nogard

Common to many of us in recovery, especially early recover is the thought that we are different, not the same as those drunks or junkies, not in the same social group.

This is a killer as it can lead to relapses and as I have dsicovered a night off can lead to many years back out there, in gaol, maimed or dead.

Listen and look for the similarites even if your younger older richer poorer heavier drinker or user, binger, ... look for the similarities and get the support and healing from that.

Kevin

nodrinkingzone

That's a good thing to remember, nogard - I have been able to relate to every single person I have heard speak at an AA meeting, it was the realisation that I had something in common with all these people.

It got me to the second meeting, and the third, and so on...

Looking forward to getting my self-respect back, that's something that a lot of those people have that I don't have... yet.

Anna

That's a great point, Kevin.

It was the belief that I was different that kept me stumbling along for ages and ages. One day it hit me and it was so much easier after that.

Treasure2Find

Thanks Nograd,

Your Post reminded me of the Doctors Opinion in the Big Book. There are all kinds of drunks and junkies out there. There are the Psychopaths who are always going on the wagon for keeps. There is the man/woman who is always changing their brand or environment. There is the man/woman who believe that after a period of sobriety can drink without danger. The manic depressive type that know one seems to understand at all and then there are types entirely normal in every respect except in the effect alcohol has upon them.

No matter the classification I do have to remember that I have one symptom in common that I cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving. When I go to a meeting or some type of AA get together I try and identify and not compare. I spent so many years taking peoples inventory's looking for ways to help them and in the process I forgot why I was there. To Thine Own Self Be True.

Nogard your right when I look for the similarities I feel so much better about myself and the world around me. Great post

All Good Things,

Alive

If there's one thing i learned over here is depression can lead to the start of many addictions, at least for me. I'm just glad i got here when i did. Even if i can't specify an addiction for me i don't feel any difference. I just feel the equality in coming out of a really unhealthy place of life, but that for all of us showed us humility and acceptance.

thanks for the topic. This is a wonderful reminder for the future.

Aysha

I use to think I was different. When I did my first step it asks How I am different than everybody else. I put nice and big. I'm Not.

Tazman53

So very true, I have found by listening to other alcoholics share their ESH that I to am but a common garden variety alcoholic as long as I listen for the similarities and not looking for the differences.

Jersey Nonny

I learned to identify with the feelings, which is something I found I had in common with virtually every alcoholic and/or addict in the rooms of AA/NA. It enabled me to "fit in" and be a part of any group anytime I walked into a meeting...what a tremendous relief...to know I wasn't unique.

stone

We like to think we are special and in some way a 'special' case, and think "it's harder/different for me because....."

When I realised everyone has something that makes 'it' hard, I realised I had better just GET THE HELL ON WITH IT!

I also made sure I listened to the similarities in meetings, not the differences. There was a LOT of similarities in people stories, whatever their sex, age, background etc.