Chris2011

Just saw a commercial...counselor said that nobody quits until they are ready...it is his job to get them ready. Perhaps you experienced folks here can be that person to us beginners....

stanleyhouse

I wish I had a time machine that would send people in active addiction forward in time so that they could spend a week in late stage alcoholism.
It's hard to explain the alcohol poisioning/withdrawal cycle until you experience it but if you could you may choose to quit before more damage occurs.
SH

NoelleR

I dunno about being 'ready,' but I do know for a fact that folks have to want to quit, more than they want to drink/pick-up.....

.......But let's take the term 'ready' as in totally ready to quit, and go on from there.....I hate to tell ya, but there ain't no counselor, no psychologist, no psychiatrist, no addiction therapist, nope, nobody that has that kind of power. 'They' didn't have the power to make us drink/use, the certainly don't have the power to make us quit, no matter how well-intentioned 'they' may be.

Now, this is not to say that all these folks, including us who have gone before and are here to share our experiences in recovery, to share our strength to all newcomers, to show the hope that is there for all who grab for it. Getting clean/sober is up to the individual himself/herself, along with all the help from all of us here on SR; or the folks in AA/NA meetings, and lets not forget about all those counselors, all those psychologists, all those psychiatrists, all those addiction therapists, etc., etc., etc......!!!

Yes, Chris2011, all us experienced folks here are here for you; you just stay strong. Soooooooooo, what kind of a recovery program are you going after, Chris2011.....AA or NA or SMART or Rational Recovery or LifeRing or Celebrate Recovery or Alcoholics Victorious, or, or, or, heck, there's a whole passel of ways to get and stay clean/sober. Check em out and see which one works for you......

We're all here rootin fer ya, Chris2011, welcome aboard busride to pardise......


(o:
NoelleR

CarolD

Had my drinking not slid me into alcoholism and turned me into a
woman I detested....I would not have found AA recovery .

Following that idea...I can only share what is working for me
in the hope it will benefit someone else....

I don't know if I will watch the new show or not...but I did this....
by sarting my AA Steps I had a shift in perception
from often shakey sobriety into solid recovery....

I've not battled alcohol nor returned to drinking for years.

ste

With this post I feel no need to share my personal experience. If you want to pay for/spend your time with a counselor, IMHO they will "enlighten" you as to your own experiences, as you relate them. They will ask some hard questions, to make you think.

Why do you think you did that? Could you have responded in a better way? Who do you think is responsible for this/that? What were the consequences of your decision/actions?

Ask yourself, are you ready? Why not? Takes some serious soul searching that many cannot do alone. There are non-profit organizations to help, as well as counselors.

Chris2011

Personally, I don't think it is a question of notbeing"ready"...but more about learning or being coached on how to handle being vulnerable at certain times...times when you give in without really "thinking" about the known consequences.

March7

Chris, the way I'm looking at it this morning is like I'm trying to train a wild horse. (I've never done that so I'm just imagining what it would be like)
The only thing that is going to get this darn horse to calm down and behave is persistence and continuous effort. Every time I give up and say "ah, screw it, I'll just ride the horse now" I get thrown off, the horse gets more wild and dangerous, and it hurts more each time. So even when the horse is being calm I can't be fooled that he is tame. He is a wild horse.
I guess what I'm saying with my silly metaphor is that I think the days where I lose sight of the consequences, or simply stop caring about them, are the days when I MOST need to strengthen my resolve, despite the fact that it goes against my own thoughts and "logic". My logic is broken.
As far as SR, counselors, or any outsiders "getting me ready"... I think it's ALL helpful. But I am the one logging on here and reading and posting. So I am in fact getting myself ready, I guess??? I dunno. I can listen to people give me instructions on how to train the wild horse, how they trained theirs, what worked and what didn't, but in the end I'm stuck with him, I have to train him, and I'm going to figure out what works for ms through trial and error.
Just a bunch of thoughts.

Aysha

Nobody can make anyone else ready. If it were that easy, we would all be sober and clean and lving wonderful lives.
I know for me, Not even the love and pain I caused my familywas enough for me to stop.
It is the counselors job to educate people about their addiciton and how to acheive recovery. But if that person isnt ready to listen, work hard and really put in the effort that it takes. Then all that is falling on deaf ears.
I have a million and on ereasons why using is bad. I have had even more reaons to be ready. But I just wasnt feeling it deep inside like alot of people need to in order to succeed.
And I would rather I be the one who wants to be ready instead of someone else making me. It just seems to mean more then.

MsCooterBrown

I was ready once drinking daily turned on me with a vengence. Dry heaving and feeling like a nutcase every morning did it for me. I worked long and hard at it. Gave it 30 yrs..now..I am living life on MY terms. No more control and domination.