doggonecarl

I found there was a difference between quitting drinking and recovery. I quit drinking a number of times. Always went back to drinking.

I tried recovery from alcoholism once.

Two and half years sober.

Hope you discover the difference yourself.

MrTumble

Davey, youve taken the best course of action, youre not beating yourself up but you retain the desire to quit because you know boozing is not working out. Take heart in that.

awuh1

Don't lump "support groups" into one category and then say "it's not for me". That's a bit like saying "I once ate an orange and I did not like it. Thanks for offering me your apple but I don't eat fruit". I suggest you give it an honest try with an open mind.

DaveyT

What I dislike about support groups is sitting around discussing my problems including feelings with a bunch of people I don't know, and hearing their stories. That happens in all these groups, I just find it absolutely depressing and cringe worthy. I appreiciate you think you're helping but I've repeated it a few times already, this isn't for me. I don't need to try it to know that, just like I don't need to have my genitals pierced to know it's not something I would enjoy lol.

I've come to some serious conclusions today that may be very helpful for me, so I'm just starting again.

TrixMixer

AA is not right for everybody. I felt the same way you did. It has saved many lives. If it is not for you work with what is. We all must find our own way, as long as you find a way to stay sober.

Good Luck
Trix

MemphisBlues

I appreciate your honesty and recognition of your problem. I would highly recommend exploring AVRT. I think it's a great program for people who find addiction to be their primary problem. I find AA is more for people who know addiction is their problem, but learn that drinking is a symptom of some far more reaching inner issues.

AA is for people who can't stop drinking, and then realize that in order to stay stopped they need to address some pretty tough issues in how they look at life. AVRT provides me with solid tools in how not to drink. The real problem for me was when I removed alcohol and drugs from life, I was still left with me, and I was pretty beat up.

I'm an atheist, too. I attribute my 2.5 years of sobriety to my commitment to AA and its principles.

If you go to an AA meeting and all it is is people pouring out their problems in life, well, that's not really an AA meeting. That sounds more like a group that has drifted off into group therapy. If you go to a meeting and people are talking about the solution to their addiction, the solution to the life issues that made them become an alcoholic, the solution in how to mend the wreckage that alcoholism creates, than you have found a real AA meeting.