Applekat

Or much longer these days apparently. It seems like a "thing" now that slightly older parents are commenting on that their college graduates are moving back in with them and eating their food etc.

CaseyW

Heck, I did it myself three years ago. I'd lost my second job in less than a year for massive thievery and had nowhere to go except to my folks. They were nice enough to let me stay there for 8 or 9 months and I repaid that trust by stealing from them too.

But that incident is what caused me to find SR in July 2013 and to start on the path I'm on today. While I haven't been sober for all of the last 35 months since joining here, I have turned over a new leaf when it comes to honesty/stealing and I think I've finally turned a corner on the sobriety thing too.

Disappointed my dad never took me to the zoo when I moved back in though.

clearlyheaded

Thank you for the book recommendation, Drinking, a Love Story. All I can say so far, is wow. Great book.

Sharing a couple of passages:

pg. 58, about the obsession that goes with problem drinking, especially worrying about the next drink even as you have one.

"In meetings you often hear people say that, by definition, an addict is someone who seeks physical solutions to emotional or spiritual problems. I suppose that's an intellectual way of describing that brand of fear, and the instinctive response that accompanies it: there's a sense of deep need, and the response is a grabbiness, a compulsion to latch on to something outside yourself in order to assuage some deep discomfort."

And from pg. 60 about the same "grabbiness"

"Most alcoholics I know experience that hunger long before they pick up the first drink, that yearning for something, something outside the self that will provide relief and solace and well-being."

clearlyheaded

MITA - thank you, and yes. I agree!!

clearlyheaded

Kiki - So glad you talked to your aunt and got validation. That is huge!!

CaseyW

Those are some great passages, clearlyheaded. I haven't started rereading the book yet but am looking forward to seeing how differently I view it now with a little bit of sober time built up.

KiKi0615

Hi guys,

I'm starting treatment on Intensive Outpatient Treatment on Thursday. Praise God!

I found out about an 8 week intensive program that is 3 nights a week for 3 hours plus additional time for therapy and I called them today and said I needed help.

The great news...we have met our family insurance deductible so it's very affordable. I have hope again!!!

This outpatient program requires AA meetings and random alcohol screenings in addition to the 10 hours a week of IOP and therapy so it's good for me.

What I've been doing hasn't been working so I needed to change everything!

I pray this is the key that has been missing. They will also work on my triggers and trauma while I'm there.

Feeling hopeful. Can't do this alone anymore. I must save my life.

Love you guys!

clearlyheaded

Kiki - that's great news!! Proud you you!

CaseyW

Very proud of and happy for you taking this step, KiKi! This is huge news.

Applekat

Yay, Kiki! How smart and brave of you! Good job!

KiKi0615

Thanks so much guys. I can't keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.

I feel really good about this. I'm stubborn so I need an ARMY!

So my support going forward will be:
1. Treatment
2. Therapy
3. AA
4. SR
5. Exercise
6. My husband
7. My sponsor
8. My aunt
9. My cousin
10. And most importantly GOD

KiKi0615

I just want to get well.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. :-(

Bobbieka

Way to strategize, Kiki. This is it! So proud of you!!

Bobbieka

I'm starting to fall asleep at work. You guys need to talk about senseless things and wake me up.

CaseyW

Your boss is paying us all to not do that, Bobbieka. Sorry.

Bobbieka

Not believing it, Casey. I think someone is playing a prank on me and stopped all of my clocks. Feels like time has stopped.

fred59

Happy Birthday Casey, Bill W in 1965 said the rigidity of the steps were driving some people out of the program never to return and in 25 plus years of meetings I have seen countless people relapse over step 4. A few weeks ago at a meeting 4 people talked about relapse over the steps so I shared to them do not do the steps if it will send you back out. I have done the steps I did them at 8 years sober just so I could say I did them, I suggest doing the steps only when a person is ready.
Fellowship in AA and taking what I need and leaving the rest works for me. I still have a sponsor that I talk to and that helps. Casey if there is Smart Recovery in your area you could try that I get a lot out of it.

fred59

I was at UCLA watching my son graduate on Saturday then Venice beach Saturday night for dinner then Sunday we barbecued for my sons fraternity and needless to say there was an incredible amount of alcohol. Let me back up Friday night we arrived and I was in incredible back pain my son showed up everyone was drinking Saturday night there was a lot of drinking Sunday alcohol was consumed in large amounts and it tested my sobriety especially with the pain I was in.
I made it back sober and it is good to check in today sobriety in check.

CaseyW

Glad you made it through the weekend sober, Fred. There are not any Smart recovery meetings in my area, unfortunately, but I think my home-brewed concoction of a little AA and a lot of SR and consistently trying to do the next right thing in all areas of my life is working for me right now. And while I don't have an AA sponsor, I do have a decent amount of phone numbers and a couple of men in particular with longterm sobriety who I talk to on a daily basis. That's interesting about what Bill said in 1965. Thanks for the thoughtful post!

KiKi0615

Thanks Bobbie! This IS it!!! Treatment is what I've needed all along...I just didn't think we could afford it.

Hi Fred. I'm glad you were able to stay sober after being around all that alcohol!

Hi Casey. :-)

Taking a quick afternoon nap before heading to a meeting.

Xo