LeadHatter

life feels overwhelming and i really could use someone to help me- someone said yesterday why dont you stop dancing around the issue and goto aa - maybe - but with sr i dont have to look folk in the eye

BamaRecovery

well eventually you have to go talk to someone face to face. Trust me i know its very hard but people at meetings will go out of their way to help the new comers. I will happily talk to ya if you need someone to talk to right now. Meetings are intimidating at first but i love my meetings. But just stay strong. You need a strong recovery base in all aspects of your life virtual and real world experience

Sugah

I know that feeling. It's a symptom of what kept me sick--wanting to hide from others because I was so full of shame and self-pity. Learning to look others in the eye and letting them see me is a very happy by-product of taking the steps.

Remember, you have a lot in common with the folks in the rooms. Nothing to be afraid of.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Reset

I don't go to AA and have been reluctant to look someone in the eye and fess up as well. But you know, so far the couple of times that I've had to do it, it's been pretty liberating, and people have been a lot more understanding than I expected.

BamaRecovery

Going to meetings helps me see that other people are going thru or have been thru the same things i have been. Meetings are a key to recovery.

Draciack

Kevin, that first step was the hardest for me - I think I was prepared to bolt the moment I pulled into the parking lot. But it was also the most liberating, because I didn't have to hide my alcoholism anymore. It went from being this shameful condition to something I could talk about and look at realistically.

But mostly I met people who lived well sober, who had their lives together and enjoyed sobriety in a way I didn't think would be possible. I didn't reach out that first day - no numbers or anything - but I got some hope from seeing others who had faced what I faced and gotten through it. Looking back, it was that old adage about FEAR:

False Evidence Appearing Real.

But I never knew that until I walked through that door.

ANEWAUGUST

I hear ya!

For a long time, I was able to maintain my recovery with online support alone.

Eventually though, I needed to see others. I needed to see the hope on their faces, the joy in their eyes that helps me realize, I am not alone and there is a solution.

Truly, the worse person I ever had to look in the eye was myself.

AA has helped me not be afraid to look in the mirror.

LeadHatter

Ok im going to be giving this some though-the meetings idea ty everyone

Anna

That's great Kevin, and keeping an open mind will always help your recovery.

Coolmummy

I was soooo anti AA for so long. The usual reasons, it's embarrassing, what if someone 'sees' me, of course I'm not an alcoholic, its' just a bunch of idiots being miserable without a drink...etc etc. But three weeks ago, I got sick and tired of being what i was being, and i just phoned the helpline. I can barely remember what the guy said, but he got someone from my town to call me the next day. Of course, i was sober then and really embarrassed about what I;'d done by calling. Anyway, the lady on the end of the phone asked if i wanted to go to a meeting that night, I mumbled something, took her number to get her off the phone and decided that i should forget all this alcoholic nonsense and just carry on.

You know what though, something made me go that night. I was a nervous wreck - i stood in the car park waiting for her to come and get me, to take me in and yes, there wa someone I know there! She came right over and spoke to me, she said she knew I must be feeling vulnerable, alone, scared, all those things, but I had made the bravest step. I sat next to a wonderful lady and was welcomed by everyone so so sincerely. A guy told his story, which had me open mouthed in amazement - 'Hey, you that's[/I]my[/I] story you're telling! When it came to share, i spoke up, I cried a bit but i felt so relieved to be there. Since then, I've been going regularly - regularly enough for me to stays ober each day. I'm reading everything I can, the Big Book, Living Sober, Daily reflections, I'm learning to 'let go' of my anger and my fear and everything else, and you know, I am already happier. I am sober for each 24 hours, that's all I'm asking for at the moment. i don't know what the future will bring, but I hope i will stay with AA - the new friends i have already made, that i can and do phone when I need to.

Sometimes you have to do what you think you never ever would or could to get well.
Hope that helps a little bit!

LeadHatter

ok well thanks again everyone im better now-until the next time-i shall consider the aa route a bit more seriously as an option from now on ok so thankyou for your input to cajole/inform me to that point [which i wanted someone to do

BamaRecovery

Well good luck. I can honestly tell you i get so much out of my meetings and when i don't want to go that is when i need to go the most. You will find meetings you like and people you get along with. I will say if it wasn't for my meetings and my sponsor i know i wouldn't had made it to day 90 sober.

Manz

Kev, I think its really important to be able to look other people in the eye... but most important for me has been to myself in the eyes.... see me, come to understand me and try my hardest to accept me. This has only been possible with the help of other people!

I do not go to AA, i have tried, it can be a great place for many, but for me not so. I find therapy and addiction counsellors a huge use. I can only recommend that you trfy to fit some face to face support in to your recovery plan.... because you deserve it!

Keep on keeping on Kev, and like me..... do something different everyday..so you dont always get what you've always got!

Zebra1275

I get it, life can be overwhelming at times. Those are the times that I'm glad I have AA meetings (and the fellowship) to give me support.

Kjell

Hi Kevin-

We must get honest with ourselves in in order to truly do that, we have to face our past and do some sort of action or else we'll never be free.

AA has a set of steps that do just that (and more).

It's not all pleasant, and my journey into sobriety has been awkward, painful, embarassing, but it's working.

I've found a solution to my alcoholism.

The promises are coming true.

...but I'm not special. It's out there for anyone else who is willing to do the work.

Kjell~

TotallyOverIt

I couldn't face the carpark and parked a few hundred metres away on a dodgy street so I could bolt if I needed to!!! Turned out I didn't need to.