karate

People have immense mental power ,if tapped into ........

I think alcohol only has the power over you ,if you allow it to have power .

The process of sobering up ,seems to be overcomplicated ,and over hyped -imo

My methods are sure looked down on ,in the community as a group .

Yet ,here I sit ,pretty darn happy ,and sober .

Its not a white knuckle trip ,more of a calm ,passive backing away from it .

I do ,and will admit ,the first few days do take some grit ,to get through
After a couple weeks , its pull is very weak .

Okay -FLAME AWAY

jdooner

No flame Karate. My view of a strong recovery program is not to focus on recovery 24/7. Sure you are going to be fine a lot, perhaps most of the time. But what about those curveballs we get thrown? The trigger you were not expecting. It's during these times, I find having setup a strong support network is priceless.

I for one see things in you and your posts that I see in myself. This is why I get triggered by some of your posts and some of your stubbornness. It's not you it's me and it hurts to admit I have the same or similar traits. So this time, I will not flame but suggest you are doing a good job and hope you keep on your path of awareness and awakening.

RobbyRobot

I don't look down on your efforts, your past failures, or your present success, karate. I do believe your recovery is feeling based, and emotionally nourished, and in this I believe ultimately your working uphill, nonetheless, your more then able to make choices for yourself, as you see to it, so who am I to nay say you?

You know, we don't need to please all the people all the time, right?

Sobriety has to have enough sand to get through the tough times too, even when we may be feeling really bad about ourselves, our lives, or what have you.

If life took a seriously long-term bad turn, and your feelings went down to hell in a hand basket, would you still being joyful day after day with your sobriety, Karate?

doggonecarl

A couple weeks sober.

Let's revisit how simple or complicated the process of recovery is when you get to a year. And I hope you do. Your "methods" will carry a lot more credibility then.

Press on!

Cow

Karate, I like you way you speak what you mean. Is hard sometime here. I say that as a atheist cow who not believe in higher power. But I think you missing plight of alcoholics who has mental/brain dysfunction and where it not just matter of 'free will.' Some peoples is damage, delusional, detach, denial, etc. It take more than 'self examinations' to come out from this.

Cow has grapple for many year with idea of whether is choice or disease. Who care? Alls I know is I been addict whole life despite many attempt for help and treatments. And, if I may, I very smart and accomplish cow. So, whatever I think, something not right, because of course I wish so much to be balanced, happy soul. I think however way it gonna help you get better, DO IT!

PS. Robot, why is you signature quote from an alcoholic suicide!

RobbyRobot

Yes, that is so. In this, I can only say I have my own subjective relative understanding of his complex choices which led him to finally take his own life. His was at the end a tortured alcoholic soul. His body failing, his mind turned inwards, his writing arrested, death perhaps seemed plausible within the depths of his sickened mentality and depressed inner-core.

In many ways, a hero all the same. What an astonishing man. A mentor of sorts, I suppose.

GunnyL

I somewhat agree with you. Remember, these programs, as most any, are geared to the lowest common denominator. The person who can't do it alone.

I'm one of the worst harda$$es I know and was almost in shock when I finally had to admit I couldn't do it on my own.

On the other hand, once I had the knowledge I needed and some help, I feel I'm okay without constant reinforcement. You can bet if I needed a meeting a day, my butt'd be there. Whatever it takes. I don't want to ever again be what I was.

It always comes back to whatever works for the individual.

karate

I personally think ,a person can rewire their own brain to have a different response in given conditions .

In fact ,I have done a lot of that kind of work myself .

I started this process several years ago .

Its not an overnight change .

And I still spend a lot of time in this process ,It has been quite a journey
But worth it .

fini

But I think you missing plight of alcoholics who has mental/brain dysfunction and where it not just matter of 'free will.'

reminds me of one thing i remember from Gabor Mate's book "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts", where he sidesteps the free-will-thing with : do you have free won't?

karate

Thank you for the vote of confidence ,I have had plenty of trouble while not being drunk .

In fact ,If I described the problems I am having at this very point in my life ,you would be shocked ,more at my attitude .

Nothing life threatening , so its small stuff .

I don't post about my problems , because I don't dwell on them .

But I would have to think ,I am having triggers ,or have had .

A couple of small sayings I try to live by ,the first is an original "Life is too short to be ruled by anger ,worry or regret "

The second I read -Its not the problem ,.........as much as its your reaction to the problem

caboblanco

alcohol abuse recovery made over-complicated? no way

i so agree with you

MIRecovery

It took me a couple of years of sobriety to have any real conception of what sobriety was or wasn't

Raider

Doggonecarl - I like your posts. I don't like this one. If someone doesn't agree with my recovery method and I relapse, perhaps it's not the method that is flawed. Maybe I didn't follow my own recovery plan. It feels demeaning to me to hear a long term sober person judge my plan by the length of my sobriety.

Robbie - it saddens me to hear someone who committed suicide referred to as a mentor. Too much suicide in my family to ever feel that way about someone who takes their life. The ones left behind are devastated the rest of their life. Very heartbreaking.

Karate - sometimes your posts are confusing. You stop, start, moderate, etc. I'm not sure at times what your goal is, not your method.

RobbyRobot

Raider, please. We both know it is not him being a suicide that I refer to him as a kind of mentor. We're talking about Hemingway. His being a suicide does not take away from his literary accomplishments. Him being actively alcoholic throughout his life doesn't either.

I'm sorry you feel as you do about your experiences of others. Although I haven't had a family member suicide, I've lost friends to suicide, and yes of course its devastating. I lost a young sister to a drunk driver, and that single event helped destroy my dysfunctional family even more. My parents were never the same thereafter. Nothing was the same for any of us, my two brothers and surviving sister. I know of sadness and death too.

Although my thoughts and feelings on Hemingway are not the cause of your enduring sadness, I'm uncomfortable with you feeling I have contributed to your sadness. I hope eventually you can realize I haven't as such. In any case, I also hope you can get past your unbearable hurts. It cant be an easy burden, of course.

Take it easy, Raider.

doggonecarl

I wasn't trying to judge the OP's plan or demean the length of his sobriety. As a long-time sober person I was trying to say, any bold statements about recovery or directed at the "community" here carries more weight if made from a position of sustained sobriety.

In other words, karate has the right to thumb his nose at those who disagree with him. I was cautioning him about doing it with so little sober time under his belt. It impacts his credibility. That's all. I am judging style, not substance.

Raider

Robby you didn't contribute to my sadness. Thanks for the thoughtful post. Blessings to you. Pam.

Raider

Carl understood.

Sorry Gentlemen. My crummy mood is coming out in my posts. I shall hang it up for the night. Sorry if I offended. Good night. Pam.

RobbyRobot

No worries Pam. Your alright in my books. In fact, your a kind of inspiration for me, and others I'm sure. Your always moving forward. I like that about you.

Weaver

Faulker?

karate

My point here is not to start a fight .

But to make people THINK , and try another way .
Or another tool , in the fight .

After thinking about it on the way to work , it's possible
My problem is not the same as others .

Just trying to inject another point of view .

I also think , if a better mental attitude were applied in anyone's
Life , there is not a downside to that .

AA is a faith based program , not going to discredit
God , not trying to