24 Hour Recovery Connection Part 348
Zanna Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 28,801
Originally Posted by soberista 
Just out of curiosity..
....there seems to be a variety in lengths of sobriety here from just a few days to years. What, if anything, do you say to people when they ask why you don't drink anymore. I have a number of different circles ranging from family members (who drink very little) to friends who are regular, and at times, heavy drinkers. Do you say I am a recovering alcoholic or just that you have decided not to drink anymore. (And what has the response been - I think I am more interested in what they say if you let them know you're in recovery). I feel I am at a point now where I want to say I am in recovery but wondering how this is received. Not that I am concerned just curious.
....there seems to be a variety in lengths of sobriety here from just a few days to years. What, if anything, do you say to people when they ask why you don't drink anymore. I have a number of different circles ranging from family members (who drink very little) to friends who are regular, and at times, heavy drinkers. Do you say I am a recovering alcoholic or just that you have decided not to drink anymore. (And what has the response been - I think I am more interested in what they say if you let them know you're in recovery). I feel I am at a point now where I want to say I am in recovery but wondering how this is received. Not that I am concerned just curious.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,872
Originally Posted by Kris47
Early on I had the same questions as you do. Now that I am feeling comfortable in my own skin, I just say I don't drink. If asked why, I say I just do better without or that I had a problem with alcohol. I am so thankful to be a recovering alcoholic. Proud, too.
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Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Texas, US
Posts: 2,478
Hi Soberista,
That is a great question! I usually say I don't feel like drinking today. Or it's messing with my sleep (it totally does). Or I'm trying to lose weight/be healthier (true). Or it makes me sad (yep). Or it makes arthritis (or any health problem) worse (very true...I've had that my whole adult life and I wonder if my heavy alcohol intake sped that progression along). Or I'm too tired...I would fall asleep! Or I don't feel like drinking, may I have some tea? Or sometimes, just No.
The people who persist are usually super heavy drinkers/alcoholics, or are very young and still infatuated with alcohol. Or just gossipy...and I'm in tech so I often go up against the 'antisocial' stereotype anyhow.
Some of us will volunteer to share about our alcohol problems, while others will not. I'm kinda in the Not camp. Or yes, but carefully. Either way is perfectly fine. I only talk about it with someone who is looking to recover, is in recovery or specifically asks while contemplating recovery and never in a professional environment. I don't bash alcohol ever.....I realize that most people don't drink as destructively as I used to. If someone wanted to talk to me at work about it, I would want to take it off-site and talk to them for sure, though.
I'm yammering away.. haha Still need that delicious lunch. why is no one making me lunch?
xx
Red
That is a great question! I usually say I don't feel like drinking today. Or it's messing with my sleep (it totally does). Or I'm trying to lose weight/be healthier (true). Or it makes me sad (yep). Or it makes arthritis (or any health problem) worse (very true...I've had that my whole adult life and I wonder if my heavy alcohol intake sped that progression along). Or I'm too tired...I would fall asleep! Or I don't feel like drinking, may I have some tea? Or sometimes, just No.
The people who persist are usually super heavy drinkers/alcoholics, or are very young and still infatuated with alcohol. Or just gossipy...and I'm in tech so I often go up against the 'antisocial' stereotype anyhow.
Some of us will volunteer to share about our alcohol problems, while others will not. I'm kinda in the Not camp. Or yes, but carefully. Either way is perfectly fine. I only talk about it with someone who is looking to recover, is in recovery or specifically asks while contemplating recovery and never in a professional environment. I don't bash alcohol ever.....I realize that most people don't drink as destructively as I used to. If someone wanted to talk to me at work about it, I would want to take it off-site and talk to them for sure, though.
I'm yammering away.. haha Still need that delicious lunch. why is no one making me lunch?
xx
Red
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,496
You're not yammering at all Red...I hear you. I don't bash alcohol either....and I don't ever talk about this unless it feels right....you can feel I think when people are on board or receptive to the journey and you can definitely feel when someone wants to talk about their own issue with alcohol....like you Red, that's when I will talk about it. But in private.
And yes Tom....I love that one. You get to say no and you get a laugh. And usually no one asks you again after that....
s
And yes Tom....I love that one. You get to say no and you get a laugh. And usually no one asks you again after that....
s
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NE Wisconsin USA
Posts: 6,223
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0sy7y54XAE
one more for recovery
Sometimes in the morning I am petrified and can't move
Awake but cannot open my eyes
And the weight is crushing down on my lungs
I know I can't breathe
And hope someone will save me this time
And your mother's still calling you insane and high
Swearing it's different this time
And you tell her to give in to the demons that possess her
And that God never blessed her insides
Then you hang up the phone
And feel badly for upsetting things
Crawl back into bed to dream of a time
When your heart was open wide
And you loved things just because
Like the sick and the dying
And sometimes when you're on,
You're really ******* on
And your friends they sing along
And they love you
But the lows are so extreme
That the good seems ******* cheap
And it teases you for weeks in its absence
But you'll fight and you'll make it through
You'll fake it if you have to
And you'll show up for work with a smile
And you'll be better and you'll be smarter
And more grown up and a better daughter
Or son and a real good friend
And you'll be awake, you'll be alert
You'll be positive though it hurts
And you'll laugh and embrace all your friends
You'll be a real good listener
You'll be honest, you'll be brave
You'll be handsome, you'll be beautiful
You'll be happy
Your ship may be coming in
You're weak but not giving in
To the cries and the wails of the valley below
And your ship may be coming in
You're weak but not giving in
And you'll fight it
You'll go out fighting all of them
one more for recovery
Sometimes in the morning I am petrified and can't move
Awake but cannot open my eyes
And the weight is crushing down on my lungs
I know I can't breathe
And hope someone will save me this time
And your mother's still calling you insane and high
Swearing it's different this time
And you tell her to give in to the demons that possess her
And that God never blessed her insides
Then you hang up the phone
And feel badly for upsetting things
Crawl back into bed to dream of a time
When your heart was open wide
And you loved things just because
Like the sick and the dying
And sometimes when you're on,
You're really ******* on
And your friends they sing along
And they love you
But the lows are so extreme
That the good seems ******* cheap
And it teases you for weeks in its absence
But you'll fight and you'll make it through
You'll fake it if you have to
And you'll show up for work with a smile
And you'll be better and you'll be smarter
And more grown up and a better daughter
Or son and a real good friend
And you'll be awake, you'll be alert
You'll be positive though it hurts
And you'll laugh and embrace all your friends
You'll be a real good listener
You'll be honest, you'll be brave
You'll be handsome, you'll be beautiful
You'll be happy
Your ship may be coming in
You're weak but not giving in
To the cries and the wails of the valley below
And your ship may be coming in
You're weak but not giving in
And you'll fight it
You'll go out fighting all of them
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NE Wisconsin USA
Posts: 6,223
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0sy7y54XAE
a friend sent me this song many years ago as I sat in a halfway house wondering what the f went wrong in my life...i crashed a van in to a train barely survived...
a friend sent me this song many years ago as I sat in a halfway house wondering what the f went wrong in my life...i crashed a van in to a train barely survived...
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