A yr ago hospitalized, I'm back here.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
A yr ago hospitalized, I'm back here.
I won't go to deep into it, but I drank about half a handle a day for years, lost multiple jobs and ended up in the ICU a year ago almost to the day. (I remember cos I was pissed about missing halloween).
I was sober for a few months, thought I could control it for special occasions. But alas, I am here.
I am back to multiple bottles of wine a day, back to half handles. My nana is trying to help. Moved here to help me, as I was almost homeless.
I've cut down dramatically, which feels awful.
But I don't have money for a fancy rehab. Even a normal outpatient program. I want to stop. But I don't know what to do.
All I know is I can't do it on my own.
Any recommendations? How effective is AA? Because it seems my only route, but I'm still so nervous.
Any advice is appreciated <3
I was sober for a few months, thought I could control it for special occasions. But alas, I am here.
I am back to multiple bottles of wine a day, back to half handles. My nana is trying to help. Moved here to help me, as I was almost homeless.
I've cut down dramatically, which feels awful.
But I don't have money for a fancy rehab. Even a normal outpatient program. I want to stop. But I don't know what to do.
All I know is I can't do it on my own.
Any recommendations? How effective is AA? Because it seems my only route, but I'm still so nervous.
Any advice is appreciated <3
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 6,594
AA was 100 % effective with me, and in my experience is highly effective for any alcoholic who actually does the work, that is the steps. Unfortunately many go to AA and hope to absorb something through their seats without doing any of the work, and the results for them are pretty grim.
My suggestion would be to call AA and ask for someone to come see you to explain about he program and what AA is all about. I spent an afternoon with a chap doing this, and it was the best thing I ever did. After that I went to a meeting, then I got a sponsor and worked the steps.
If you decide you have other options, I would leave AA for the time being. It seemed to work for me when I was convinced there was no other way. It didn't work for as long as I thought I could get around the problem some other way.
My suggestion would be to call AA and ask for someone to come see you to explain about he program and what AA is all about. I spent an afternoon with a chap doing this, and it was the best thing I ever did. After that I went to a meeting, then I got a sponsor and worked the steps.
If you decide you have other options, I would leave AA for the time being. It seemed to work for me when I was convinced there was no other way. It didn't work for as long as I thought I could get around the problem some other way.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,561
What worked for me is to treat this like a mission. Stick around here and read a ton and post a lot too. It was initially pretty hard, but it got easier.
If you don't do rehab, don't mess around with moderation. It's a dead end.
If you don't do rehab, don't mess around with moderation. It's a dead end.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 514
Sorry to hear about your difficult situation. Rehabs can definitely be tricky, as many are perpetually full and sometimes only accept certain insurance.
I would agree that AA is a great way to start your sobriety. You've already realized a very important thing - none of us can do this alone!! The recovery community is very supportive, and many if not most of us have been exactly where you are. Find the right people in AA and they will help you in ways you can't imagine, and have resources that could help you even get into a rehab. You won't know if you don't go!
Another quick note - as you know (and I know all too well myself), drinking that much a day can lead to some nasty withdrawals. Be careful if you decide to stop cold turkey; you may need help to safely detox :-)
I would agree that AA is a great way to start your sobriety. You've already realized a very important thing - none of us can do this alone!! The recovery community is very supportive, and many if not most of us have been exactly where you are. Find the right people in AA and they will help you in ways you can't imagine, and have resources that could help you even get into a rehab. You won't know if you don't go!
Another quick note - as you know (and I know all too well myself), drinking that much a day can lead to some nasty withdrawals. Be careful if you decide to stop cold turkey; you may need help to safely detox :-)
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
AA has been 100% successful for me since 2005.
however
AA as in going to meetings alone isnt what ive done.
AA as in the program as laid out in the big book is what ive done.
i have seen literally thousands of people it has been successful for too.
about 10,000 member got together back in june in AA's birthplace for founders day.
the international convention had over 50,000 attend,too.
however
AA as in going to meetings alone isnt what ive done.
AA as in the program as laid out in the big book is what ive done.
i have seen literally thousands of people it has been successful for too.
about 10,000 member got together back in june in AA's birthplace for founders day.
the international convention had over 50,000 attend,too.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,346
There are rehab resources for those in financial need - Salvation Army, for example. Working the AA program and being connected to others who also do has lead me on a path of 3 + years of sobriety. I have many friends with 5-10-20-30 years of sobriety who work the program.
We all were nervous but the other outcomes - jails, institutions or death outweighed this.
Steep yourself in meetings, It will screw up your drinking likely.
We all were nervous but the other outcomes - jails, institutions or death outweighed this.
Steep yourself in meetings, It will screw up your drinking likely.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Hey there! I’m in AA due to cost, also. It’s a great immersive, supportive program. Just jump in and make it your own. People will welcome you with open arms and you will have the structure you need to get sober. Do 90 meetings in 90 days! There is some old fashioned wording to the text (written in the 30's) but the crux of the program is the truth of alcoholism especially the fellowship.
It’s probably a necessary move for you. Doing it on your own or just using the Internet is much, much less effective.
Stay close to this forum on your down time. Best wishes to you.
It’s probably a necessary move for you. Doing it on your own or just using the Internet is much, much less effective.
Stay close to this forum on your down time. Best wishes to you.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome Lyssa, lots of good advice here already. AA is definitely free and worth a try, and as mentioned SR istelf can be a tremendous support network. If you feel you'd need a supervised detox, there are probably some reduced cost or even free programs available in your area. Not sure where you live but the Salvation Army offers some of these services for free too.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,901
Well, AA has worked for me, and I know plenty of others - many with several decades of sobriety which they put down to working the program of AA. Most 'fancy rehabs' recovery program is based on the 12-step program of recovery. Guess where that came from... yep, you guessed it. AA.
Most people's experience is that getting through the door o their first meeting is scary, but only because it's new and we don't know what to expect. There are lots of threads on here about meetinsg and what to expect, and people' s experiences of first meetings. It might help you to contact the hotline or e-mail service first - it made a big difference to me. I'd walked past the door after intending to go to quite a few meetings. Eventially I emailed the contact service and chatted online to someone (another alcoholic in recovery, although I'm not sure I realised that at the time). Knowing someone was expecting me to show up somehow made t easier to walk in. If you choose an 'open' meeting then perhaps your Nanna could go with you to your first meeting?
There's no need to do this alone. Hey - we're all here for a start off, and there are no strangers in AA - just friends you haven't met yet.
BB
Most people's experience is that getting through the door o their first meeting is scary, but only because it's new and we don't know what to expect. There are lots of threads on here about meetinsg and what to expect, and people' s experiences of first meetings. It might help you to contact the hotline or e-mail service first - it made a big difference to me. I'd walked past the door after intending to go to quite a few meetings. Eventially I emailed the contact service and chatted online to someone (another alcoholic in recovery, although I'm not sure I realised that at the time). Knowing someone was expecting me to show up somehow made t easier to walk in. If you choose an 'open' meeting then perhaps your Nanna could go with you to your first meeting?
There's no need to do this alone. Hey - we're all here for a start off, and there are no strangers in AA - just friends you haven't met yet.
BB
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 6,263
[QUOTEHow effective is AA? Because it seems my only route, but I'm still so nervous.][/QUOTE]
Very effective if you take suggestions, get a sponsor and work the program. I came into AA with the "gift of desperation", aware that if I continue to drink I'll die. After 26 years my life is unrecognizable but I keep going because denial and rationalization are still a big part of my make-up. I'm still an agnostic but it still works. GOD= group of drunks.
Very effective if you take suggestions, get a sponsor and work the program. I came into AA with the "gift of desperation", aware that if I continue to drink I'll die. After 26 years my life is unrecognizable but I keep going because denial and rationalization are still a big part of my make-up. I'm still an agnostic but it still works. GOD= group of drunks.
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