What did it take?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 542
What did it take?
What did it take for you to decide it was time to do something about your drinking? I'm sure like me, many people had many thing happen along the way accidents, lost days at work, blackout, injuries of unknown orgin, people being disappointed with you, failing health, etc, etc, etc. But was there a defining situation thay made you say that I need to change. For me that came with one statement. "I will not go through or let our kids go through what you have put us through in the past, we will leave you if I even think it is headed that way". Almost getting killed three times in accidents did not scare my as much as that statement. They say you should get sober for you and it is true. I'm sober for me because being without my wife and kids is not something I could ever bear. Thank God my wife was able through many tears tell me point blank how she felt. That's my defining moment, what is yours?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
there was no big bang for me - I just looked around at my room - messy as hell, bottles everywhere - looked at myself in the mirror - also messy as hell, beaten, haggard, sick, shivering, *grey* - and I thought about just how many years it had been since it was different....
Then I got online and found this place.
Thank God.
D
Then I got online and found this place.
Thank God.
D
Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ireland
Posts: 169
mine was a combination of the following
splitting my eye open
breaking my shoulder in a blackout,
and ending in a mental ward:Flush:
well if i couldnt wake up and smell the coffee after that little lot, i was surely doomed
four weeks sober today:bounce
splitting my eye open
breaking my shoulder in a blackout,
and ending in a mental ward:Flush:
well if i couldnt wake up and smell the coffee after that little lot, i was surely doomed
four weeks sober today:bounce
Old & Sober Member of AA
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Nursing Home in Brick, New Jersey
Posts: 5,174
My "spiritual awakening" happened having coffee at a diner with some people after an AA meeting. (I was doing some research hoping to reconcile with my husband who had quit drinking and was going to AA.)
Someone was talking about a recent trip to Europe, something that was a life-long goal of mine. I couldn't imagine going through Europe, and not being able to drink! Just the thought brought me to tears. As they streamed down my face, I said, "I should feel better since I quit drinking, but I'm feeling worse."
All eyes turned to me, and I told them I had decided to try not to drink daily after work as I had been doing for the past two years since husband and I separated. They realized I was going through withdrawal and helped me get into detox.
Not an earthshaking event, compared to other stories...but, it was enough to wake me up to the fact I had a problem. All those years, I thought his drinking was my problem. That was twenty-eight years ago. I'm forever grateful he got sober first...I don't think either of us would have if we had stayed together.
BTW...I took two trips to Europe...stone-cold sober!!!
Someone was talking about a recent trip to Europe, something that was a life-long goal of mine. I couldn't imagine going through Europe, and not being able to drink! Just the thought brought me to tears. As they streamed down my face, I said, "I should feel better since I quit drinking, but I'm feeling worse."
All eyes turned to me, and I told them I had decided to try not to drink daily after work as I had been doing for the past two years since husband and I separated. They realized I was going through withdrawal and helped me get into detox.
Not an earthshaking event, compared to other stories...but, it was enough to wake me up to the fact I had a problem. All those years, I thought his drinking was my problem. That was twenty-eight years ago. I'm forever grateful he got sober first...I don't think either of us would have if we had stayed together.
BTW...I took two trips to Europe...stone-cold sober!!!
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,056
Originally Posted by tkdan 
For me that came with one statement. "I will not go through or let our kids go through what you have put us through in the past, we will leave you if I even think it is headed that way". Almost getting killed three times in accidents did not scare my as much as that statement. They say you should get sober for you and it is true. I'm sober for me because being without my wife and kids is not something I could ever bear. Thank God my wife was able through many tears tell me point blank how she felt.
Thankfully, God has given me everything I need to live a beautiful life in recovery.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pickering Ontario
Posts: 69
It came to a point where everytime I drank I blacked out, acted like a fool (or was convinced I did) and cried for days. My last drunk I blacked out, crawled through a fellow drinking buddies window at 3 am deciding I was lonely and got tossed out, lol. Barely remember. Not the worst thing I've ever done believe me, but I CRIED and cried in disgust with myself for days because I was looking after my dad who is a quadriplegic while my mom was on vacation, and had promised myself I wouldn't have a drop. Selfishness took on a whole new meaning when you're leaving your father who can't so much as move himself and you're in a black out running amuck crawling through windows. Thank god he didn't fall out of bed or worse. After hating myself for two weeks or so that hate turned into anger towards the booze, myself, and how it makes me behave. I havent drank since, thank god (or whoever). Leaving someone I love so helpless like that was really a kick in the head and I broke my own heart.
61'st day sober as of:12/18/07
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Casper, Wyoming U.S.
Posts: 241
Originally Posted by Dee74
and I thought about just how many years it had been since it was different....
Need4Change
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southern New Hampshire
Posts: 746
It took almost dying, In hindsight I'm grateful for the dark time,I was all out of ideas, this gave me willingness to set aside everything I thought I knew and follow precise instructions on how to recover from alcoholism. As today's BB quote reminds us, I sought the solution with the desparation of a drowning man, real glad I did.
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