Hello!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 3
Hello!
Hi guys, I'm brand new, so I just wanted to introduce myself. I just moved across the country for graduate school and I'm finally admitting I'm a problem drinker. In the past I've compared myself to others and said "well I don't drink as much as they do, so I must be okay". But drinking causes me a lot of guilt and shame, and every time I try to quit drinking, I'm back at it a few days later. I'm hoping that moving away from some of my old friends that I used to drink with might help and getting focused on school and a new job too might encourage me to stay sober. I welcome any advice... the longest I usually can stay sober is about 6 days, then Friday rolls around and I'm ready for a drink.
Thanks, I look forward to getting to know some of you!
Thanks, I look forward to getting to know some of you!
AA Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 2,977
welcome
aa has really helped me
looks like there are ~70 meetings/ week in your town
District One AA - S.E. Minnesota - Meetings By City
God bless
aa has really helped me
looks like there are ~70 meetings/ week in your town
District One AA - S.E. Minnesota - Meetings By City
God bless
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
Hello and welcome.
I used to compare myself to others, too. Friends-well, I don't drink as much as them. At the end, I was comparing myself to the homeless drunks, and it was like, well at least I have a place to live. But otherwise, I was just like them. A common drunk.
It's progressive. You're wise to want to stop now. Believe me, if you're anything like me, things will get worse.
You've found a great place for support. Some find AA meetings helpful. I sure did.
Best to you and stick around.
I used to compare myself to others, too. Friends-well, I don't drink as much as them. At the end, I was comparing myself to the homeless drunks, and it was like, well at least I have a place to live. But otherwise, I was just like them. A common drunk.
It's progressive. You're wise to want to stop now. Believe me, if you're anything like me, things will get worse.
You've found a great place for support. Some find AA meetings helpful. I sure did.
Best to you and stick around.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 3
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the support. Question, are AA meetings only for religious people? I am agnostic, so the idea of going to a meeting centered around God doesn't really suit me.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: here, now.
Posts: 1,236
Welcome!
Some go to AA and some don't, there are many avenues to stay sober but the key is to have a plan, no matter how simple. There are excellent resources for this in these forums.
AA is fine for agnostics.
Some go to AA and some don't, there are many avenues to stay sober but the key is to have a plan, no matter how simple. There are excellent resources for this in these forums.
AA is fine for agnostics.
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
Mn,
Hi and welcome.
Booze is a physical and mental addiction. The mental part lives in our emotions. We defeat this w our analysis. Our brain gets to a point where we need booze to feel normal. Great articles out there.
This is an Avrt sort of thinking. This is an alternative to AA. AA is higher power based.
AA is fairly engulfing if done....correctly. For example....you will want to do assigned reading..90 meetings in 90 days etc. I have been to several meetings and am leaning away for now.
AA is one day at a time....avrt is never drinking again.
Bottom line is not drinking and......being content while sober. Being discontent is called white knuckles and it leads to relapse.
Relapse after relapse....binging every weekend...fries our brain.
Booze is nothing to toy w....folks lose everything, go insane, and commit suicide all the time because of booze.
Part of my recovery is helping folks. Hopefully this helped you.
Hi and welcome.
Booze is a physical and mental addiction. The mental part lives in our emotions. We defeat this w our analysis. Our brain gets to a point where we need booze to feel normal. Great articles out there.
This is an Avrt sort of thinking. This is an alternative to AA. AA is higher power based.
AA is fairly engulfing if done....correctly. For example....you will want to do assigned reading..90 meetings in 90 days etc. I have been to several meetings and am leaning away for now.
AA is one day at a time....avrt is never drinking again.
Bottom line is not drinking and......being content while sober. Being discontent is called white knuckles and it leads to relapse.
Relapse after relapse....binging every weekend...fries our brain.
Booze is nothing to toy w....folks lose everything, go insane, and commit suicide all the time because of booze.
Part of my recovery is helping folks. Hopefully this helped you.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,745
Welcome! 
AA is actually a 'spiritual' program, tho many of its members are religious. There are meetings for agnostics/atheists. Look it up in your town if you're interested.
There are many ways to get and stay sober, tho, and AA is only one way. I got sober with the help of weekly counseling sessions and daily visits to this site.
AA is actually a 'spiritual' program, tho many of its members are religious. There are meetings for agnostics/atheists. Look it up in your town if you're interested.There are many ways to get and stay sober, tho, and AA is only one way. I got sober with the help of weekly counseling sessions and daily visits to this site.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,506
Great to meet you MN! I'm glad you're realizing now what needs to happen, & not waiting until middle age like I did. I kept trying to manage it on my own, with disastrous results. Welcome to an encouraging place.
Work in Progress
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by MNsober1393 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the support. Question, are AA meetings only for religious people? I am agnostic, so the idea of going to a meeting centered around God doesn't really suit me.
You should check with your local AA chapter. My town has one specifically for agnostics.
Good luck to you. PM me if you need someone to talk with.
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