Hello! First time user of this forum, alcoholic attempting soberiety.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Posts: 51
Hello! First time user of this forum, alcoholic attempting soberiety.
Hello everyone. This is is my first time here. After being removed from a bar by my parents at the request of my wife yesterday, and attending a court appearance today, I found myself spending the last couple of hours reading people's thoughts and deciding to join. I have been a heavy drinker for the last 10 years. I am age 32 now, male, 6'1 weigh about 180 pounds. I was in court on my 2nd OWI charge. My sentence is court ordered counseling, fines and 5 days of house arrest. Um, where to begin. I guess with my history. I began drinking every day about 10 years ago. Shortly after that was when I got my first OWI. I went through a couple months of counseling and weekly AA meetings. The counseling was a group format that did not help me very much at all. Some of the counselers were mean and some of the other patients were badgersome. The sessions many times consisted of them ganging up on a member of the group to get them admit to things or give information they did not feel comfortable with. I did not feel like I gained anything from it. I do however, feel like I was helped by attending AA. It was cost free and I was not forced to share information I was not comfortable with. Basically, these group sessions made me want to drink and honestly, after an AA meeting, I had no desire to drink and also felt spiritually enlightened. After I completed the treatment program I moved out of my parents house to live by myself. I went through times where I drank daily, but often would lay off for a few days. Eventually after losing my car to an accident (non-alcohol related) I began to drink every day. Mainly beer but spirits also once in a while. This went on for about 5 years. I met my wife during this time and in 2007 I decided to quit drinking. This lasted about a week, but it also broke the cycle I was in of using every day. I was able to keep my drinking to a couple times a week for about a year. In 2008 I took on a VERY stressful job as a customer service representative. I had never experienced anything like that before, as most of my working experience was in sales as opposed to service. The verbal abuse and negativity I was exposed to by people really triggered my alcoholism.It is so bad many employees have taken leave for mental health issues. I know, I should have quit the job, but it offers benefits and pays more than any other I'd had previously. Tough things to find in this economy. So anyway, I was back to drinking beer every day. I continued to do this for about 2 years. Last spring my wife became pregnant and it really got me thinking. This is not the kind of example I want to set for my child and not the kind of dad I want to be. About a month before the baby was born I got my 2nd OWI. At that point, I reduced my drinking back to a couple times a week. And that has been ok, except that now when I drink I always end up drinking more than I intended to, becoming intoxicated and upsetting my family. I dont want to upset my family. It saddens me that they have already had to suffer due to my alcoholism. I am now court ordered to go to outpatient treatment. I have experience with this treatment facility and feel comfortable with the counselers there. I have decided at this time I am just going to quit drinking for a while. I dont know that it will be forever, I just know that I need to get it out of my life for a while. I have gone 3-4 days without many times recently, so I'm not really worried about physical withdrawl, but mentally I feel like talking to other recovering alcoholics and certified addiction specialists will help. I'm ready to go from being a barstool warmer to being a dad. At this point, I will say this is day one of my soberiety.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Welcome Bri - glad you're here and wanting to get sober. This is a great place to come for support - lots of information here, too!
I can't imagine why you're thinking about returning to drinking "at some point" if you're an alcoholic. I know it's scary to think about not drinking "forever", but if you take it one day at a time it makes it a lot easier.
Once you get some solid sobriety you may find (like I did) that you really don't want what alcohol has to offer.
Congratulations on day 1!
I can't imagine why you're thinking about returning to drinking "at some point" if you're an alcoholic. I know it's scary to think about not drinking "forever", but if you take it one day at a time it makes it a lot easier.
Once you get some solid sobriety you may find (like I did) that you really don't want what alcohol has to offer.
Congratulations on day 1!
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,537
Hi Bri! Welcome to our family. We're so glad to have you here. I drank my whole life and finally got sober by reading & sharing on SR. I was no longer alone when I found this place. I hope you'll feel the same.
I know what you mean about trying to relieve stress by drinking. For a long time I thought it was helping me cope with life - but all it did was mask and numb my feelings. I didn't handle problems as they came up - I hid from them, & didn't grow as a person.
I hope you decide to avoid it all together - since as you said, you end up drinking more than you intended. That was me - and in the end, all the booze in the world didn't do the job. It was misery, & I don't know why I didn't see the light when I was in my 30's like you are. Good job - let us know how it's going.
I know what you mean about trying to relieve stress by drinking. For a long time I thought it was helping me cope with life - but all it did was mask and numb my feelings. I didn't handle problems as they came up - I hid from them, & didn't grow as a person.
I hope you decide to avoid it all together - since as you said, you end up drinking more than you intended. That was me - and in the end, all the booze in the world didn't do the job. It was misery, & I don't know why I didn't see the light when I was in my 30's like you are. Good job - let us know how it's going.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Victoria
Posts: 143
welcome Bri and congratulations on day 1 of the rest of your life 
Look forward to reading your posts, glad you found AA was something you find helpful and supportive, hope you are able to get to meetings.
Though no-one can go back and make a new start,
anyone can start from now and make a new ending.
Carl Bard.
Look forward to reading your posts, glad you found AA was something you find helpful and supportive, hope you are able to get to meetings.
Though no-one can go back and make a new start,
anyone can start from now and make a new ending.
Carl Bard.
Proud Neonephalist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Coast BC Canada
Posts: 1,141
Hi Bri 
When I joined SR a week without drinking seemed an impossibility, but it really does get a heck of a lot better in time! Rummage around in the many threads and links here...there's much wisdom to absorb as well as peoples triumphs and tragedies to learn from.
Murray
When I joined SR a week without drinking seemed an impossibility, but it really does get a heck of a lot better in time! Rummage around in the many threads and links here...there's much wisdom to absorb as well as peoples triumphs and tragedies to learn from.
Murray
Thriving sober since 12/18/08
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 3,115
Congrats on the baby, and on the desire to live a sober life!
You have a choice, right now.. to be whatever type of dad you want to be. Fast forward 20 years, what do you want your child to remember about you and his/her childhood with you? You're in total control of that. It's a beautiful thing, being a parent.. and it's hard. But so worth doing everything possible to be the best person you can be.
Welcome!
You have a choice, right now.. to be whatever type of dad you want to be. Fast forward 20 years, what do you want your child to remember about you and his/her childhood with you? You're in total control of that. It's a beautiful thing, being a parent.. and it's hard. But so worth doing everything possible to be the best person you can be.
Welcome!
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