program of AA to live my life upon. Because
of it, it has given me a purpose to live
today when I wanted to die 21 yrs ago.

Begin one step at a time with willingness,
openmindedness and honesty.

PassedtheBar

Go to the meeting daily or twice a day. Worry about staying sober for one day and do what it takes to do just that. Wake up, repeat.

Good Luck

CarolD

Welcome to SR PassedtheBar
All my best as you continue to move forward