NEOMARXIST

SR Newcomers is where I always felt most at home, The 'regulars' here have been of tremendous inspiration and support to me in my recovery. You know who you are and this is just a post to express my thanks to you all. I found something in the wisdom, shares and advice here that is truly unique and on a level that spoke to me; Like a language of reality and the real-world (whatever that is) and it made recovery seem like something to embrace rather than be a burden. There was a fine line for me between feeling like staying in the drinking and drugging lifestyle/mindset was the only option in living a life that I wanted to live or being forced into having to think and behave in ways that made me feel like I had lost myself to something I didn't want to lose myself to.

That might not make much sense but frankly I don't care, I think what I liked about the people at SR, specifically 'Newcomers', is the way that I had freedom and didn't have to feel like I had to carefully have vetted my words and posts for fear of certain people criticising or mocking them. I could re-read my post and make sure that I made it so that it was watertight so that no matter how militant someone's recovery program was then they wouldn't be able to pick holes in it. But you know what? B*llocks to it. Much of what goes in my mind is difficult to articulate and I try to do my best.

Thanks for SR and for all of the good people who helped me and helped others so much, I will always appreciate it...

What I discovered and increasingly discover is how it's the feelings and emotions that are being medicated by alcohol that meant that drink took me down and would always take me down. It's difficult to appreciate it for a long time because it's very subtle as you also have the good-times that go with it too. It's hard also as when you're young then it can be justified, also that mental health stuff is something that you don't want to address as it's so painful and even suicide may seem like a easier option than addressing it; man, that's a b*tch of a situation to be in. For an alcoholic then it is the fact that booze was such a magic wonder drug for me and my stuff, it just worked magically very quickly. Of course it would always end in tears but I see that as being a critical reason for why booze would always take me down; it just did something magic to my mental health/head stuff and miraculously made me not care.

It can feel hard to relate to people too, I think that's a difficulty with recovery too as I see it, certainly in UK, recovery can seem boring and tedious at times and I think it can seem distant from the leyman on the street, but that's another issue and not something I'm gonna get into on SR.

Anyway thanks for the 'Newcomers' forum and to those who give their time sharing here...

Peace and Love

artsoul

Thanks for starting my morning out with that post! I got up a bit late (I think I'm more of a 10am-2am kind of person anyway), and I got my coffee and some cinnamon toast. Usually I go straight to my studio and think about what I'm going to do that day.

But this morning, I had this kind of emotional pull to come here first, to my friends/family. A wave of gratitude swept over me. Then I happened to click on your thread..... cool, huh?

I love the Newcomers section, too. I know how much each and every response meant to me when I made my first post. I want the new person to feel the same way I did - like someone cared and I wasn't alone. This place really does make a difference in people's lives and I'm so glad to be a part of it.

Well, Neo - thanks again. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!