Jhana

Hi Donny,

There are as many roads to sobriety as you care to explore, and any of them alone or in combination can get you there. I suppose I view AA as the express route, because generally, once you are on that path you get where you are going without reading the map again; there are plenty of guides to show you the way. I have recently taken that express route again myself...to get to sobriety and remind myself why I want to be there.

With clarity of mind, I am now able to make a good map using all the tools at my disposal (for me, that is a combination of SMART, neuroscience, AA, Logotherapy, and last but not least, SR). Personally, if it is useful to me I don't much care now where it comes from. Bottom line, though, one has to want to quit drinking, make that a priority, do what is necessary to get that done. None of us can do that for you, and no program of recovery will miraculously make that happen.

I suggest you keep an open mind and explore any route long enough to get a sense for it. Many are here to help, but we are all only human, and not one of us has this thing nailed; it is a journey of life.

Glad you are here,
Gianna

Chy

Thanks Gianna!

I hope to that the newcomer such as Donny will see there are many here with a common bond. We're all alcoholic. We all have varying opinions, ideas, suggestions and points of view and perspective. Like Gianna said, it's important to keep an open mind. Find what will work and when ready use the means of support you have chosen to accomplish your goal. Believe it or not this bunch really cares about each other and it's important to remember we're simply human looking for help and hoping to give a little along the way.

GettingSober

Glad you asked. I too hated meetings but it was more the opposite, with 100 people you never got to talk or feel connected.

My buddy holds his job down just fine. Now with a DUI conviction he lost his license in Illinois and has to move the wife and 2 girls to a rail line so he can get to work. He bitches about his wife too.

My wife is beautiful and thin and I bitch about her.

So what?

My mom put it to me this way :

"you need to go to meetings"

"I dont like meetings"

"all my drinking friends are dead, how many meetings did you try"

"just the one town"

"well if you dont take control, the state will"

So I went to a meeting friday, 1st time in years. Next town over, one small round table, 8 people. Everyone of them tried to say something to help me. I spoke for 90 minutes with the leader aftwards in the cold.

What he said to me stuck. I look forward to going again this friday.

If your meeting sucked, go to another address is my point, until you find a group where it works for you.

Or you can wait until its state mandated that you go, btw I hold down a job too. Hell I only screw up once a month anyway, but thats still too much.

2dayzmuse

Try any recovery program. It will only work if you're willing to be accountable for your actions. Blaming everyone isn't going to get you sober. I was just as guilty of this as the rest. The key is being open minded and letting it sink in. It takes time and willingness. Rarely do we have that in the beginning. I know I hated my first __ __ meeting. Nobody likes what they're told in the beginning. So I went back out and did it my way. Ouch, that really hurt.

Good luck with any program you choose. Sobriety = success no matter the program, in my book. (Not making reference to any particular book, especially blue). :kidding: Not pro or con. All I know is what has worked for me. You get back what you put into it. My opinion...

Chy

This thread took many detours, so in order to continue the discussion I moved the last four posts to a seperate thread where a healthy, respectful discussion can continue.http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ad.php?t=53664


Now back to Donny....

Dan

Thanks Chy.