Alcohol was not the problem....
Trudgin
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Alcohol was not the problem....
It was the solution.
Somewhere around 5-6 months I reached an epiphany after hearing these simple words in group from an dear lady friend. The words hit me like a ton of bricks..... That's it!
I viewed alcohol as the underlying root of many problems in my life. But truly came to realize it was not. It was indeed the solution (I thought) to life's issues.
Today I recognize I must find others solutions to my issues.
If one understand this early on, I think the road to sobriety might be a little less bumpy, perhaps
Somewhere around 5-6 months I reached an epiphany after hearing these simple words in group from an dear lady friend. The words hit me like a ton of bricks..... That's it!
I viewed alcohol as the underlying root of many problems in my life. But truly came to realize it was not. It was indeed the solution (I thought) to life's issues.
Today I recognize I must find others solutions to my issues.
If one understand this early on, I think the road to sobriety might be a little less bumpy, perhaps
My brain is trying to kill me
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Palo Alto, ca
Posts: 401
I concur my freind. THat's why, for me, surrender meant freedom. When I finally admitted that I had been defeated in seeking solutions through substance abuse, only then could I look at my true problems, and proper solutions.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
Indeed Flynbuy - It was our best thinking that got us here. I keep hearing in AA meetings that what we all have is a "Thinking Problem". Am looking forwward to the days when I can count on my brain as being my friend again ! :-) MJM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Top post Fly!! 
For me the toolbox I had to deal with life only consisted of a bottle of whisky every night for 5yrs, I had nothing else, and that was the challenge in getting Sober, how do I deal with life without my trustworthy whisky?!!
It can be done though, with some time and effort, we can fill our toolbox with other things!!
For me the toolbox I had to deal with life only consisted of a bottle of whisky every night for 5yrs, I had nothing else, and that was the challenge in getting Sober, how do I deal with life without my trustworthy whisky?!!
It can be done though, with some time and effort, we can fill our toolbox with other things!!
Life is an unlikely miracle.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: England
Posts: 1,859
Yes I agree. For many years alcohol successfully removed my emotional problems by numbing them out. That is a solution, of sorts.
Too many side effects though to be sustainable in the long term.
Great insight, Fly, thank you !
Too many side effects though to be sustainable in the long term.
Great insight, Fly, thank you !
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,912
Yeah a dysfunctional solution that creates so many problems down the road.
In my case, I think the root of it is my general obsessiveness. I can be in awe with anything I like, including entirely abstract, immaterial concepts and ideas. Also, I tend to have a very intense focus on whatever intrigues me at a time, which can be very beneficial in some situations (eg. work) but can also lead to problems. I am certain enough that the obsessive tendency is something biologically "coded" in me, so it's pretty hard to shred. At the same time, I tend to want to escape from things that don't provide a certain level of excitement and fascination. For me a good solution is to develop healthy interests that I can dive into, enough of these in my life so that they won't leave room for destructive obsessions. I think I understood these things about myself a long time ago, actually long before drinking had become a problem. For me, understanding alone never helped because no matter how well I know something, the irrational impulses and motives will still be there and can take over any amount of knowledge.
I think I'll always like intensity in my areas of interest -- the challenge is not to let this turn into unhealthy excess. That, and healthy coping strategies with stress and uncertainty.
In my case, I think the root of it is my general obsessiveness. I can be in awe with anything I like, including entirely abstract, immaterial concepts and ideas. Also, I tend to have a very intense focus on whatever intrigues me at a time, which can be very beneficial in some situations (eg. work) but can also lead to problems. I am certain enough that the obsessive tendency is something biologically "coded" in me, so it's pretty hard to shred. At the same time, I tend to want to escape from things that don't provide a certain level of excitement and fascination. For me a good solution is to develop healthy interests that I can dive into, enough of these in my life so that they won't leave room for destructive obsessions. I think I understood these things about myself a long time ago, actually long before drinking had become a problem. For me, understanding alone never helped because no matter how well I know something, the irrational impulses and motives will still be there and can take over any amount of knowledge.
I think I'll always like intensity in my areas of interest -- the challenge is not to let this turn into unhealthy excess. That, and healthy coping strategies with stress and uncertainty.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 295
Your post, haennie, reminded me of something I read a long time ago about artistic people having higher addiction tendencies because of a stronger need for thrills and stimulation most other people don't have. Without enough stimulation, the person gets depressed, as being stimulated is a necessary part of feeling "normal" for someone with that temperament. Life can be really boring if we don't purposefully seek out ways to make it entertaining, and that boredom can really trigger some people.
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ga
Posts: 1,511
Originally Posted by redladyslipper 
Your post, haennie, reminded me of something I read a long time ago about artistic people having higher addiction tendencies because of a stronger need for thrills and stimulation most other people don't have. Without enough stimulation, the person gets depressed, as being stimulated is a necessary part of feeling "normal" for someone with that temperament. Life can be really boring if we don't purposefully seek out ways to make it entertaining, and that boredom can really trigger some people.
Exactly! Boredom is my trigger! I've been off work for the last month. Too much free time on hands. Day 1 here.
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Woodburn, OR
Posts: 422
Originally Posted by redladyslipper
Your post, haennie, reminded me of something I read a long time ago about artistic people having higher addiction tendencies because of a stronger need for thrills and stimulation most other people don't have. Without enough stimulation, the person gets depressed, as being stimulated is a necessary part of feeling "normal" for someone with that temperament. Life can be really boring if we don't purposefully seek out ways to make it entertaining, and that boredom can really trigger some people.
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Wales
Posts: 497
Originally Posted by haennie
Yeah a dysfunctional solution that creates so many problems down the road.
In my case, I think the root of it is my general obsessiveness. I can be in awe with anything I like, including entirely abstract, immaterial concepts and ideas. Also, I tend to have a very intense focus on whatever intrigues me at a time, which can be very beneficial in some situations (eg. work) but can also lead to problems. I am certain enough that the obsessive tendency is something biologically "coded" in me, so it's pretty hard to shred. At the same time, I tend to want to escape from things that don't provide a certain level of excitement and fascination. For me a good solution is to develop healthy interests that I can dive into, enough of these in my life so that they won't leave room for destructive obsessions. I think I understood these things about myself a long time ago, actually long before drinking had become a problem. For me, understanding alone never helped because no matter how well I know something, the irrational impulses and motives will still be there and can take over any amount of knowledge.
I think I'll always like intensity in my areas of interest -- the challenge is not to let this turn into unhealthy excess. That, and healthy coping strategies with stress and uncertainty.
In my case, I think the root of it is my general obsessiveness. I can be in awe with anything I like, including entirely abstract, immaterial concepts and ideas. Also, I tend to have a very intense focus on whatever intrigues me at a time, which can be very beneficial in some situations (eg. work) but can also lead to problems. I am certain enough that the obsessive tendency is something biologically "coded" in me, so it's pretty hard to shred. At the same time, I tend to want to escape from things that don't provide a certain level of excitement and fascination. For me a good solution is to develop healthy interests that I can dive into, enough of these in my life so that they won't leave room for destructive obsessions. I think I understood these things about myself a long time ago, actually long before drinking had become a problem. For me, understanding alone never helped because no matter how well I know something, the irrational impulses and motives will still be there and can take over any amount of knowledge.
I think I'll always like intensity in my areas of interest -- the challenge is not to let this turn into unhealthy excess. That, and healthy coping strategies with stress and uncertainty.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 39
Home run description of me. My wife insisted I drink too much. The wole time I knew I just think too much. Drinking numbed the thinking in my case. Admittedly I eventually drank more than anyone should at an acceptable level but it was the perceived cure not the cause. The cause was deeper and way more real than what came to be just a habitual act of nonsense. I'm getting a better sense of reality day by day. I still have the cause imbedded deep inside but the cure is surely not in the bottom of a bottle. I've looked in tons of them they're all duds in my experience.
Sober Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 170
You hit the nail on the head. For me, if I had a problem, I would buy enough wine to forget about the problem. In my mind out of sight out of mind.
The problem was the problems went unsolved causing bigger problems, solved by more drinking.
The problem was the problems went unsolved causing bigger problems, solved by more drinking.
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