Notices

first AA -- didn't feel right

Old 06-21-2011, 12:08 AM
  # 21 (permalink)  
Re-Member
 
Itchy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
I used AA for my first three months sober, and now just visit as they are friends every couple of months or so.

AA is certainly not the only way, but for many the only personal eyeball to eyeball support locally that they can afford. I also don't think AA is the only way or even necessary for some.

A doctor helping and/or a counselor or rehab or group thrapy etc all can be local support to succeed.

When I read someone saying they are not telling anybody and cannot go to AA for whatever reason and not going to a hospital and for goodness sakes can't tell anybody, well, with no plan except what hasn't worked a million times before what are the chances?

Here at SR wasn't enough for me, I needed to get my local team working with me too. Between the folks here and at SR I have some deep debts of gratitude and a lot of friends to boot. Talk about a win win, and I am sober? WooHoo! Hope you find your recovery plan that works for you too.
Itchy is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 03:47 AM
  # 22 (permalink)  
FBL
non-drinker
 
FBL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 13,795
I've been sober for 2 years without any formal "program". Lots of options out there, AA is just one of them.
FBL is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 04:21 AM
  # 23 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,095
Meetings aren't something I attend to feel better or when I'm feeling like drinking. They are a place to share with others how we have recovered from alcoholism. The 'how' to do that is contained in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. "Here are the Steps we took..."

If I'm looking for a meeting as a place to hide, or a place to make me feel better, I'm certain to be disappointed. Hopefully, a meeting is a place full of recovered alcoholics who can share with you how they got that way. Are you like them when it comes to booze? OK, here is what they did to get over it. Simple.
keithj is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 04:55 AM
  # 24 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Martinsville, Ohio
Posts: 79
Talking That's an honest impression

And thank you for posting it. I felt the same way. Twenty years later I am attending AA every chance I get because the meetings work and my method did not.

I drank through all the stages of alcoholism until it started to make me sick physically in each binge. I feel annual physicals have kept me alive. When my liver enzymes became elevated I started to get serious about my disease.

I still had to go to rehab to learn more about my disease and be carted to a meeting every day. Now I go on my own and it is key to my sobriety by making sober friends with the same disease. I can tell on myself there now and get good advice but it took a few weeks to get comfortable. I listened and kept coming back.

Now I would get a phone call if I didn't show up. I have to call my sponsor first before I think about drinking again. I promised him I would on my first meeting. He told me I am helping him stay sober as much as he is helping me. I am starting to see that.

I am puzzled how people can get and stay sober with just AA. It took rehab to get me there. My disease is serious and my thinking is really powerfully screwed up because I ran the show all my life. Now I can't, it didn't work well enough to keep me sober and I am a much better person sober.

I can't say I am totally happy yet but it will take awhile if I ever am. At least I am sober and have a program, something I never had in 40 years of drinking.

We each have to learn our own way or this disease will kill us. I am seeing that more every day. I don't scoff at it anymore like I did all my life.

Oh I can quit anytime I want to. What a lie, I couldn't.
farmer is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 09:05 AM
  # 25 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Merritt Island, Fl
Posts: 1,164
Of course it doesnt "feel right" Sobriety is the most unnatural feeling early sobriety. Just sayin...
stugotz is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 09:38 AM
  # 26 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 507
I can relate, Serious. I don't go to meetings more than twice a week or so and I'm content with that. I don't particularly enjoy them but I also never feel worse after I leave. I too don't feel like I fit in (there's some meetings with very clear "groups", like high school or something!). I use them as a reminder of my disease and a place where I can sit and think about my recovery without distraction. What I find more helpful is the aftercare groups I attend regularly at the place I did outpatient rehab, my weekly or twice weekly therapy sessions and conversations several times a week with my sponsor.
From what I understand, sober coaches are becoming more and more popular with people in recovery and, if you can afford it, might be a great option. However, I definitely encourage you to give AA a chance. Go to different meetings, go at different times of the day if you can and try to get something out of each one. And get a sponsor, they help a lot!
silly is offline  
Old 06-21-2011, 09:55 AM
  # 27 (permalink)  
Member
 
bratnik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 426
Serious - not highjacking your thread, but it's getting a lot of mileage and I wanted to post a question, since we both went yesterday as newbies..

This could be my own paranoia and insecurity - but maybe this is what hindered me from continuing to go the last time. I felt like all eyes were on me and that people were "sizing me up" or even forming immediate judgements of me. There were folks there that had sobriety dates 30+ years ago - most people were sober at least 6 months (and this was a Newcomers meeting). I don't know, I just felt very very insecure. I told one guy I had been to a meeting before, but then I wanted to say it was my first because for me, my mind was really in it, so I raised my hand and walked up and got the coin. I said my wrong sobriety date and then corrected it. Do these people think I'm a liar? Do they already think I'm going to fail?

I know, I'm crazy. Any thoughts anyone can share would be great. Did anyone else feel this way when they first started going??
bratnik is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:08 AM.