Redmayne

With a drinking history of 30 years behind me followed by eight years of prolonged and hopefully lasting sobriety I've always, in recovery drawn strength and comfort from a recording I have of 'Clancy' addressing the South Pacific Group. In which, in his own recovery he relates the time when his sponsor pointed out that,' If your problem is alcoholism, then your problem isn't alcohol,' and his, like mine dumbfounded reaction on hearing it!

Until, on questioning the content of this remark, his sponsor, as I then came to realise, that alcohol is but a symptom of the illness...

This for me was a real 'eureka!' moment, after which I've always been ready to follow Clancy's example and refer to my disease/illness as alcohol-ISM, the alcohol being but a symptom, the -ISM's being life in sobriety itself, which the rest of society encounters on a daily basis ...

August252015

Totally agree with this.

Even while I was drinking, I would say that "drinking isn't the problem." Now that I am sober, figuring out what the problem (problems) is (are) is what I am doing. Interesting going and definitely challenge to very ingrained "stuff."

Timebuster

A eureka moment you say.

I call that a spiritual awakening of the highest magnitude.

TB

Hawkeye13

Yes, I also found this to be true.

I was drowning the true causes / pain in the alcohol,
but it wasn't the cause, just a very negative effect.

Gottalife

True enough. Alcohol was my solution to the ISM. When it stopped working, stopping drinking was not an adequate solution. I had to address the ISM, which was not a comfortable business nor was it something therapists, doctors, and or medication could do for me.

ZenLifter

ISM...is that something like, Inner Spiritual Malady...? I'm guessing here

stevieg46

Absolutely correct Zenlifter .

Regards Stevie recovered 12 03 2006

ZenLifter

I gotta say, for me, addressing this, the restless, irritable and discontent mindset with which I have lived my whole life, has made all the difference in my recovery this time.

stevieg46

Yes me also took me 33 years to come to belief through stopping and starting , before I looked at the steps and the Big Book and found out exactly what I suffered from , take care .

Regards Stevie recovered 12 03 2006

Dropsie

Great post.

Fly N Buy

Yes, alcohol was the solution - not the problem. In sobriety I learn our program is not HOW but WHO......... appendix II, pg 568.

Good point Redmayne

advbike

Great post, and so true. My life just got crazier after I quit drinking until I finally began my AA recovery after more than two years of insanity. Alcohol was just a way of self medicating for me.

ISM - Inner Spiritual Malady.. I love that.. it's so true..