Bijou

Hi Landmine,

I went to my first meeting yesterday, after waking up that morning from a night of binge drinking and pretty much regretting my actions, which of course was one of many. I finally had to admit to myself that I needed help. I found a meeting (all women) got there about 10 minutes early and was shaking out of the fear of the unknown. I was scared, wanted to start my car and drive off. I forced myself to walk into the meeting and was welcomed with open arms. Of course I burst in to tears pretty much the whole time and did not once feel weird about it.
.
The warmth and support you will get from people who are going through the same thing as you is encouraging. As a matter of fact, several of the women gave me their direct number and asked me to call them for anything, I actually did speak to one of them today. I left knowing that I made the right decision to become healthy. I went to my second meeting today at another location (still women) and was recieved in the same exact way. You won't regret your decision to go, I promise you!
Good Luck!!

alaskasunshine

And keep coming back! I am so glad I did. I have a wonderful home group who know me better than my family. And they took me back time after time after time. I did the 4 day cycle too. I "forget" the misery after a few 24 hours and I always come up with an idea, a new way to not get drunk. And I usually dont get to blitzed on the first day or two. But then its back and then some.

ttbp

Well done for going. You've made a really positive step xx

CarolD

I was not thrilled when I started AA...but away I went...and there I have stayed..now a recovered alcoholic..

Try thinking of meetings as classrooms for learning how to live sober and well. The more often I went...the quicker I learned...

Good to see some SR members are checking out AA.....
It remains an awesome adventure for me.

TallWater

How does it work so well for you, I've tried a few meetings and it felt off?

goodcheer

i am so happy for you landminesgirl...what an achievement. i went to my first meeting last weekend. couldn't find the right door to the church, each one was locked until i got to the last one and went in. i was buzzed and feeling ashamed and just went in and found a chair. just walking through the door was so huge for me. at my second meeting, i shared some of my experience and received so much warm support. i pray you will find acceptance at your meeting. the support, and feeling that i am not alone, is so helpful.

i drank so much wine at home on sunday too...picked a fight with my family, woke up sick with a hangover and had to make amends with everyone. i keep hoping and praying...maybe that was my last hangover, ever. it would be such a miracle.

sending you strength and support. hang in there.

Taking5

Tallwater -

How many groups did you try? Every group is different and has its own personality. Try several groups until you find one you like. Try them more than once. See what you think after "more tham a few" AA meetings. We all know what "more than a few" drinks will do to us.

Threshold

This is SO important, and so important that you recognize it. Many of us focus on the fact that we drank/used...again. While you are looking at the positive, that each time you go longer and longer before you "need" a drink. One of these days I am confident that you will realize that you never need to drink again. That was one of the most powerful things that was said to me my first meeting, a recovering addict looked me in the eye and said "you never have to use again" and I believed him. Now, I did CHOOSE to use again, but it wasn't the same, because I knew, without a doubt that I didn't HAVE to use, I chose to. It took a lot of the romance out of it.

12 step programs address this very issue. By working the steps we find out exactly why we "relapse", why we drank/used in the first place, and then we learn principles and tools so that we don't repeat that cycle again.

The decision to identify as an addict is a big one. Then one day we decide we are going to stop using, that's huge too. Then, hopefully, we actively seek recovery, another important step. Then we apply recovery to our lives, Doing something different always feels awkward at first.

Realizing that you've already made some huge decisions and actions towards your recovery, may make it easier to take the next one, after all, the first ones weren't so bad, now were they?

dizzydolphin

After reading all you inputs I'm going this evening to an NA meeting. Thanks for the inspiration.

Toreinne

The most important thing to remember is, even if people seem to have it together at the meeting, we're all crazy drunks. We share the same insanity. There's nothing that you've done that we haven't, and some much, much worse. And everyone started at day one. Get a sponsor asap and let him or her be your decision maker for a while...if our judgement was spot on we wouldn't be here right now!