coffee4me

I have been to so many meetings in California and now am back in Charleston. I can only guess that in California the normal is a lot more healthy (low bottom) than in SC. I have had my new sponsor in Sc tell me I am not a real alcoholic. I am feeling so alone and want some support from some low bottoms.

Dee74

Hi and welcome Coffee4me

I'm not in AA so I dunno how many meetings/groups there are in charleston but there must be more than one?

D

CrossFox

Coffee4me, have you considered getting the ball rolling on local AA meetings for people like yourself, in a public place of course? You could put a note on craigslist and notify area counselors and therapists.

Surely you are not the only one dealing with this in your area.

Carlotta

Dump that sponsor. If s/he thinks you are not a "real" alcoholic, how can they work with you seriously? Also,the last time I checked the BB which was a few days ago, it was still up to the alcoholic say they have that disease.

It's not how much you drank but how it affected you.

coffee4me

Well I have only been to 4 different meetings this week. Yes I will check out more meetings, but very discouraged about having a helpful group vs a group of people who love to hear themselves talk

coffee4me

thank you so much for this! It did affect me. My kids were not happy with me locking myself in my bedroom for days and nights. Just because I did not have any legal or work issues is not a reason me or my children did not think I had a problem. I so appreciate your comment!

CrossFox

I understand this a bit. After being so in denial and afraid and secretive, it's odd to come across this attitude from those in helping positions.

I just began seeing a therapist who did not ask me about substance abuse in my family and only skimmed over a required tick-box question about my own alcohol use during the long intake. So, this therapist still does not know about my parent's raging daily alcohol consumption or DUI in the 1980s etc.

I am taking it upon myself to seek out local AA meetings because although I went to our second meeting determined to notify her of my alcohol use (I didn't drink alcohol every day, and would go long periods without drinking it), a feeling inside told me not to.

Strange.

Bigndfan175

Carlotta is right - dump that sponsor.

Call Intergroup and tell them what kind of meeting you're looking for or have them do a 12 step call out and talk to someone with sobriety and tell them your concern and ask for a recommendation for a group.

omegasupreme

Some lovely AA's in Cali, my great-grandsponsor lives there. If I recall, the acid test for whether or not an alky is on the first page of We Agnostics. That being said, God is outside of space and time...when I was unable to hear the message I needed I had to broaden my horizons. Sometimes the umbrella of "any length" includes physical distance too. God could and would if He were sought. My job is to seek. Skype, Facebook, and email have done wonders for the recovery community..."the colossus communication if used unselfishly..."--Bill Wilson

My sponsor always asks, "Do you think ol Bill would have Facebooked?"

PM me if you want contact info. Then you'll have at least one other real alky that knows what step 1 is.