RacerX

I just wanted to share a blessing that's been happening for me tonight.

I have always dealt (badly) with shame, guilt and fear. One of my biggest fears are those closest to me finding out about my alcoholism. As this is Day 1 for me, I started to feel those fears really surface again.

So I decided to do something about it. I e-mailed all of my family to let them know that I am an alcoholic and basically how I've been spiraling out of control since 2005-6ish. I also let them know what I'm doing now and the steps I have to take for recovery. I finished by giving them specific prayer requests and then hit the "Send" button before I chickened out.

Suffice to say, I am overwhelmed with tears of gratitude at how much love they gave back to me in their replies. In fact, I'm printing them all off and will be taking them with me wherever I go to remember how blessed I really am.

Anyways, just wanted to share.

With Love,

RacerX

Dee74

I'm so glad you had such great support Racer X

D

ChangeGonnaCome

Thank you for the inspiration! I still haven't opened up to some of my family and friends. I've been waiting for that aha! moment. Perhaps this is it..........

I admire your courage and wish you the best in your recovery!!!

Klynn33

I love posts like this

that's awesome!


(pretend last smiley dude has a 10 too )

yeahgr8

Thats absolutely fantastic and well done for doing this!!! It's a great idea to print them out and just remind yourself of how much support and understandig there is out there from non-alcoholics:-)

Keep moving forward with your recovery, many more pleasant suprises ahead i promise!

lionheart

WOOHOO thats fantastic. I have only told my mum so far but being a gay woman, this wont be anything to the family - and if it is then just another hurdle in this journey!

thirtybubba

You're brave. Don't think I could have done that.

But that's a great way to remember all the support you have--and I love seeing posts like these too, with positive things and different actual things people have done... Sometimes I get lost in the cliches...


Take care of yourself, and wishing you the best,
TB

Tazman53

Great move RacerX, I felt like my alcoholism was unknown to many, I thought I was fooling people, it turned out that the only person I was fooling was myself.

I let everyone close to me know that I was going into detox. I, like you found nothing but support, my family was more then supportive, my wife supported me but let me know that me simply getting sober may not save our marriage.

Now this is simply my opinion and what I have heard in AA and read on this board, but those who keep thier quitting drinking a secret generally do so because they want to leave a door open to drinking again in the back of thier mind.

Not telling any one eliminates any & all accountability, things get tough and folks who keep thier quitting a secret may easily decide "Hey what the heck, nobody knows I am trying to quit so the only person who will know is me!"

least

I'm glad you have their support.

nocoincidence56

[QUOTE=Tazman53;2492932]Great move RacerX, I felt like my alcoholism was unknown to many, I thought I was fooling people, it turned out that the only person I was fooling was myself.[QUOTE]] Thanks Taz.... You took the words right out of my mouth..........

Congratulations RacerX. When I finally told people about my addiction the general report, with few exceptions, was we have known about it for a long time and just didn't want to say anything......

Put your recovery first above all else and the rest will fall into place with time........

ViciousCycle

That was a courageous move on your part. You must feel such a relief! Keep moving forward!
:ghug3

soberinwpg

I still have the e-mails that my family and friends sent back to me in 2006. Bring me to tears every time.

Good job and welcome.

RacerX

Talk about hitting the nail right on the head. You just summed up one of my biggest fears as well - that dreaded accountability thing.

Honestly, I was scared to death about this new-found accountability but, once I hit the 'send' button, I felt like another weight had been lifted.

In case anyone makes more of this than it really is, here's a reality check. I'm just a guy that just went through his first night without alcohol and am on a whopping Day 2. That said, I do feel like I'm taking the correct steps at this point and I just pray for an alcohol-free day today.

God Bless, Everyone.

RacerX

Hevyn

RacerX - that was a very liberating thing to do. I'm sure you feel a huge weight lifted from you. I wish I'd had the courage to do that, since everyone knew I was struggling and no one had the nerve to confront me. Guilt & remorse kept me sick for so long, every time I'd see the truth of what I'd become - I'd pick up a drink. If only I'd confronted the problem head on like you are.

Glad you're here with us - joy and hope will return to your life.

Safira

How cool is this?? Good for you!

Horselover

Great job and I love the fact that everyone is so supportive of you. Congratulations on that "whopping" day 2! It is a major deal by the way. When I went 24 hours without wine for the first time I was quite liberated and then when I made 2 days you can only imagine. I am now going on whatever and quite frankly I'm hard to live with I'm so proud. LOL! Only half kidding.

Stayinfree

Wow..that was a brave move, and I'm so glad you've got lot's of support from doing that.

My Mom, sis, hubby and kids know I'm an alcoholic and they're all very supportive. When I went to tell my big brother, who's 10 years older than me, been an alcoholic in denial for at least 25 years...guess what he said??? Oh no...thats awful for you, with a shake of his head!!!! Oh well...the river of denial runs deep eh??

Happy for you..I'm day 2 today too...hope we can keep it going!

RacerX

Hi Stayinfree! I'm with you on the family thing as 2 of my family members I sent the e-mail to I know are alcoholics in denial as well. I figure that it's our job with our actions, others have to own their reactions (or something like that).

Great to be here with you and here's to a sober 2nd day!

RacerX