ulfr

Is going to AA meetings everyday a bit too much?
I feel that it is i have been going to AA meetings everyday for a week now Saturday i ended up going to 2 meetings i never say anything when am there as i am too shy to say anything i just listen and talk to people individually after .
I met some really nice people there and one of them i have made friends with and am co opening with her at one place tomorrow night.

My husband says i should make it to a meeting everyday as i am new and i need to be reminded the fact that i cant drink but apart of me wants to drink and feels like rebelling against that.
Tonight i ended up walking out a meeting before it even began because i felt it was too much to cope with.
I have got drink on my mind and everyone tells me not to take that first drink and i feel i have too much pressure on me like i cant go and mess up because am expected to not drink

I am willing to do the opening with my friend and go to some meetings but i think every day is too much

Dee74

If I learned anything, I think we get out of our recovery what we put into it willow.

It took me 20 years to get there but in the end I was willing to do whatever it took not to drink or drug again

Looking at my life now I'm glad I put in such an effort.

If, in your own words, you're still struggling...what would you replace not going to AA everyday with?

D

bellakeller

That is a really great question for your sponsor. Don't make your husband your sponsor. He's also not your higher power.

Pete55

That's why we go to meetings, the "drink on my mind" bit, the "volume" lessens after a while. It won't go away, but we don't act on the thought any longer.
The way I see it, in my mind at least, is thought and obsession are 2 different things. When I looked up the word "obsession" in various dictionarys, there was one common definition they stated, "intruder".
So I think of the thought as my own mind's making, but the obsession to act on the thought is not me, it's the disease, alcoholism.
Works for me, hope it helps.

About not sharing due to shyness, that is ok, one day you may just see a newbie walk in, worse than what you were, you may want to help,freely given freely give, keeps us sober and pushes the "intruder" away for another day.
It does happen,

suki44883

Some people go to 3-4 meetings a day. You need it most when that voice is calling. Dee is right, you'll get out of it what you put into it.

yeahgr8

I drank everyday...although i didn't go to an AA meeting everyday i would have been willing to if there were one everyday in the town i got sober...

Have you got a sponsor yet to work through the steps to recover from alcoholis? I'm not sure i would have stuck around long if i hadn't have started the steps straight away...

nandm

I went to a meeting or two a day for my first 90 days of sobriety. I am still sober 10 years later. For me I needed a daily meeting in early sobriety to help me remember that I can not drink no matter what and that others had been successful at stopping drinking. Listening in meetings renewed my strength and willingness to stay away from drinking. That is what worked for me but I can not tell you what will work for you.

Hollyanne

Willow, you are still in a very precarious position.
It is when I DID NOT want to, I made myself go!
I am glad I did.

I know it is a pain, but they say in AA, "we will love you until you love yourself".
Give yourself a chance. Also I agree with above post, be careful not to make/allow your husband to run your recovery. He is not qualified. He is automatically not qualified as your husband. Do share at the meetings in group or one to one. I had my sister and brother wrapped up in my recovery until I had to excuse myself as it was too emotional.

I know the feeling of pressure to not drink, but remember it is for you and only you. Please hang in there. I think you are getting it more than you think.
:ghug3

ulfr

Maybe it because am not use to going out the house everyday and going to meetings
i normally stay at home all day either reading or on line
I feel that AA has helped me a lot in the last week i just feel exhausted with fighting with myself , traveling to the meetings on buses .

Maybe it not AA maybe its the fact that i dont do anything normally mentally i feel exhausted

I have a sponsor i tried to contact her today but i couldn't get her i see her tomorrow ( Monday)

Maybe there is something else wrong ?

aasharon90

Find BALANCE in recovery. In all you
do to make life evened out for you.

Hollyanne

Hi Me again,
I was exhausted for weeks after giving up drink. It is hard! Have you heard HALT?
Don't get hungry, angry, lonely or tired?
You are dealing with 2 big things, the alcohol and anxiety.
No harm in the end to tackle both. I am sure one contributes to the other.
We have to change A LOT about ourselves to be able to stay sober.
If you just make it to the meetings for now, you will benefit. Remember, you are already helping others. Totally natural to want to stay home, but you have tried that.
As the ever annoying Dr Phil would say, " How did that work for yea?"

reggiewayne

It sounds like you have a very supportive husband. That will serve you well in recovery. I don't think you can go to too many meetings in AA. I am close to having 4 months of sobriety and I still go to 6 per week.

The way I see it, I used to spend many many hours per week drinking. I'd have to go to 30 AA meetings a week to even approach the time I spent drinking. I think 1 per day is no problem at all.

I wish you the best!!

CarolD

Early in my sobriety....I considered AA meetings were like
classrooms for learning how to live without alcohol.

I too took buses back and forth each day worked out
quite well. the bus ride gave me time to think about how
to plan my day around positive things.

I'm glad you are going to begin service work...that might help
with your shyness....
Try to be gentle with yourself...you are doing what is best for you.

ACT10Npack

XWillowX, If you don't feel conformable to AA then you can always use SR for support or talk to a professorial.

keithj

When I was new, I used meetings as a crutch (a good crutch), and went to a meeting every day, sometimes two a day. It was good support for me while I was taking the Steps for the first time.
Listen for someone that talks about being powerless over taking that first drink. They will also talk about how they recovered by having a spiritual awakening as the results of taking the Steps.

BellaTeal

Well, everyone has different needs. I typically go to a meeting every day. Sometimes I skip a day, sometimes I go to 2 in one day. I don't really share because I'm scared and shy too, but I love going and listening to others speak.
I was not used to leaving the house either. During the first week of meetings I felt extremely overwhelmed from being surrounded by so many people...sometimes to the point where I felt light-headed and dizzy...but now I feel much more comfortable and it's a little easier to talk to people. I have been going to AA (almost) every day for the past 2 weeks and I already feel at home in those rooms.

Dacotahsioux

Willow,

I was in your place at one time. Young and totally angry that I was an alcoholic and had to quit. I actually cried and said, "I have to quit drinking for the rest of my LIFE!!!) What the hell am I going to do for fun.

Went to AA, they said, take it one day at a time not for the rest of your life thinking. That was not an easy task to do because drinking was always on my mind. I wanted to drink and have fun; because at that time drinking was the only thing that gave me a break from the real world; which I did not want.
Too many responsiblities that I did not want to face; not ready to face.

I quit going to AA and continued to drink for about a month and then I returned to AA and started to really listen to the people around me. I opened myself up and did not close the door so fast as I did before.

I went to many, many meetings in the beginning. I needed to because alcohol was always on my mind; getting through one minute at time was what I was doing not One Day At A Time.

And you mention boredom. Of course you are going to be bored... Your friend, your addiction, is not with you. It is very hard to live a life of sobriety in the beginning and that boredom is something and ever other emotion that comes along we need to feel and work through in order to maintain our sobriety. It is not easy.

Continue to go to a meeting everyday whether you want to or not. You do need to see that there are other people going through what you are going through and see others that have made it through what you are going through right now.

Don't think that you are so unique that you are the only that has to go through what you are going through and no other addict has not gone through it and feel and felt the same emotions that you are feeling now. You are not alone.

GO TO THE MEETINGS.... You need them very much right now.

From someone who has been there done that and finally got it right.

Love and a belief that you can and will do it.

Barbara

Anna

I am a firm believer in finding balance in life, and that's what has helped my recovery enormously.

At the same time, when you are in early recovery and vulnerable, you need to do whatever it takes to learn to deal with life without alcohol.

GettingStronger2

i went everyday in the beginning, sometimes twice a day. I scaled back. But when i find i need the extra support, i still go more. You do what you have to do to stay sober. Drift away from it, though, and relapse is bound to happen. sounds like it did for you, and i am sorry. Pick yourself back up and get back to recovering!

Kjell

Hi Willow-

I did 90 AA meetings in 90 days and also a 4 month stint at outpatient rehab at the same time.

Action is required to get and stay sober, but just as important is willingness.

(think about it)

Kjell~