Hello everyone
katherine34
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Hello everyone
Just joined the site today in hopes of finding some online support to combat my addiction to alcohol. I am not ready to enter any type of treatment program or AA group. I would like to try this first. Today is my first day sober and I know I need help. Thanks for the opportunity to be here and I look forward to hearing from others in the same situation.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome to our recovery community
I do suggest it's wise to have an honest talk
with your doctor before abruptly stopping
De tox from alcohol is a medical issue
and can be dangerous if you try alone.
Glad you are here with us...
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: in the present moment
Posts: 2,060
Welcome to SR Katherine!
Congratulations on your decision to address your drinking in a healthy way. There is a lot of information here, especially the "sticky" posts at the top of the forum page.
You don't have to do it alone. We are all supporting you.
Congratulations on your decision to address your drinking in a healthy way. There is a lot of information here, especially the "sticky" posts at the top of the forum page.
You don't have to do it alone. We are all supporting you.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 372
Welcome Katherine, there IS a lot of great info and support here. Down the road, do not fear AA, it's the best thing that happened to me in 20+ years of drinking.
Again, welcome and congrats in advance on your first soon to be 24 hours, remember one day at a time, do not worry about the past or the future.
Again, welcome and congrats in advance on your first soon to be 24 hours, remember one day at a time, do not worry about the past or the future.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baghdad
Posts: 2,822
Originally Posted by katherine34 
Just joined the site today in hopes of finding some online support to combat my addiction to alcohol. I am not ready to enter any type of treatment program or AA group. I would like to try this first. Today is my first day sober and I know I need help. Thanks for the opportunity to be here and I look forward to hearing from others in the same situation.
mle-sober
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Golden, CO
Posts: 1,243
Glad you're here Katherine. And I'm glad you're sober. I know that first part - the part where I said "I need help" was some of the hardest work I had to do. So good for you for being able to say that. When I said that, it felt like a surrender to me. Surrendering has never been easy for me. I kept thinking I was supposed to put up a fight. But fighting wasn't what made it work. Even fighting my addiction real hard. It was surrendering that put me on the right path.
Hang in there. Breath.
Hang in there. Breath.
katherine34
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Afraid of AA
I totally respect anyone who goes to AA as it is obviously an invaluable tool for many in battling their addiction. I am not against the idea of going but I consider myself a pretty shy person with a bit of social anxiety and quite frankly the whole process terrifies me...
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 157
katherine,
Im going to attend my first meeting tomorrow and im absolutely terrified too.
Im awful in large groups of people and still find even speaking out at college crippling but im just telling myself its the price im going to have to pay to save my life- quite literally
sn.
Im going to attend my first meeting tomorrow and im absolutely terrified too.
Im awful in large groups of people and still find even speaking out at college crippling but im just telling myself its the price im going to have to pay to save my life- quite literally
sn.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baghdad
Posts: 2,822
Generally they aren't large groups, maybe 30 tops. In MI, they divide the groups into tables of 6 or more. You don't have to talk, in some places, like Fla. for example, they do the "classroom" thing. The group leader, someone with a fair amount of sobriety, sits at a table by themselves. Everyone sits at chairs, the leader decides if you get to speak or not. Newcomers aren't generally invited to speak, they will tell you something like "god gave you two ears and one mouth for a good reason".
In MI we have a group tradition of inviting newcomers to introduce themselves to the group, the person stands up and says their first name, the group chair welcomes them and everyone applauds. Again, nothing is mandatory, if you walked into my home group and didn't stand up no one would question you about it. If you sat at a table and didn't want to say anything beyond your first name no one would question you.
What you might hear, at the best tables, is folks telling you how they got there and what their lives are like today. Good Luck.
In MI we have a group tradition of inviting newcomers to introduce themselves to the group, the person stands up and says their first name, the group chair welcomes them and everyone applauds. Again, nothing is mandatory, if you walked into my home group and didn't stand up no one would question you about it. If you sat at a table and didn't want to say anything beyond your first name no one would question you.
What you might hear, at the best tables, is folks telling you how they got there and what their lives are like today. Good Luck.
mle-sober
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Golden, CO
Posts: 1,243
I was scared too at first. And I'm an introvert, for sure. But I just walked in and took a seat and tried to listen.
I was drunk and crying the entire time the 1st meeting, and the 2nd meeting I was drunk but not crying. But by the 3rd meeting I was quiet enough to listen.
The only time I was asked to speak was at the beginning, the person leading the meeting asked, "Is there anyone here for their 1st, 2nd or 3rd meeting?" I raised my hand and they said, "Could you please stand and introduce yourself?" I stood and said, "I'm Molly, I'm an alcoholic" and then sat back down crying. The funny thing about that is that my name's not Molly!
It took until the 3rd meeting for me to admit I'd been giving them an alibi. The ridiculous things drunks do!! When I got my 30 day chip, people remembered that and we all had a good laugh. I'll always be known in my home meeting as the woman who gave an alibi for her first 2 meetings. It even makes me laugh now. What did I think, they were going to tell on me??
Just walk in and sit down and you'll do fine. Oh, and use your own name.
I was drunk and crying the entire time the 1st meeting, and the 2nd meeting I was drunk but not crying. But by the 3rd meeting I was quiet enough to listen.
The only time I was asked to speak was at the beginning, the person leading the meeting asked, "Is there anyone here for their 1st, 2nd or 3rd meeting?" I raised my hand and they said, "Could you please stand and introduce yourself?" I stood and said, "I'm Molly, I'm an alcoholic" and then sat back down crying. The funny thing about that is that my name's not Molly!
It took until the 3rd meeting for me to admit I'd been giving them an alibi. The ridiculous things drunks do!! When I got my 30 day chip, people remembered that and we all had a good laugh. I'll always be known in my home meeting as the woman who gave an alibi for her first 2 meetings. It even makes me laugh now. What did I think, they were going to tell on me??
Just walk in and sit down and you'll do fine. Oh, and use your own name.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 486
Welcome!
Take one step at a time and please listen to the advice that the others have on detoxing.
You have the desire to stop drinking which is a great start. Once your brain clears up you may want to consider a plan to stay sober. This is a great forum for advice and guidence no matter what you chose to do for your recovery and as far as AA goes I will leave you with this analogy-
You are trapped in quicksand and everything that you try on your own just gets you in deeper. You notice 2 people safely outside of the quicksand eager to offer you advice. The 1st person, completely clean and dry, tells you to swim for the edge - the only way to free yourself is through will power and determination. The other person, completely covered in sand and mud, offers you a pole to grab and tells you that someone else offered him the same pole and successfully pulled him out. Which person do you listen to?
No matter what path to sobriety you chose, make sure that the success is there because you are worth it!
Thank you and keep posting.
Take one step at a time and please listen to the advice that the others have on detoxing.
You have the desire to stop drinking which is a great start. Once your brain clears up you may want to consider a plan to stay sober. This is a great forum for advice and guidence no matter what you chose to do for your recovery and as far as AA goes I will leave you with this analogy-
You are trapped in quicksand and everything that you try on your own just gets you in deeper. You notice 2 people safely outside of the quicksand eager to offer you advice. The 1st person, completely clean and dry, tells you to swim for the edge - the only way to free yourself is through will power and determination. The other person, completely covered in sand and mud, offers you a pole to grab and tells you that someone else offered him the same pole and successfully pulled him out. Which person do you listen to?
No matter what path to sobriety you chose, make sure that the success is there because you are worth it!
Thank you and keep posting.
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