Orbea

What do you do? I know a lot of people swear by AA, but part of my big reservation is that I am a public figure and well-known in my area. It could really threaten my job if word gets out that I am a wino.

Any good book recommendations?

Dee74

I'm not in AA but I'd be willing to bet that there are more than a few public figures involved, Orbea

Some people have solved the public figure thing by going to meetings in another town.

If you really can't get past it tho, there's many different approaches and methods of recovery around - here's some links to some of the main players:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

I recommend you visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step approach.

D

Orbea

Thanks Dee for the information!!!

HelloKitty8340

I am reading "Blackout Girl" by Jennifer Storm. I just started so I will let you know how it is...

IndaMiricale

My judge that sentenced me in my very first dui, is in my home group and still on the bench today.. Just a example.

No matter what road you chose welcome, you made the greatest first choice.

Keep coming and posting here .

Healthyfood

Orbea

I used to read books about quitting, but to be honest I prefer not to. They remind me who I was. I felt amazing today for the longest 5 minutes ever because for the first time I was disconnected from the thought about the drink.

Books make me connect to that darkness again. So instead I read very positive books, such as positive thinking...just to lift my mood.

Try...there are so many on Amazon.

Anna

I found "The Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav and "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle to be so helpful to me in my spiritual journey.

Veritas1

Big Book Online Fourth Edition

Lenina

Orbea,

If AA isn't for you, check out the AVRT thread in the Secular Connections. Rational Recoveery helped me so much! AA is a good program but it's not for everyone. Hope this helps!

Love from Lenina

LoftyIdeals

Orbea...congrats on your decision for recovery. Although I'm not a public official, my profession is such that I'm in a position of great trust with people's financial resources, and I worried about the same thing; that I'd be recognized, or that word would get out about my alcoholism. For me, my actions had already leaked the secret. Sobriety meant that I became aware that a lot of my notions about my drinking life were flawed. Other people didn't drink as much as me, as I had convinced myself. And, I had shown my ass enough that folks knew I needed to quit. I'm sure many clients also realized this.

Last night, for instance, I shared, for the first time, to a group of close friends from church, (drinkers, but not alcoholics) that I was celebrating six months of sobriety. I didn't know how they'd react, but I got a round of applause just like I were at an AA meeting. It touched me; not only that they supported me, but that they realized my need. Sometimes I wonder why they didn't take me aside and shake sense into me way back when!

Anyway, in my case, when I was truly in need of help, or was going to drink, I had to overcome my fear. That night, I found my AA homegroup, which is the best meeting I've ever attended. It's a closed meeting, so you have to want to stop drinking or admit you are an alcoholic to attend. In this meeting, anonymity is respected. I could tell you some lengthy stories about how that has been respected when I perceived a threat, but I'll spare you. Let's just say God is in charge and has protected me and my identity.

Good luck, and congrats on your sobriety decision.

sugarbear1

Lame excuse, in my opinion. I live near Washington, DC. You're just another person in the rooms of AA meetings. Most people probably already know you were drinking, the rest aren't paying attention. Around here, name dropping is an art, except when it comes to AA. One meeting requires security clearance for entering. Enough said.

Best wishes in staying stopped!

Fandy

a very HELPFUL response and worth repeating

Orbea

Sugar bear thanks for your support. Unfortunately, in my line of work I cannot take that risk. I have to abide by a loosely worded "law of moral terpitude" in my line of work. I know of people getting canned or forced to resign for little things. Unfortunately it is illegal for government workers to unionize in my good old' boy state and I have little protection. Sorry, but that's where I'm coming from...

justhadenough

I think we should respect Orbea's choice and his reasons not to go to AA and not say its a lame excuse.

AA isn't the only way to recover.

I would also second reading Rational Recovery. I'm onto my second reading of it.

Orbea

Her ;-)

justhadenough

Apologies-I shouldn't have assumed you were male

Orbea

Haha I thought it was funny. Under my user name it says fat mom :-)

justhadenough

well regardless of gender or my error hopefully you found the advice helpful

Orbea

Yarp I did

wpainterw

Orbea:
This is just to say that I know where you're coming from since that was the same reason I gave for avoiding AA for years- thirty years actually. I somehow got by with counseling but I remained a so called "high functioning" alcoholic. It could have been far far worse.
Rational Recovery (AVRT) is indeed an alternative. So is this SR website. So is a close friend whom you can trust. Maybe you can find another alcoholic who is as sensitive as you are about meetings. Maybe you can help each other. The more support you can get from persons other than yourself the better your chances. I believe that this last statement has substantial empirical support and that most counselors and alcoholics would agree with it. It's a very dangerous illness and unless dealt with in some way it can take away everything you have, business, home, personal life. And of course it can kill you.

W.