sickofaa

I'm 21. I have been battling with this since I first picked up at 13. It is ruining my life. I've been to the priory and another 12 week rehab. I stopped going to AA months ago. I spend most of my money when I get paid because I know it is just a relapse fund every week. I spent all my rent on drinking the last three days. I got taken home by the police two days ago.

I am in the town of my last rehab. I decided to stay here and study graphic design but now I am alone. Living alone with no one to talk to. My only "friend" is alcohol but I just can't do it anymore. My family are far away and they don't know. I want to go back to AA but I went to a meeting on the weekend but I just felt weird. They say this is a disease but I think it is just a habit.

I need sober friends. The only activities at university revolve around drinking. I just don't know what to do. I have peripheral neuropathy already from excessive drinking. I am scared ill die soon if I don't do something.

nonblondechef

Powerless over alcohol. Cunning, baffling, powerful alcohol. There is safety and understanding in the rooms. I would encourage you to go to a meeting and just listen. There is a calm after the alcohol storm. You can do this - we all care.

SIPD

Keep reading here on this site.....I only have one day and even just this one day this site has been so encouraging to me!

MIRecovery

Who cares if it is a disease or habit. Alcohol is ruining your life. Your best thinking got you to the point you are so maybe it is time to stop fighting and listen to people who have become sober. There are multiple pathes to sobriety and I have tried a lot of them. In the end AA is what worked for me when all of my best attempts had failed

aasharon90

A habit that ends up destroying anything
and everything in it's path. Leaning and
educating ourselves about dangerous habits
can save our lives and can teach us how
to live a more peaceful, happy, fulling life
without it.

There are so many folks out there in the
world that are getting beat up by addiction
and once I learned how to live each day at
a time with the tools and knowledge of my
alcoholism, I could be of service to those people
still struggling and suffering with their own
addiction.

In passing on the knowledge of recovery that
was passed on to me, I can in return pass it on
to them. Today that service has become a purpose
in life which has allowed me to live a happier,
honest, sober life today.

Finding that purpose in helping others has been
extremely rewarding for me and can be for you too.

Beeliz

You aren't alone,,I just joined today,and I already feel such a warm welcome. You CAN do this,you need to surround yourself with things you like,,can you adopt a puppy,or get yourself some sort of pet that requires you to look after it,and be a loving part of your life? It could help,,I think people need to find some sort of distraction in something they love doing to help combat the temptation to drink. For me,I will go outside and sit with my pygmy goats and other animals,and hope that when I walk back in the house that the craving for that wine will be a bit less....
We are all here for you,you really sound like you need a huge hug,and good friends to listen and understand that you really aren't alone...we're here!!

AnotherPaul

It's worth noting that many medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, classify alcoholism as a disease.

But as MIR said above, who cares what we call it? A disease, an illness, an affliction, a malady, a bad habit, whatever. The bottom line is that it is negatively impacting your life and you do have the power to do something about it and there are people out there who want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

If you're not comfortable with A.A., have you looked into other recovery options? Check out the Secular Recovery section of this board - there's a lot of info there.

Good luck.

Susan80

You poor soul. . . you have been through so much already, please don't let alcohol ruin the rest of your life. Come on here, talk about your fears, make friends and find support. I ahve recently read Allen Carr's book "The easy Way" to stop Drinking and have found it really useful. I don't usually "Big Up" self help books, but his message is profound and we really do need to escape from the "brainwashing" that alcohol is our friend.

Please feel free to email me anytime and keep posting. there is lots of help here.

Take care.

S
xxx

cfm

Oh yes you can. And you will, because your powerless. You have no defense, alcoholism will do with you what it damn well pleases until your ready to TAKE DIRECTION.

No one really cares what you think. The best thinking you are capable of producing has got you posting on a stupid message board.

Oh yes they do. Their not stupid.
Get to the largest AA meeting you can find. Re-introduce yourself like a man, and say "I need a sponsor right now. I don't want to leave this room without one" And then do what your told.

Your right, you will.

FamilyMan2153

So many have been where you are, including myself. Nothing worked until I stopped fighting myself. You are powerless. Until you admit that you will not get better. Can you do this alone, NO. No one can. Coming here is a good step but I was on these boards long before I got sober. Find help, any help. Get honest with yourself or you have 3 things to look forward to, institutions, hospitals or death.

YEM

Good stuff in this thread already. I will just add that I guarantee you that there is plenty to do where you are that doesnt involve drinking. I thought there would be nothing to do when I quit partying/using and that I wouldnt have any way to meet new people.

My mind was seriously blown when I discovered this whole world out there of people who do fun things all the time without being messed up. Just open your eyes and you will find fun stuff to do. You just have to seek it out.

llastchance8

Just keep reading posts , at this forum.. We all have been through the hell already . and we still have to be on vigil all the times. Though we have failed in the past, every time. we find some thing on this forum, we try again . And that some thing ( like some touching post, remark, experience, view or sometimes many of sad stories ) drive us back to sobriety. You will find that some thing too. And the moment , you will find, you will not drink. We have been doing the same. It really helps.. Thank you SR.

Anna

Have you considered counselling through your school? I hope that you find something that works for you.

freshstart57

The AMA declared alcoholism to be a disease in order for it to be treated by professionals and paid for by health insurance. If you put stock in the AMA's declarations, I offer your for consideration the review of the BB in the AMA Journal, Oct. 14, 1939 for some perspective. There is an association of medical doctors who are AA members - they actually have a professional medical opinion about this, and it does not agree with you. In fact, it is lay people who feel this way, not doctors.

Act like a man and do what you are told?

You are only as powerless as you choose to believe. Do you accept what a bunch of random drunks say about your ability to do anything? People do get sober by themselves, and they have done it for thousands of years, and they do it every day. You can do it too.

Xune

There is no one way or best way too get sober.

What matters is the end result.

ru12

I stopped drinking almost two years ago. I'm not powerless over alcohol. Not in the slightest. I made the decision not to drink anymore and to not revisit that decision. It works for me... And countless others. If AA isn't for you do something else. Rational Recovery might be an option or SMART Recovery, or a counselor, or even just deciding you had enough and refusing to drink.

IndaMiricale

I dont think it could of answered your thread better..

You can be free..

Dee74

hi and welcome sick

so AA is out?
that's entirely your decision to make and your call

the good news is there's a multitude of other approaches.
Have you looked into any of these? (AA is included in this link but there's many others)

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

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

Theres a lot of good ideas and support there

I waited for years for the answer to fall into my lap. It never did. I had to go looking.

Whatever you decide to do - do something, sick

D

Natom

I do find it incredibly interesting that people very quickly become convinced that they don't need to be part of one of the biggest recovery methods in todays society. At the end of the day. You have a problem. You need it sorted. Go somewhere where you can get it sorted. I spent far too long kidding myself before I just had to swallow my pride, man up and sort it out.

version2

+1 Natom.

If it's me or the disease, I will do whatever it takes. Speaking of which, I better man up and call my sponsor (which i have been putting off). I don't like all the things I have to do in AA either. But I am terrified of what might happen if I drink again. Drinking is not an option for me.