recovery method and book suggestions please
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 94
recovery method and book suggestions please
hi all.
just wanted to ask the ones of you who have been sober long-term to please share your secrets.
what finally made you give up alcohol once and for all?
what method(s) to you use?
and can you please recommend some reading materials?
i'm particularly interested in alternatives to AA although your AA stories are welcome as well.
right now i'm reading the Big Book, and am learning more about RR and SMART recovery. also waiting on Staying Sober to arrive in the mail. just want to try different things and see what resonates with me. i don't know if i believe in God or not but i don't like the idea that i'm not in control of my own life. i want something that is empowering and helps me channel my own strength to make my life better.
Moderators: i'm posting this in two forums to hopefully get perspective from those who have been successful in maintaining sobriety long term and to hopefully help other newbies too.
thanks!
just wanted to ask the ones of you who have been sober long-term to please share your secrets.
what finally made you give up alcohol once and for all?
what method(s) to you use?
and can you please recommend some reading materials?
i'm particularly interested in alternatives to AA although your AA stories are welcome as well.
right now i'm reading the Big Book, and am learning more about RR and SMART recovery. also waiting on Staying Sober to arrive in the mail. just want to try different things and see what resonates with me. i don't know if i believe in God or not but i don't like the idea that i'm not in control of my own life. i want something that is empowering and helps me channel my own strength to make my life better.
Moderators: i'm posting this in two forums to hopefully get perspective from those who have been successful in maintaining sobriety long term and to hopefully help other newbies too.
thanks!
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
If you liked the movie "Flight" with DENZEL WASHINGTON? You might be interested in a real-life pilot who went through a similar experience:
Final Approach: Northwest Airline Flight 650 Tragedy and Triumph. by Lyle Prouse
Final Approach: Northwest Airline Flight 650 Tragedy and Triumph. by Lyle Prouse
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,443
Hi Iwanttobebetter,
Just like there was a switch inside me that turned on the 'alcoholic-I cannot stop at one drink', there was also a switch that switched inside me when I just could not go on this way anymore. It was most likely the ‘I am completely powerless over alcohol’ switch. It would be nice if just making that declaration would have fixed my life. But no. It was hard.
I went to many, many, many AA meetings for many months in the beginning. I never got past step one, but the meetings helped me tremendously.
I read all kinds of alcohol related books. I believe they are all listed in a sticky at the top of the Newcomers forum. Some of them sounded like they were written by me personally, others just had a similar story that I related to. I still read alcoholic/addict memoirs, just picked up "Guts" this past weekend.
My current plan of maintaining my recovery is to never, ever, ever pick up the first drink. Ever.
I have been sober for eight years.
If I can do this, anyone can.
It's true.
Just like there was a switch inside me that turned on the 'alcoholic-I cannot stop at one drink', there was also a switch that switched inside me when I just could not go on this way anymore. It was most likely the ‘I am completely powerless over alcohol’ switch. It would be nice if just making that declaration would have fixed my life. But no. It was hard.
I went to many, many, many AA meetings for many months in the beginning. I never got past step one, but the meetings helped me tremendously.
I read all kinds of alcohol related books. I believe they are all listed in a sticky at the top of the Newcomers forum. Some of them sounded like they were written by me personally, others just had a similar story that I related to. I still read alcoholic/addict memoirs, just picked up "Guts" this past weekend.
My current plan of maintaining my recovery is to never, ever, ever pick up the first drink. Ever.
I have been sober for eight years.
If I can do this, anyone can.
It's true.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
I found that the concepts in AVRT helped me a lot.
Two books that come to mind: Under the Influence (the nitty gritty of what alcohol does) and Drinking: A Love Story
Also: Anything on mindfulness (observing your thoughts/inner peace)
Another book I love: The Power of Now (Eckhart Tolle)
Two books that come to mind: Under the Influence (the nitty gritty of what alcohol does) and Drinking: A Love Story
Also: Anything on mindfulness (observing your thoughts/inner peace)
Another book I love: The Power of Now (Eckhart Tolle)
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Westerville Oh
Posts: 24
I'm kind of where your at with wanting other information besides AA. Although, it has been very helpful, esp. first 90d. Today I read part of Living Sober Sucks, but Living Drunk Sucks More ?by ? Tunesh ? I can get you the information exactly but it is a little on the harsh side. I liked the website b/c you can get alot of information and read portions of the book and he has a Women's blog attached. Anyway, take care and stay strong.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 729
There are no secrets.
You must have the internal fortitude to decide that you have had enough of slowly poisining yourself and that you deserve a much better life.
You get inspired by $$$, health, family but the resolve to push through is in you alone.
Alcoholism is a prison with the key inside the cell.
I hold in the highest regard Allen Carr(The Easy Way to Stop Drinking: Allen Carr: 9781402736476: Amazon.com: Books), Rain in my Heart(Rain In My Heart (1 of 10) - YouTube), this forum and real world friends who share my sobriety path.
I can tell you the journey is horribly difficult and by far the greatest and most rewarding thing you could do for you and yours.
I do not recognize myself from 8 years ago. That was not me.
Thisisme.
You must have the internal fortitude to decide that you have had enough of slowly poisining yourself and that you deserve a much better life.
You get inspired by $$$, health, family but the resolve to push through is in you alone.
Alcoholism is a prison with the key inside the cell.
I hold in the highest regard Allen Carr(The Easy Way to Stop Drinking: Allen Carr: 9781402736476: Amazon.com: Books), Rain in my Heart(Rain In My Heart (1 of 10) - YouTube), this forum and real world friends who share my sobriety path.
I can tell you the journey is horribly difficult and by far the greatest and most rewarding thing you could do for you and yours.
I do not recognize myself from 8 years ago. That was not me.
Thisisme.
Grateful
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Originally Posted by sbrchk 
I'm kind of where your at with wanting other information besides AA. Although, it has been very helpful, esp. first 90d. Today I read part of Living Sober Sucks, but Living Drunk Sucks More ?by ? Tunesh ? I can get you the information exactly but it is a little on the harsh side. I liked the website b/c you can get alot of information and read portions of the book and he has a Women's blog attached. Anyway, take care and stay strong.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
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