Work and colleagues
Sober since Jan 1, 2012
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,583
Work and colleagues
I bet a lot of you have this problem. I know I do - LOL.
So in my efforts to maintain a long-term sobriety, I attend AA mtgs during the week and am now meeting my sponsor once a week late in the afternoon.
I work closely with someone who's become my friend. We talk a lot about our personal lives and have lunch, dinner, etc, outside of work.
I define someone who's gone from work friend to real friend when you can say you'll keep in touch once you leave your place of employment, or someone you do stuff with outside of work. So, this person is not quite a total real friend but could possibly become one. She's in the in between stage.
I've been tempted to tell her about my AA, etc. but have stopped myself. I'm just not ready for all that might come from it. But...it would be good to have an ally at work, and I sometimes feel the need to explain my whereabouts. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, but it would be so much easier if she knew.
Anyone care to share their experiences with this? Thanks!
So in my efforts to maintain a long-term sobriety, I attend AA mtgs during the week and am now meeting my sponsor once a week late in the afternoon.
I work closely with someone who's become my friend. We talk a lot about our personal lives and have lunch, dinner, etc, outside of work.
I define someone who's gone from work friend to real friend when you can say you'll keep in touch once you leave your place of employment, or someone you do stuff with outside of work. So, this person is not quite a total real friend but could possibly become one. She's in the in between stage.
I've been tempted to tell her about my AA, etc. but have stopped myself. I'm just not ready for all that might come from it. But...it would be good to have an ally at work, and I sometimes feel the need to explain my whereabouts. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, but it would be so much easier if she knew.
Anyone care to share their experiences with this? Thanks!
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Join Date: Aug 2003
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Do you trust this person one hundred percent to keep your addiction in confidence. Would she let something slip to someone else at work? I can understand your wanting to tell this person, but could there be consequences? I would never tell anyone I worked with that I was an alcoholic. I think there are too many preconceptions of what an alcoholic is and too much potential for problems.
Sober since Jan 1, 2012
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,583
Originally Posted by Anna 
Do you trust this person one hundred percent to keep your addiction in confidence. Would she let something slip to someone else at work? I can understand your wanting to tell this person, but could there be consequences? I would never tell anyone I worked with that I was an alcoholic. I think there are too many preconceptions of what an alcoholic is and too much potential for problems.
I don't think she'd let it slip to hurt me, but more because she doesn't realize the importance of it to me.
There are definite consequences of her telling someone.
So, I'll just work around it. Last Fri I went to a mtg and then had lunch with my husband. I just didn't mention it to her as I didn't want her to connect that I had a 2 hr lunch. We do it all the time here at work, but most can easily explain it whereas I do not want to.
I completely agree with your last sentence. Thanks again!
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