First Meeting Tonight...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan -- Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Posts: 325
First Meeting Tonight...
:wtf2Tips anyone? I read someone's something recently (book, online?? can't remember)... and she talked about her first (few) AA meetings being on the bottle. And although I don't want that to be me, I just have SUCH a DESIRE to go, FEAR of going, and CRAVING to just pour a glass of Malbec to ease the anxiety. I had "CALM" Tazo tea, --not cutting it. Tried a nap -- not happening....
Tips for a Day Two First Meeting??? Thanks!
Tips for a Day Two First Meeting??? Thanks!
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,513
Hi,
I think change is always scary, especially when we've been used to numbing ourselves with alcohol. I can't offer experience about meetings, but try listening to some calming music before you go and breathe deeply to help yourself relax. You'll be fine!
I think change is always scary, especially when we've been used to numbing ourselves with alcohol. I can't offer experience about meetings, but try listening to some calming music before you go and breathe deeply to help yourself relax. You'll be fine!
taking it one day at a time
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 67
The first meeting might seem scary but it's nothing to be afraid of.
Just go in there with an open mind and remember that there are a range of different types of meetings and the people that attend them. So try out a few different ones BEFORE you make a decision on whether or not you want to continue going.
I didn't like the first one I went to, but after I'd been to a few, I found some meetings where I felt comfortable.
All the best!
Just go in there with an open mind and remember that there are a range of different types of meetings and the people that attend them. So try out a few different ones BEFORE you make a decision on whether or not you want to continue going.
I didn't like the first one I went to, but after I'd been to a few, I found some meetings where I felt comfortable.
All the best!
Anxiety King
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 403
To all those that replied, thanks. I'm new here, and I too am going to my first
AA meeting in about an hour and am sooooooo nervous. I'm hoping since I've
finally reached the point where I want to quit, that it will go smoother for me than
it may have for others here. But thanks to you all for at least letting us newbie know
that if the first time doesn't go well, it's not the end of the world...and to keep trying.
--Tom
AA meeting in about an hour and am sooooooo nervous. I'm hoping since I've
finally reached the point where I want to quit, that it will go smoother for me than
it may have for others here. But thanks to you all for at least letting us newbie know
that if the first time doesn't go well, it's not the end of the world...and to keep trying.
--Tom
taking it one day at a time
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by SF69 
To all those that replied, thanks. I'm new here, and I too am going to my first
AA meeting in about an hour and am sooooooo nervous. I'm hoping since I've
finally reached the point where I want to quit, that it will go smoother for me than
it may have for others here. But thanks to you all for at least letting us newbie know
that if the first time doesn't go well, it's not the end of the world...and to keep trying.
--Tom
AA meeting in about an hour and am sooooooo nervous. I'm hoping since I've
finally reached the point where I want to quit, that it will go smoother for me than
it may have for others here. But thanks to you all for at least letting us newbie know
that if the first time doesn't go well, it's not the end of the world...and to keep trying.
--Tom
Who knows, you might be like me and find ones you look forward to going to. I've met some great people, both young and old that have been a comfort to meet.
Best of luck Tom.
Ending the Old Me.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Under a Rock
Posts: 377
Welcome Tom.
I attended my first meeting at day 3 also. I was nervous and scared but also proud of myself. It takes courage to walk into a meeting for the first time. I know I was the deer in the headlight that night, I couldn't tell you how many people spoke or about what. It wasn't easy, I had to leave twice to go compose myself (WTF?) - I'm a guy for crying out loud, but I survived.
I walked out of that meeting with a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Just listening to other people with same problems was a gift. Some people were brand new, just like me. Others had less than a month sober, some more than 20 yrs but I knew they were all just like me and understood. I drove home with hope, that it was possible, and it all didn't suck - you can have fun in sobriety.
For me, hiding out in here in cyberspace, struggling with thoughts of a drinking problem or not is one thing. But when I walked into and out of that first meeting, it made it real for me. And it was a big step in my recovery.
I'm sure not everyone has the same experience with their first meeting but I hope it opens some doors for you - it sure did for me.
I attended my first meeting at day 3 also. I was nervous and scared but also proud of myself. It takes courage to walk into a meeting for the first time. I know I was the deer in the headlight that night, I couldn't tell you how many people spoke or about what. It wasn't easy, I had to leave twice to go compose myself (WTF?) - I'm a guy for crying out loud, but I survived.
I walked out of that meeting with a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Just listening to other people with same problems was a gift. Some people were brand new, just like me. Others had less than a month sober, some more than 20 yrs but I knew they were all just like me and understood. I drove home with hope, that it was possible, and it all didn't suck - you can have fun in sobriety.
For me, hiding out in here in cyberspace, struggling with thoughts of a drinking problem or not is one thing. But when I walked into and out of that first meeting, it made it real for me. And it was a big step in my recovery.
I'm sure not everyone has the same experience with their first meeting but I hope it opens some doors for you - it sure did for me.
Anxiety King
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 403
Thanks guys!
Well I did it. And after the first ten minutes of being clueless there, it went pretty well. Fortunately there were a couple of guys, there that could tell I was a newcomer by that deer in the headlights look I had, that welcomed me and made me feel somewhat comfortable.
I too had that feeling of a weight being lifted after finally admiting out loud that I was an alcoholic and hearing that others had gone through what I am going through.
Well I did it. And after the first ten minutes of being clueless there, it went pretty well. Fortunately there were a couple of guys, there that could tell I was a newcomer by that deer in the headlights look I had, that welcomed me and made me feel somewhat comfortable.
I too had that feeling of a weight being lifted after finally admiting out loud that I was an alcoholic and hearing that others had gone through what I am going through.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: my room in ct.
Posts: 58,110
onlyway!... how'd it go?
and good for you SF
i kinda wish i had the deer in the headlight look...
i was smashed at my first five meet'ns!
i kept go'n tho...
i wanted one day of not useing before i died...
come'n up on five years!
good wishes SF
love, blessings, and a whole ton 'o recovery!
zip
and good for you SF
i kinda wish i had the deer in the headlight look...
i was smashed at my first five meet'ns!
i kept go'n tho...
i wanted one day of not useing before i died...
come'n up on five years!
good wishes SF
love, blessings, and a whole ton 'o recovery!
zip
Anxiety King
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 403
Thanks again for the support.
But yeah, I will be returning to that meeting, and there are a couple others
this weekend that I'm going to check out. Which, even if they don't go as
well as my first experience, it will still be better than going to a bar which would be my typical weekend activity.
But yeah, I will be returning to that meeting, and there are a couple others
this weekend that I'm going to check out. Which, even if they don't go as
well as my first experience, it will still be better than going to a bar which would be my typical weekend activity.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan -- Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Posts: 325
Sorry, couldn't get online yesterday.. Here's my post from another thread this morning. Thank you everyone.....!
Hi All....
Well, day 4 is officially underway. Somehow, I don't feel terribly accomplished. This isn't like my first sober 4 day run ever. BUT it IS my first day 4 when I'm still believing I'm an alcoholic... Does that make any sense?
I've had plenty of day ONE's when I've sworn off drinking forever, as most people have... And several day ONE's when I've "known" I need help... and a few day TWO's where I've still been swearing off drinking... but RARELY have I made it to day THREE without changing my resolve and "realizing" that it was just a drunk night and next time I'll be better and it will be fine.
Made my first AA meeting Tuesday night. Took plenty of tears, LOTS of reading on this board, and a ton of anxiety to get me through those doors. Right down to the wire, I was telling my husband that I should just stay home with the kids (like my 14 year old is ok to babysit when I go to the bar, but not when I go to a 1 hour AA meeting???) --
Anyhow, I told him "I don't know how to do this". He says "U don't have to do anything, u can just sit there and listen and say 'pass'..." Well, I know plenty ABOUT AA, being an Al-Anon veteran... It wasn't the actual process of the meeting that I didn't know how to do-- and of course, his explanation just frustrated me more.
I was trying to explain that I didn't know how to "do" AA... how to BE an alcoholic... well, hell, who has to understand how to be that????? STill, I knew what I meant... Anyhow, I made it through those doors and oh, how I wanted to crawl in a hole and not be seen, just a fly on the wall... and if I couldn't do that WHY hadn't I at least brought a pair of sunglasses -- like I'm a three year old that thinks that would hide me??? Who knows where those thoughts were going...
Still, I listened, I cried, I passed on reading a tradition -- which is funny b/c I've read plenty of them at Al-Anon, but somehow, this familiar experience was so foreign! ??
OK, so ..... I've babbled enough. Thanks for listening.
oh -- and... Yesterday was a day that I NEVER would have thought of going through without a drink (or a few...) before listening to you all on Tuesday and getting through that meeting... And as I sit here this morning, I'm still in AWE that I didn't drink yesterday... It was SUCH a no-brainer day deserving of a drink! ?? !! Going to my husband's pre-trial, and one of the most significant, emotional, important meetings I've had in the past 12 years -- AND two tonics in the bar, where I originally met them!!
Strange.... so... again, for that, I Thank You.
Have a Blessed Thursday.
Hi All....
Well, day 4 is officially underway. Somehow, I don't feel terribly accomplished. This isn't like my first sober 4 day run ever. BUT it IS my first day 4 when I'm still believing I'm an alcoholic... Does that make any sense?
I've had plenty of day ONE's when I've sworn off drinking forever, as most people have... And several day ONE's when I've "known" I need help... and a few day TWO's where I've still been swearing off drinking... but RARELY have I made it to day THREE without changing my resolve and "realizing" that it was just a drunk night and next time I'll be better and it will be fine.
Made my first AA meeting Tuesday night. Took plenty of tears, LOTS of reading on this board, and a ton of anxiety to get me through those doors. Right down to the wire, I was telling my husband that I should just stay home with the kids (like my 14 year old is ok to babysit when I go to the bar, but not when I go to a 1 hour AA meeting???) --
Anyhow, I told him "I don't know how to do this". He says "U don't have to do anything, u can just sit there and listen and say 'pass'..." Well, I know plenty ABOUT AA, being an Al-Anon veteran... It wasn't the actual process of the meeting that I didn't know how to do-- and of course, his explanation just frustrated me more.
I was trying to explain that I didn't know how to "do" AA... how to BE an alcoholic... well, hell, who has to understand how to be that????? STill, I knew what I meant... Anyhow, I made it through those doors and oh, how I wanted to crawl in a hole and not be seen, just a fly on the wall... and if I couldn't do that WHY hadn't I at least brought a pair of sunglasses -- like I'm a three year old that thinks that would hide me??? Who knows where those thoughts were going...
Still, I listened, I cried, I passed on reading a tradition -- which is funny b/c I've read plenty of them at Al-Anon, but somehow, this familiar experience was so foreign! ??
OK, so ..... I've babbled enough. Thanks for listening.
oh -- and... Yesterday was a day that I NEVER would have thought of going through without a drink (or a few...) before listening to you all on Tuesday and getting through that meeting... And as I sit here this morning, I'm still in AWE that I didn't drink yesterday... It was SUCH a no-brainer day deserving of a drink! ?? !! Going to my husband's pre-trial, and one of the most significant, emotional, important meetings I've had in the past 12 years -- AND two tonics in the bar, where I originally met them!!
Strange.... so... again, for that, I Thank You.
Have a Blessed Thursday.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan -- Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Posts: 325
Thanks SF -- and congrats to you, as well... u're a day ahead of me it looks like? SIGH...
Praying your day 5 goes the best it possibly can, and that mine follows....
Praying your day 5 goes the best it possibly can, and that mine follows....
taking it one day at a time
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 67
Well done onlyway,
It took a lot of strength and courage to do what you did (God I know how much courage that takes - that was me two weeks ago).
I always say to myself that if I can get one thing out of going to a meeting, it was worth going and even if I don't, I wasn't drinking so it's just a win win situation.
So keep up the good work and continue the meetings.
It took a lot of strength and courage to do what you did (God I know how much courage that takes - that was me two weeks ago).
I always say to myself that if I can get one thing out of going to a meeting, it was worth going and even if I don't, I wasn't drinking so it's just a win win situation.
So keep up the good work and continue the meetings.
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