insight1

New to this community and facing up to my alcohol abuse. I contacted a center on my own is intensive outpatient (3 hours a day - 3x a week for 6 weeks) that follows 12 step for an eval, but not sure I want to committ. I was asked alot of questions about if I was in withdrawal..i have cravings but not many other physical symptoms as I only drank at night time and usually 3-4 times a week. I do admit I have a problem but do I need a program like this ..maybe i just to go AA? Also not sure about the whole God aspect to AA. It seemed most of the people that may be in my group at the center were forced there by courts and much younger than me. dont know what to do.

any ideas I am open to listening. I am 4th day sober.

Aysha

jdcsawd

I was apprehensive about the whole AA God issue also but after attending 4 to 5 meetings a week for the last 34 days I can say that something (Higher Power) is happening to allow me to make the decision to attend meetings. Sometimes I actually am excited to attend some of them (my Saturday & Sunday morning meetings are great). I am not very religious (I believe there is a God and do talk to him from time to time, but have a hard time with the whole Christ belief) but good things are happening to me a lot here lately and I am able to deal with or let things that used to bother me go. I have completed step 3 and am letting the God of my understanding take care of the stuff (almost always unimportant and out of my control stuff) that I used to dwell on. Check out some meetings and see if you find one you like.

least

Intensive outpatient treatment can help, but you'll only get out of it what you put into it. Try several AA meetings before you decide how you feel about it. I sometimes get irked by some very "religious" members of the meetings I go to. But remember that altho some of the members are very "religious", AA itself is a "spiritual" program - there IS a difference.

Give AA a good try and keep the outpatient treatment in mind too. Consider all your options and do whatever works to keep you sober. Congrats on your four sober days! Way to go!:bounce And a big WELCOME to the site! Lots of support here.

MROBI

you have got to find what works for u. everyone is different. i,m using a counsler a detox facility church and i think i need to go to meetings everyday or something for a while, but i have a severe addictive disorder and was involved with alot of diffeent substances.

MROBI

for you a wellness program may be all you need. eat right and get a fitness program. replace your bad addictions with positive ones and get well.
i highly recomend body for life a book by bill phillips.
my physical conditioning over the years is the only reason im still alive. i'm probably the only addict with a general nutrition center card.

get well dude.

Ananda

well....shop around I guess to see where you think you will most benifit from. Your concerns about everyone being sorta forced to go to the outpatient program is not entirely off base.

I attended intensive outpatient volunterily and drank through the whole thing (stupid I know). After I went to inpatient treatment I went to "after care" with the same group...and yes i was the only "volentary" person there.

I learned alot of real important things from attending so it was worth it to me, however I did have to understand that many people there were not yet ready to really get sober. They were really good people and helped me alot, and very supportive (I attended aa as well). I have to say I learned a whole lot about how to pass a **** test if you were still drinking/using and stuff like that, but I also really learned just how hard it can be for us once we end up in the court system. And several of the people I was in outpatient with are still sober today (a little over a year later)!

The program was really good for teaching me about the physical part of the illness and helped with thinking skills i was really needing in order to get past the hard parts of early sobriety.

CarolD

I too was older when I decided to quit...
and I had no legal problems either.

Yes...I use AA ...I suggest you attend a few
meetings before you sign up for anything.

This is not the time to worry about anything
but how best to stay sober.
4 days is a good start...

Welcome to SR!

Rella927

Welcome to SR! 4 days is great!

Glad that you found us there is a lot of support here!
Please check out our "Alcoholism" forum too and the stickies-there is
a wealth of information there!

Keep posting

bostonluv

insight1

Thanks for all your responses and well wishes. I will keep you posted on my progress and what i decide. For now one more day without drinking is my focus. I am glad i found this forum and I truly hope someday I can give something back.

Jig

Hello and Welcome Insight!

You started giving something back the instant you started posting.

Stick around and find out for yourself.

mxchaos

I can't hurt to enlist all the help you can get in early recover. The IOP can teach you new tricks to staying sober and AA will help you to know your not alone. If you don't find them helpful you can always quit. why not give it a try you've got nothing to lose.

vegibean

All I'm about to write is based on my experience. I HAD to go into treatment however I have seen so many people succeed in other ways. 90 in 90 (ninety meetings in ninety days) if you think that will work for you. The good thing about getting sober is that even if you slip you can pick your @ss up and start all over again. It's progress, not perfection.

As for the God thing, I totally relate. I don't believe in God but I look to my meetings, sober supports and sponsor for strength and I know that I possess what it takes to do every day with out picking up a drink. It is after all my choice to drink or not to. If I want to stay sober, it's simple, I don't drink or use any other substance. That's me.

Getting sober, working a program, doing the 12 steps (you can use something else as your "higher power" to keep you going, put faith in, etc.) doesn't have to do with how miserable your life is. At least that is how I feel. Some people have a bottom that didn't constitute them losing everything in there life or going through withdrawals rather than wanting to make a life change, knowing that alcohol wasn't working for them, the way they behaved when they drank, how it affected others but it's also up to you. No on, I believe, can tell you that it's time and I also feel that is something that you have to really want. It's an experience.

I know for me that my life is better today. Sure, I miss being able to drink but for me, if I pick up, it's OVER!!!!!!!!!!

I wish you the best and hope that you find what works for you.

AT01

One of the coolest quotes I've heard is from a movie about an amazing runner named Steve Prefontaine. He was talking to this girl who was Catholic and she asked,
"Do you believe in God?"
He replied,
"I believe in myself."
then he kissed her but that's not the point, do what you believe in. You'll be fine.