tyler

Hey Bam. Just out of curiosity, what is your opinion on folks who's DOC is something other than alcohol. Pot is my DOC and I feel the same way about it as you do about alcohol. Experience has proven time and time again that moderation is just not going to work for me. However I do know many folks who can moderate their pot usage, some of whom I would consider alcoholics. I respect your opinion and am just interested in your input on this. Hope I haven't said anything on this topic to offend you, if so I do apologize. Take care.

Hevyn

Bam, thank you for starting this. Last night I was trying to come up with the right words to start a thread, but I was too angry and knew it wouldn't come off the way I wanted. I'm mostly very mild mannered as you all know, but don't mess with my SR. I'm furious when our purpose here is misjudged & misunderstood. When someone accuses us of being narrow minded ("only one point of view allowed"!) it makes my blood boil. That is not what we are - I've never met a more fantastic group of people. We're gathered here from many countries & all walks of life - only to hold each other up. Sorry, but I'm defensive on behalf of SR and my life-saving friends here. The reason for the existence of SR is made so clear - I can't figure out why some become resentful when we can't & won't deviate from our main goal of getting and staying sober. (See - I told you I wouldn't be able to find the right words.)

Bamboozle

Hello, tyler.

It's an interesting question. I think it depends upon the individual. I don't encourage anyone to use, but adults do have rights over their own bodies and can choose whatever to put into it.

I can't speak for other people, so I'll keep this about myself.

I have entertained the notion of smoking a little pot lately. I decided that it wouldn't be good for me for two reasons: my meds for depression wouldn't work and I would be using pot to get messed up. Getting messed up was a major coping mechanism I had...pretty much the only one I used...and that's how I got into this mess. My alcohol consumption was arguably moderated in the beginning, but it wasn't long before it spiraled out of control. I won't risk it again with anything else. I'm sure I'd latch onto pot. I know me.

Wolfchild

The similiarities of this community & our respective fellowships are more than the negatives that seem to drive people apart. Even people who are not participating in a specific fellowship or working a spiritual program of recovery can come here and share who they are & what they are doing. Regardless, we are part of something here that is greater than ourselves & helps us in ways that we do not yet comprehend.

We discuss common issues and problems. Sometimes we're seeking a solution, sometimes not. We share our experience, strength, & hope with one another in an effort to help someone. We share about what we are going through and people encourage us with their wisdom and support. Sometimes they even put it to us straight up and even though it's not something we want to hear, it helps us. We experience frustrations and irritations with each other and still hold out our hands to walk through it together. Sometimes people leave leave over these things, but their hearts have been forever touched by the loving acceptence found throughout our community. We have fun with each other, tease each other, and develope our communication skills which is as much a part of recovery as not picking up that drink or drug. We change & grow through the relationships we establish and learn to let each other be where they are.

This continues to be a community were we resolve our differences to stay focused on the primary purpose to live our lives as best we can each day. i don't understand alot of what goes on here sometimes and look at those situations with a raised eyebrow. i shake my head while making the decision to not get involved with what appears to be nonsensical or inane threads. i wonder what some people are trying to do here with posting about their obsession & compulsion to keep using or drinking no matter what we share with them. It's all kinda beside the point when i remember that this is a very special community where people have the freedom to share those things that they cannot talk about in a regular meeting. It's an online fellowship that allows us to speak from the heart about things that bother us despite what we feel inside. Some are sicker than others and some are suffering more than necessary, but this is what takes place in the real world all around us every day. Many have found a new way to live which they are very grateful and passionate about and we try to convey what is working for us to inspire others. Regardless of what we think or feel about each other, we are members participating in a greater purpose than what we see taking place around us. For this, and so much more, i am grateful to be here daily.

Thank you Bamboozle for opening this topic up for discussion and for everyone's honesty! Thank you all for helping me daily in my process of progress and for the kindness & tolerance i find here from those who have found a new way to live without the use of drugs or alcohol. My prayers & best wishes for us all!!

tallcactus

((Bamboozle))
I completely feel the way U do.
I know I can not drink again, I'm totally out of control when I partake. I want more and more and I do not think rationally. No more ever 'yets.' I consider myself lucky that I'm alive uninjured and NEVER hurt a soul (physically) but myself and family emotionally and financally. It sure could of been worst.. Can not ever go there again, I'm done.
2 me, everyone is welcome to post and give there opinions and I respect that but, I'm with U and everyone else, when someone posts and belittles this site. Sometimes I can feel the anger. Sometimes some posts do trigger me...then I think and shake my head as Woldchild expressed, because they R still in denial and they haven't found what I have.
Stay strong.

Mark75

I like what wolfchild said... This is a great place to share thongs that you might not otherwise. I don't much care much for the moderation thing. I doesn't upset me though. What was a challenge was working the first step... Hmmmm... Once your past that, or once you keep working it, the moderation ideas evaporate.

I prefer not to spend too much time reading or posting about drinking. This is a recovery site and it's OK if we want to keep it that way

Mark

Bamboozle

Me too...that was a great post.






This place means a lot to me.

tyler

Count me in on both points. I think Wolfchild's post eliquently summed up a lot of what makes this place special to me. I've been around here for a long time, in and out of various stages of "recovery".

This was the first place I stumbled across over 7 years ago when I finally became ready to admit I really had a problem and wanted to try to find a solution to it. I knew little about AA or NA and nothing at all about any of the various "secular" options available. That all came from here.

What has kept me coming back is the tollerance and patience and love of the members of this board. Most of the faces I met when I first joined have moved on, but they have been replaced with many others that always extend a helping hand when I need one. I used to be "one of those" who liked to argue about the various different types of recovery and which one was the best. I don't really do that anymore. All it did was upset me and others around here and rarely did I really learn anything from the discussions. I'm now very much in the "take what I need and leave the rest behind" camp. My "program" is a little of this and a little of that, and I wouldn't necessarily recomend it to anyone else. All I know is that I am in a much better place than I was when I first joined.

I've always said "I'm not all better, but getting better". For a long time that really wasn't the truth. Now I can honestly say it is, and that makes me feel good, perhaps even a bit proud. I wish it hadn't taken as long as it did, and I by no means consider myself "recovered", but I guess the journey is a good part of what got me here.

I am infinately grateful for this site and the members who breath life into it every day. One of the great things about this place is that with all of the different opinions and ideas, we all are able to get along, for the most part. Much like "solar flares" issues periodicly flare up here. They cause a bit of disturbance and then die down. I feel like we are in one of those "flare up" periods right now. Experience has shown me that in time, it will cool down, people will move on, and SR will remain, as strong as ever, perhaps even stronger.

I love this place and I love everyone here, even the one's I don't agree with. They are often the ones I learn the most from. Take care.

coffeenut

Beautiful post, Bam. Very well said.

Aysha

I am just curious why anyone would come to a RECOVERY forum if they think that moderate drinking will make their life happy and healthy.
My DOC is crack. I have never in my life seen a moderated crack addict. LOL..Its almost funny saying it.
I cant lie and say I never considered or tried it. Guess what? It never works. And only prolongs the destruction and gets worse and worse.
You already know Bam that mewcomers has this wave of disturbance every so often. Sometimes its big..Sometimes not.
But I have noticed it shifts once in awhile like clock work.
But thats like anything in life.
Thank goodness aside from unsettling posts in newcomers. There are way more positive reactions and threads to outweigh those.
We are all at a different place in our addictions and recovery. So your gonna get all levels. Especially here in newcomers.
I know its unsettling. But all we can do is try our best to point them in the right direction.
I remember awhile back when you were a mess. Like all of us were at some point. I was really really worried about you. I mean seriously concerned. It gets frustrating for me when I see people, especially ones I call friends are feeling like that because there is only so much we can do like this.
You have def come a very long way my stinky friend. LOL..YOu know I am joking and why I say that.
I am so proud of you and glad you are doing so well. Congrats on 166 days. That is absolutely amazing!! And congrats on the promotion.
It is more proof that if we just hang on and keep doing the right thing. All will be as it should. BIG HUGS BAM!!!