Do you feel alone in a group of people?
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Do you feel alone in a group of people?
Reprinted with Permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
From Book Living Sober
Alcoholism has been described as "the lonely disease," and very few recovered alcoholics argue the point.
Looking back at the last years or months of our drinking, literally hundreds of thousands of us remember feeling isolated even when we were among a lot of happy, celebrating people.
We often felt a deep sense of not belonging, even when we cheerfully acted sociable.
If we felt guilty or ashamed of either our drunkenness itself or anything we did while drinking, that compounded our feeling of being an outcast.
At times, we secretly feared or even believed that we deserved ostracism, because of the things we did.
"Maybe," many of us thought, "I really am an outsider."
The lonely road ahead looked bleak, dark, and unending. It was too painful to talk about; and to avoid thinking about it, we soon drank again.
Although some of us were lone drinkers, it can hardly be said that we completely lacked companionship during our drinking days. People were all around us.
We saw, heard, and touched them. But most of our important dialogues were entirely interior, held with ourselves. We were sure nobody else would understand. Besides, considering our opinion of ourselves, we were not sure that we wanted anybody to understand.
But we know now that we do not have to proceed all on our own.
It is far more sensible, safer, and surer to do it in the company of the whole happy fleet going in the same direction.
And none of us need feel any shame at all at using help, since we all help each other.
It is no more cowardly to use help in recovering from a drinking problem than it is to use a crutch if you have a broken leg.
A crutch is a beautiful thing to those who need it, and to those who see its usefulness.
Thoughts of a drink seem to sneak into our minds much more smoothly and slyly when we are alone.
And when we feel lonesome, and any urge for a drink strikes, it seems to have special speed and strength.
Such ideas and desires are much less likely to occur when we are with other people, especially other nondrinkers.
If they do occur, they seem less potent and more easily put aside while we are in touch with fellow A.A. members.
__________________________________________________ ___________
You don't have to be alone ever again, if you choose. Can you relate to these feelings? AA is there to help and we have all been sitting in your shoes at one time.
The wondering if you are and the not wanting to admit and the fear. We have all been there.
Try to make an effort to get to an open AA meeting in your area. Just observe at first if you want. They won't bite. God Bless You! Love deek
whoah I'm getting dizzy 
From Book Living Sober
Alcoholism has been described as "the lonely disease," and very few recovered alcoholics argue the point.
Looking back at the last years or months of our drinking, literally hundreds of thousands of us remember feeling isolated even when we were among a lot of happy, celebrating people.
We often felt a deep sense of not belonging, even when we cheerfully acted sociable.
If we felt guilty or ashamed of either our drunkenness itself or anything we did while drinking, that compounded our feeling of being an outcast.
At times, we secretly feared or even believed that we deserved ostracism, because of the things we did.
"Maybe," many of us thought, "I really am an outsider."
The lonely road ahead looked bleak, dark, and unending. It was too painful to talk about; and to avoid thinking about it, we soon drank again.
Although some of us were lone drinkers, it can hardly be said that we completely lacked companionship during our drinking days. People were all around us.
We saw, heard, and touched them. But most of our important dialogues were entirely interior, held with ourselves. We were sure nobody else would understand. Besides, considering our opinion of ourselves, we were not sure that we wanted anybody to understand.
But we know now that we do not have to proceed all on our own.
It is far more sensible, safer, and surer to do it in the company of the whole happy fleet going in the same direction.
And none of us need feel any shame at all at using help, since we all help each other.
It is no more cowardly to use help in recovering from a drinking problem than it is to use a crutch if you have a broken leg.
A crutch is a beautiful thing to those who need it, and to those who see its usefulness.
Thoughts of a drink seem to sneak into our minds much more smoothly and slyly when we are alone.
And when we feel lonesome, and any urge for a drink strikes, it seems to have special speed and strength.
Such ideas and desires are much less likely to occur when we are with other people, especially other nondrinkers.
If they do occur, they seem less potent and more easily put aside while we are in touch with fellow A.A. members.
__________________________________________________ ___________
You don't have to be alone ever again, if you choose. Can you relate to these feelings? AA is there to help and we have all been sitting in your shoes at one time.
The wondering if you are and the not wanting to admit and the fear. We have all been there.
Try to make an effort to get to an open AA meeting in your area. Just observe at first if you want. They won't bite. God Bless You! Love deek
whoah I'm getting dizzy 
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Melbourne Australia.
Posts: 3,748
Originally Posted by deeker 
Reprinted with Permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
From Book Living Sober
Alcoholism has been described as "the lonely disease," and very few recovered alcoholics argue the point.
Looking back at the last years or months of our drinking, literally hundreds of thousands of us remember feeling isolated even when we were among a lot of happy, celebrating people.
We often felt a deep sense of not belonging, even when we cheerfully acted sociable.
If we felt guilty or ashamed of either our drunkenness itself or anything we did while drinking, that compounded our feeling of being an outcast.
At times, we secretly feared or even believed that we deserved ostracism, because of the things we did.
"Maybe," many of us thought, "I really am an outsider."
The lonely road ahead looked bleak, dark, and unending. It was too painful to talk about; and to avoid thinking about it, we soon drank again.
Although some of us were lone drinkers, it can hardly be said that we completely lacked companionship during our drinking days. People were all around us.
We saw, heard, and touched them. But most of our important dialogues were entirely interior, held with ourselves. We were sure nobody else would understand. Besides, considering our opinion of ourselves, we were not sure that we wanted anybody to understand.
But we know now that we do not have to proceed all on our own.
It is far more sensible, safer, and surer to do it in the company of the whole happy fleet going in the same direction.
And none of us need feel any shame at all at using help, since we all help each other.
It is no more cowardly to use help in recovering from a drinking problem than it is to use a crutch if you have a broken leg.
A crutch is a beautiful thing to those who need it, and to those who see its usefulness.
Thoughts of a drink seem to sneak into our minds much more smoothly and slyly when we are alone.
And when we feel lonesome, and any urge for a drink strikes, it seems to have special speed and strength.
Such ideas and desires are much less likely to occur when we are with other people, especially other nondrinkers.
If they do occur, they seem less potent and more easily put aside while we are in touch with fellow A.A. members.
__________________________________________________ ___________
You don't have to be alone ever again, if you choose. Can you relate to these feelings? AA is there to help and we have all been sitting in your shoes at one time.
The wondering if you are and the not wanting to admit and the fear. We have all been there.
Try to make an effort to get to an open AA meeting in your area. Just observe at first if you want. They won't bite. God Bless You! Love deek
whoah I'm getting dizzy
From Book Living Sober
Alcoholism has been described as "the lonely disease," and very few recovered alcoholics argue the point.
Looking back at the last years or months of our drinking, literally hundreds of thousands of us remember feeling isolated even when we were among a lot of happy, celebrating people.
We often felt a deep sense of not belonging, even when we cheerfully acted sociable.
If we felt guilty or ashamed of either our drunkenness itself or anything we did while drinking, that compounded our feeling of being an outcast.
At times, we secretly feared or even believed that we deserved ostracism, because of the things we did.
"Maybe," many of us thought, "I really am an outsider."
The lonely road ahead looked bleak, dark, and unending. It was too painful to talk about; and to avoid thinking about it, we soon drank again.
Although some of us were lone drinkers, it can hardly be said that we completely lacked companionship during our drinking days. People were all around us.
We saw, heard, and touched them. But most of our important dialogues were entirely interior, held with ourselves. We were sure nobody else would understand. Besides, considering our opinion of ourselves, we were not sure that we wanted anybody to understand.
But we know now that we do not have to proceed all on our own.
It is far more sensible, safer, and surer to do it in the company of the whole happy fleet going in the same direction.
And none of us need feel any shame at all at using help, since we all help each other.
It is no more cowardly to use help in recovering from a drinking problem than it is to use a crutch if you have a broken leg.
A crutch is a beautiful thing to those who need it, and to those who see its usefulness.
Thoughts of a drink seem to sneak into our minds much more smoothly and slyly when we are alone.
And when we feel lonesome, and any urge for a drink strikes, it seems to have special speed and strength.
Such ideas and desires are much less likely to occur when we are with other people, especially other nondrinkers.
If they do occur, they seem less potent and more easily put aside while we are in touch with fellow A.A. members.
__________________________________________________ ___________
You don't have to be alone ever again, if you choose. Can you relate to these feelings? AA is there to help and we have all been sitting in your shoes at one time.
The wondering if you are and the not wanting to admit and the fear. We have all been there.
Try to make an effort to get to an open AA meeting in your area. Just observe at first if you want. They won't bite. God Bless You! Love deek
whoah I'm getting dizzy About 15 years down the track, alcohol provided a very rickety crutch for my socializing. Sort of 4 beers to reach the other persons 'normal'.
Then it was benzos too, the anti depressants, along with the concomitant down side of all of those.
No point harping on bad upbringing, dysfunctional parent etc......got by, got a degree, wrote a book later down the track and not as bad as I used to be, which really raises a lot of issues.
Socialize much better than I used to but never really found a niche,perhaps due to being a bit off beat in my interests.....philosophy etc.... bit of a dark horse.
My main impressions with limited A.A. were dominant type males in leadership roles, wanting to sound off.....but perhaps I over generalize.
Company is fine and a bit of solitude is O.K TOO.......
ALCOHOL FREE FIVE WEEKS
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