Doubter

Can your hopes and dreams be achieved if your an alcoholic?

doggonecarl

A recovered alcoholic? Yes.

doggonecarl

That said, there are a lot of impediments to hopes and dreams that have nothing to do with one's alcoholism. But being sober is a great foundation to build them on.

ScottFromWI

Being sober makes it a heck of a lot easier for certain.

For me, drinking guaranteed sorrow and pain for me and all those around me. So in a sense, getting sober was a hope and dream of mine that has already come true.

waynetheking

I would say no. If you're drunk all the time how can you achieve anything?

Gottalife

A recovered alcoholic can go anywhere and do anything that free men can do, except drink and maybe one or two other things personal to us.

Getting recovered is the first thing. Hanging around the rooms, blaming the disease for every lapse in behaviour or judgement, walking on eggshells thinking tomorrow maybe the day you drink, finding a host of excuses why we cant do this or that...that is not recovered.

Walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the universe on the broad highway, free from self, free to do anything, that is recovered.

Doug39

As an active alcoholic I thought my hopes and dreams were to get a good job, get rich and be able to overindulge in every bad vice I wanted. But the more money I made I was never satisfied; I wasn't chasing a dream life I was running from real life.

Since I got sober I am happier and healthier then I have been in almost 30 years. My mind is clear and I like myself again. That is a dream come true.

PhoenixJ

Yep

NYCDoglvr

Oh my God, yes! If you can stop drinking you can do anything. During sobriety (25 years) I've seen the world, written two books started two companies whereas when I came in I wasn't functioning. I did it by working the steps and taking suggestions. A lot of very hard work, of course, but I asked for help. If I hadn't I'd still be in the same place.

SoberCAH

There was nothing I could do in the later stages of my alcoholism, except hang out in bars and liquor stores.

Since I have been sober, I got the life I always wanted and much, much more.

tomsteve

a practicing alcoholic? I wasn't able to.

an alcoholic in recovery?
anything can be accomplished.
seems recovery brought me a different perspective on my hopes and dreams. they aren't what they were when I was drinkin

Fitcher

I'd say no, since the very nature of alcoholism revolves around hiding from trauma and masking the pain it is causing rather than confronting it and taking the steps need to begin healing.

Wholesome

I think addiction becomes the focus of one's life to the point that everything you do revolves around it. Once it's taken out of the picture one is free to pursue whatever you want, or not. Up to the individual.

2ndhandrose

Beautifully stated. I totally agree!

Doubter

Thanks guys for the responses. I believe an alcoholic (recovering or not) needs to focus on staying sober long term before he wants his hopes and dreams to become a reality.

I've haven't managed even close to a year yet, since 2000.

ScottFromWI

That sounds like a good plan to me Doubter, I wish you the best of luck in getting there. You can still have hopes and dreams though, we all need something to look forward to, right?

August252015

YES. Beyond yes. Mine now look different than any I had before, but they are absolutely coming true.

tomsteve

personally I had to focus on staying sober today. some days early on I had to focus on staying sober one minute at a time.
even then, though, I had hope- hope that I could get through one minute. hope that I could get through one hour. hope that I could get through one day.
eventually, those minutes turned to day,then to weeks, then to months, then to years.
eventually in there- within the first 6 months, I diodnt have to focus on staying sober any more. I didn't have the mental obsession.
then I just had to focus on the underlying issues that alcohol was a symptom of.

thomas11

Interesting question. I know a fair number of alcoholics who have achieved a lot in their lives. Whether they achieved their hopes and dreams....I don't know, I never asked them. I do believe you have a much greater chance of achieving your hopes and dreams if you are not addicted to a substance.