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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Also new
Hi all
My name is Jean - alcoholic and new to forum.
I am an old bird with a drinking career spanning almost 40 years - in fact a small bit longer as had experimented as a child. I have been sober since June 17th 2009, and have to say I don't exactly miss the booze - but my problems start here. I believe I have found the ISMs - is this when you are sober, but the thinking remains alcoholic?
I have been attending counseling and going to meetings, but I don't share unless I am asked directly - I need to find my voice. I have been working on changing my thinking, but think I have hit brick wall and some of the old feelings are still there. Worse still, I am fairly sure I have replaced alcohol with food.
I am married to an addict and we both have huge co-dependency issues.
I have been advised to try Al Anon as we don't have CoDa where we are, will definitely try one over the next few days and see how I go, but any advice gratefully appreciated.
Wishing you all well in your journeys to recovery
Jean
My name is Jean - alcoholic and new to forum.
I am an old bird with a drinking career spanning almost 40 years - in fact a small bit longer as had experimented as a child. I have been sober since June 17th 2009, and have to say I don't exactly miss the booze - but my problems start here. I believe I have found the ISMs - is this when you are sober, but the thinking remains alcoholic?
I have been attending counseling and going to meetings, but I don't share unless I am asked directly - I need to find my voice. I have been working on changing my thinking, but think I have hit brick wall and some of the old feelings are still there. Worse still, I am fairly sure I have replaced alcohol with food.
I am married to an addict and we both have huge co-dependency issues.
I have been advised to try Al Anon as we don't have CoDa where we are, will definitely try one over the next few days and see how I go, but any advice gratefully appreciated.
Wishing you all well in your journeys to recovery
Jean
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
Welcome to SR! 
We have a good forum here for families and friends of addicts. Do check it out.
Friends and Family of Substance Abusers - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Also have a thread going on Newcomers Daily Support forum for codependency. Have a look at that one too.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...part-12-a.html
Share and post and ask questions as you like. Read our stories of despair and recovery. I hope we can help you.
We have a good forum here for families and friends of addicts. Do check it out.Friends and Family of Substance Abusers - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Also have a thread going on Newcomers Daily Support forum for codependency. Have a look at that one too.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...part-12-a.html
Share and post and ask questions as you like. Read our stories of despair and recovery. I hope we can help you.
Don't resist, allow
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South East of England
Posts: 1,521
Originally Posted by jeanmh 
I have been attending counseling and going to meetings, but I don't share unless I am asked directly - I need to find my voice.
Jean
Jean
Hi Jean and welcome.
It is not necessary that you share in meetings, although a lot of people find it helps but you don't have to tell all your issues to everyone if you don't feel comfortable with that. Do you have a sponsor you can talk to? Or is there anyone at the meetings that you think you can share with?
It is very common for alcoholics to have more than one addiction. I have an alcohol and food addiction and also codependency issues.
The best way that I can describe it is that I had this huge void within me that needed filling and I would fill it with anything I could get my hands on - alcohol, food, relationships, friendships, shopping etc. While these "drugs" worked in the early stages of addiction to fill the void and make me feel better, they eventually stopped working and then nothing made me feel better, only worse.
If you find that you have now been picking up the food now that you have put down the alcohol, then you may be like me in trying to fill that void/need with anything you think is going to make you feel better. Food can work on the dopamine receptors in the brain in a similar way to alcohol in certain people - in effect it works like a drug for some people.
What I have learned in recovery is that the void or the neediness that I have is a spiritual one and the only thing that fills it and makes me feel complete, is a spirtual solution which I have found in the 12 Step program of AA (and OA).
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Hi Jean
Congratulations on your sober time
I found just not drinking was the tip of the iceberg - in many ways what came after that was harder, but this is a great place - it helped a lot....
you'll find a lot of advice help and support here
Welcome!
D
Congratulations on your sober time
I found just not drinking was the tip of the iceberg - in many ways what came after that was harder, but this is a great place - it helped a lot....
you'll find a lot of advice help and support here
Welcome!
D
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....
Well done on your sober time
I've found AA Step work very useful.
When I started I felt a shift from sobriety
into solid recovery....
Hope you will too.
Well done on your sober time
I've found AA Step work very useful.
When I started I felt a shift from sobriety
into solid recovery....
Hope you will too.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: In a good state
Posts: 30
Congrats on your recovery!! and I think you will find this site helpful to share your story.. What you share not only will help you but the people reading it will learn something and it will help them. When you are at a brick to write something remember that... Thank you for sharing..
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