To Watch Loneliness Vanish
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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To Watch Loneliness Vanish
I like this one:
To Watch Loneliness Vanish
Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness. Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off, nearly all of us suffered that feeling that we didn't quite belong. Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were noisy good fellows constantly craving attention and companionship, but rarely getting it. There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand.
Thats one reason we loved alcohol too well. But even Bacchus betrayed us; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation.
<<<< >>>>
Life takes on new meaning in AA. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends, this is an experience not to be missed.
(As Bill Sees It, page 90)
I like this one, that bit about feeling like i didn't belong really rings true for me, i've had that feeling since trying to resettle back into civilian life after 10 years in the army. Felt like i didn't fit in or belong here ya know, i became the shy type with the occaisonal outburst of anger/violence towards anyone who crossed my path. I didnt really like being like that with people, so i withdrew into my own personal hell of isolating/nightmares and alcohol...and it very nearly ended my life.
Thank God for AA...the sense of belonging and camaraderie i get there now is just as/even more powerful than that of the camaraderie amongst experienced combat soldiers, i feel part of something again,
AA
Can anyone else identify with this?
To Watch Loneliness Vanish
Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness. Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off, nearly all of us suffered that feeling that we didn't quite belong. Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were noisy good fellows constantly craving attention and companionship, but rarely getting it. There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand.
Thats one reason we loved alcohol too well. But even Bacchus betrayed us; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation.
<<<< >>>>
Life takes on new meaning in AA. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends, this is an experience not to be missed.
(As Bill Sees It, page 90)
I like this one, that bit about feeling like i didn't belong really rings true for me, i've had that feeling since trying to resettle back into civilian life after 10 years in the army. Felt like i didn't fit in or belong here ya know, i became the shy type with the occaisonal outburst of anger/violence towards anyone who crossed my path. I didnt really like being like that with people, so i withdrew into my own personal hell of isolating/nightmares and alcohol...and it very nearly ended my life.
Thank God for AA...the sense of belonging and camaraderie i get there now is just as/even more powerful than that of the camaraderie amongst experienced combat soldiers, i feel part of something again,
AACan anyone else identify with this?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Living in Today!
Posts: 3,949
Originally Posted by Johnny3times 
I like this one:
To Watch Loneliness Vanish
Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness. Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off, nearly all of us suffered that feeling that we didn't quite belong. Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were noisy good fellows constantly craving attention and companionship, but rarely getting it. There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand.
Thats one reason we loved alcohol too well. But even Bacchus betrayed us; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation.
<<<< >>>>
Life takes on new meaning in AA. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends, this is an experience not to be missed.
(As Bill Sees It, page 90)
I like this one, that bit about feeling like i didn't belong really rings true for me, i've had that feeling since trying to resettle back into civilian life after 10 years in the army. Felt like i didn't fit in or belong here ya know, i became the shy type with the occaisonal outburst of anger/violence towards anyone who crossed my path. I didnt really like being like that with people, so i withdrew into my own personal hell of isolating/nightmares and alcohol...and it very nearly ended my life.
Thank God for AA...the sense of belonging and camaraderie i get there now is just as/even more powerful than that of the camaraderie amongst experienced combat soldiers, i feel part of something again, AA
Can anyone else identify with this?
To Watch Loneliness Vanish
Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness. Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off, nearly all of us suffered that feeling that we didn't quite belong. Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were noisy good fellows constantly craving attention and companionship, but rarely getting it. There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand.
Thats one reason we loved alcohol too well. But even Bacchus betrayed us; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation.
<<<< >>>>
Life takes on new meaning in AA. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends, this is an experience not to be missed.
(As Bill Sees It, page 90)
I like this one, that bit about feeling like i didn't belong really rings true for me, i've had that feeling since trying to resettle back into civilian life after 10 years in the army. Felt like i didn't fit in or belong here ya know, i became the shy type with the occaisonal outburst of anger/violence towards anyone who crossed my path. I didnt really like being like that with people, so i withdrew into my own personal hell of isolating/nightmares and alcohol...and it very nearly ended my life.
Thank God for AA...the sense of belonging and camaraderie i get there now is just as/even more powerful than that of the camaraderie amongst experienced combat soldiers, i feel part of something again,
AACan anyone else identify with this?
A.A. has saved my life and i will always be Grateful!
SHARING THE LOAD
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: In the Slowlane
Posts: 878
Yes this is a huge issue for us. I can relate to Bills Story as the last sentance on the first paragraph says it all.
"I was very lonely and again turned to alcohol."
Meetings also help with this as I feel always welcome and part of the group. It gives us that sense of belonging. After all Abraham Maslow, a great twentieth century psychologist, had sense of belonging ranked right after food and shelter in his hierarcy of human needs.
I need to get to a meeting today even if I don't like it.
thanks for the post Johhny 3
"I was very lonely and again turned to alcohol."
Meetings also help with this as I feel always welcome and part of the group. It gives us that sense of belonging. After all Abraham Maslow, a great twentieth century psychologist, had sense of belonging ranked right after food and shelter in his hierarcy of human needs.
I need to get to a meeting today even if I don't like it.
thanks for the post Johhny 3
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,620
Great post Johnny. You know I didn't actually lose that awful lonliness until I had completed the 5th step. Up until then (our stroies disclose in a general way) I thought I was the worst case ever to come to AA. through the 5th I found out that I was just an ordinary run of the mill alcoholic, that what happened to me was just normal alcoholic stuff, so I lost my loneliness and shame.
Didn't lose my stupidity though! I would have to be one of the stupidest most gullible people ever to come to AA. Blindly I followed suggestions, gullibly I believed what I was told, strangely I recovered. Stupidity is not a barrier to sobriety, but sometimes the very intelligent can have a hard time of it.
Didn't lose my stupidity though! I would have to be one of the stupidest most gullible people ever to come to AA. Blindly I followed suggestions, gullibly I believed what I was told, strangely I recovered. Stupidity is not a barrier to sobriety, but sometimes the very intelligent can have a hard time of it.
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