Change4life

I finally had time and a ride to get to a meeting the topic was acceptance. This is something I have a real hard time doing. I am sort of starting to accept I am an alcoholic. Ive known it for years but I still cant accept it. Having hard time accepting the situation I put myself in and cant move forward.
Anyone have any thoughts on this they would like to share I would appreciate it. I need to hear more

PurePoison

I feel exactly the same. I don't want to be an alcoholic with a drinking problem but I'm pretty sure I am and I do and it sucks!

MissyShelle76

For me, acceptance was the first step towards me truly changing. Being able to identify the problem and know the possible solutions out there gave me peace. For so long, I truly believed I was losing my mind. Turns out, I was losing my soul and I was an alcoholic. Now, I can be proactive in my recovery and make positive steps forward instead of feeling so lost.

HopefullJA8

Im addicted to norcos and have been for quite some time. Im not sure exactly when i got addicted but somehow, I did. When i finally woke up to realize I was addicted I did NOT accept that. That day has changed me. Its been almost 72 hours since my last norco and it has been hell. Im doing better and I do accept the fact that I could be addicted again if i go back. I don't think anyone has to accept being an addict, however, they do need to except the fact that they could always go back to square one with their addiction if they let themselves go.

NoFireWater

I kind of feel like accepting it is giving in to the addiction, but I'm not participating in AA so I don't feel it's as important to label myself as an alcoholic. While it may be absolutely true, it doesn't feel helpful to my recovery to define myself that way. If I had cancer, I wouldn't define myself as a cancer patient. I look at it as an affliction that I have to manage so it won't take over my life.

Pondlady

Chang4Life,
Glad you were able to get to a meeting. Some people are diabetic, some have food allergies, asthma etc.......for us, we can't drink. this thought helps me. I truly believe every person has something they struggle with....it's what makes us human.

Dee74

For me willpower didn't work Beth cos part of my will still wanted to drink.

I had to accept drinking and drugs were no longer a viable option for me.

I accepted I could be who I wanted to be, and live the life I wanted to lead....or I could get drunk or high.

There was no middle ground for me.

D

Sapling

This is awesome...Great post MissyShelle!

IndaMiricale

I had accepted I was an alcoholic a long time ago. And just thought that is the way my life was going to be till the end.

Then at some point of tired of shaking,vomitting,jails, hospitals, lying, cheating, and stealing I at 39 years old said I dont want to die, I want to live..

So I went to a meeting and started the true acceptance. I am powerless of anything that makes me feel good. I am my own worst enemy, my thinking is doesnt work..

I accept I need help..

I am now 41 and happy,joyous,and free... Thank you AA and SR..

Change4life

MS76 yes yes I was feeling like I was losing my mind. I am starting to feel like I can be free and regain a stable state of mind.

KeepSimple

If I am suffering it is often because I am not in acceptance of "what is" at this moment. Acceptance of other people (and situations and things) helps me to stop fighting (obsessing, trying to control or change, cop resentments because my expectations were higher than they are capable of, etc) and get back into myself so I can see more clearly what I do have power over today: my choices... It also allows me much better more satisfying and healthy relationships when I accept others as they are.
Acceptance of myself right now in this moment allows me a chance at self love, and healing and growth and peace and compassion, which I may then be able to transmit to my fellow human beings. (self acceptance and self love are things I didnt think possible for me my first couple years sober.) My negative self talk (committee) in my head is still full of guilt and shame and blame and fear and expectations and all this other self defeating stuff that leads me back to wanting to check out, and really Im only shooting myself in the foot when I let this take over. I now can reign in my committee rather fast when it acts up for the most part. Sometimes I need to talk it over with someone to help it lighten up so I can get back in the moment where I can adjust my attitude and be grateful and in acceptance-for the moment. Until I forget or come across another obstacle or whatever, then I have to work on this again.... Its a process. I accept life as just this and myself as not perfect.
I believe acceptance is an ongoing, lifelong practice that seems to get easier with repetition and is highly correlated with my maintenance of a spiritual condition. Its another one of those things I have to do throughout the day.
Hope some of this made sense. Im a bit tired. Best wishes to everyone.

pipparina

C4L,
Can you accept that you can't drink safely? That once you pick up a drink, you're not sure what may happen next?

Once I accepted I could not control drinking, that I had no power over it, I felt relief. A weight was lifted. I didn't have to fight it anymore

sugarbear1

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