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Slightly weird one - ENFP looking for a sober buddy or general advice

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Old 01-15-2014, 12:40 PM
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Slightly weird one - ENFP looking for a sober buddy or general advice

Dunno if this is the right place to start looking for this, or even if it's the right forum, but I'll give it a whirl.

I'm a writer, have a husband who has been away nine out of the last twelve months and am therefore mostly on my own, stuck in the house with a dog who has severe separation anxiety and can't be left alone. Traditional methods of quitting alcohol, like AA, don't work for me. I'm desperate to stop drinking and am completely committed to the idea, but I need to somehow not lose touch with myself in the process.

My personality type is ENFP. That basically means that I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong according to me personally rather than what the world thinks, and I think that this is at the route of my drinking problem (a steady two bottles of wine a day for around ten years). I've unwittingly convinced myself that drinking is an essential part of my personality, and I just can't figure out how to change that.

I can't be the only one for whom the usual methods completely fail, and it's very common for ENFPs to over indulge so there must be more of you out there ;-) so if anyone's got any ideas or insight I'd love to hear them. For me it often takes something to just click a switch in my head and I can make huge changes.
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Old 01-15-2014, 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Cantos View Post
Dunno if this is the right place to start looking for this, or even if it's the right forum, but I'll give it a whirl.

I'm a writer, have a husband who has been away nine out of the last twelve months and am therefore mostly on my own, stuck in the house with a dog who has severe separation anxiety and can't be left alone. Traditional methods of quitting alcohol, like AA, don't work for me. I'm desperate to stop drinking and am completely committed to the idea, but I need to somehow not lose touch with myself in the process.

My personality type is ENFP. That basically means that I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong according to me personally rather than what the world thinks, and I think that this is at the route of my drinking problem (a steady two bottles of wine a day for around ten years). I've unwittingly convinced myself that drinking is an essential part of my personality, and I just can't figure out how to change that.

I can't be the only one for whom the usual methods completely fail, and it's very common for ENFPs to over indulge so there must be more of you out there ;-) so if anyone's got any ideas or insight I'd love to hear them. For me it often takes something to just click a switch in my head and I can make huge changes.
I have never heard of ENFP before. Certain things have just clicked with me over the years. I think my sense of what's right and wrong is pretty standard, I dunno, lol. I am a writer too
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:04 PM
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That's the Jung personality test, right? - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving!!
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by purpleknight View Post
That's the Jung personality test, right? - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving!!
Ooh, can you do it online?
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:06 PM
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Yeah! Alcohol is a crucial element of my personal value system, and no amount of rational information can override that. I tried quitting (managed three months) and was deeply unhappy and felt like a stranger in my own body, even though my body was a much more comfortable place to be when I wasn't drinking.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:07 PM
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Yes - just google "personality page" :-)
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Cantos View Post
Yeah! Alcohol is a crucial element of my personal value system, and no amount of rational information can override that.
It's a crucial element to most alcoholics...regardless of personality types. So look at the tried and true methods of recovery for ALL alcoholics.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:11 PM
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Yeap http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

I guess you raise a good point, different personality types may have more difficulty than others!! . . . but the common denominator is having an addiction that is never an easy thing for anyone to deal with!
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:12 PM
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Welcome to SR! I don't know anything about personality types or all of those letters! LOL

I do know that I needed to stop drinking because it was hurting my health and my life. I tried a lot of different things. Finally, I entered medical detox followed by rehab. Now, I'm doing intensive outpatient therapy and taking all of my prescribed medications (including naltrexone, which has REALLY helped with the cravings).

So far, that's what is working for me.

Also, if you're interested in some pointers that would potentially help your dog with separation anxiety- I know about that too. :-) Feel free to PM me.
All my best!
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by doggonecarl View Post
It's a crucial element to most alcoholics...regardless of personality types. So look at the tried and true methods of recovery for ALL alcoholics.
Agreed. Definitely. And I've tried all of the usual methods, such as AA and CBT. I'm just wondering if anyone has any particular advice for ENFPs. Might be clutching at straws, but it's worth a shot.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:13 PM
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Google, "Terminal Uniqueness".
Welcome to Sober Recovery, Cantos.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:15 PM
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It's a good job to quit before anything serious happens. I wish I had tried this a year ago. I felt fine and everything was great until I collapsed suddenly from multiple bleeding ulcers, severely swollen pancreas and liver trouble. Was really close to dying and I am only 24 :/
I thought it would never happen to me,that I wasn't that bad. Sucks when all that crap happens out of the blue.

I don't follow a strict traditional method either. I've got my own methods that so far have given me my longest sobriety time ever (I'll message you the details if you want, it isn't AA so it might clash with some people's view here and I dont want to make people upset )
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by EverySngleNight View Post
Also, if you're interested in some pointers that would potentially help your dog with separation anxiety- I know about that too. :-) Feel free to PM me.
All my best!
Can't PM you as I've not done enough posts here. But the dog is a rescue and is in therapy for SA, and we're getting there very slowly. I'm also wanting to quit because of health.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Hollyanne View Post
Google, "Terminal Uniqueness".
Welcome to Sober Recovery, Cantos.
Holly got to it before me. We are all unique, in our special ways, except when it comes to our drinking. And the solution.

Apply your traits to getting sober with the same level of effort as you put into your drinking, and you will succeed.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Zeepa View Post
I don't follow a strict traditional method either. I've got my own methods that so far have given me my longest sobriety time ever (I'll message you the details if you want, it isn't AA so it might clash with some people's view here and I dont want to make people upset )
Yes, please please do!
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:20 PM
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Oh my goodness, I just took the test.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Zeepa View Post
It's a good job to quit before anything serious happens. I wish I had tried this a year ago. I felt fine and everything was great until I collapsed suddenly from multiple bleeding ulcers, severely swollen pancreas and liver trouble. Was really close to dying and I am only 24 :/
I thought it would never happen to me,that I wasn't that bad. Sucks when all that crap happens out of the blue.

I don't follow a strict traditional method either. I've got my own methods that so far have given me my longest sobriety time ever (I'll message you the details if you want, it isn't AA so it might clash with some people's view here and I dont want to make people upset )
Me too
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Cantos View Post
Agreed. Definitely. And I've tried all of the usual methods, such as AA and CBT. I'm just wondering if anyone has any particular advice for ENFPs. Might be clutching at straws, but it's worth a shot.
I don't doubt we adjust our recovery based on our personality. For various reasons, Sober Recovery works better for some people than it does for others. Perhaps one's personality traits. More likely one's ability to articulate in writing and to comprehend what it written.

So by coming here, perhaps you've added a tool that might make a difference. I know it has for me.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:31 PM
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Wait- "terminal" as in fatal? "uniqueness"- as in being one of a kind, independent of a category or group? Can someone please explain this so I don't have to stinkin' google it? LOL I don't get it.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by EverySngleNight View Post
Wait- "terminal" as in fatal? "uniqueness"- as in being one of a kind, independent of a category or group? Can someone please explain this so I don't have to stinkin' google it? LOL I don't get it.
TERMINAL UNIQUENESS is a term coined by AA and is a form of denial. In terminal uniqueness, the alcoholic sees their case as somehow so special or unique that they don't have to do what other alcoholics have to do to get sober and stay sober (i.e. go to AA, work a program, etc.).
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