RobbyRobot

Its not about being stupid, it's about being controlling, and we're all guilty of that when it comes to getting sober, okay?

I tried for years to have someway to get that drink and not be responsible for the consequences which always came with that next drink sooner or later. It never worked out for me. Sobriety is best with zero alcohol, and second best is just not good enough when it comes down to alcoholism.

I hope you reconsider being at SR.

LosingmyMisery

Sorry you feel the need to leave, Switchboard. I don't believe people said what they did to chase you away. They stated their opinion based on their experiences. Sorry if you didn't like what was said. For myself, I stated what I did to save others from a huge nightmare, not create one. Bottom line, sobriety is based on abstaining from alcohol. You are likely to encounter some static if you support anything other than abstinence. Even if it was only a small amount. Small amounts can lead to dangerous amounts for most of us. Don't get angry. Hopefully you can see it for what it is, a warning to others who are toying with the notion of drinking "just" a little.

Terminally Unique

This thread has been very enlightening. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Frankie12

Actionpack,

Your previous sober date is Dec. 2nd. I can understand that you were proud of the 3 + weeks sobriety you had accomplished. So now you simply start again, on Dec. 26th, it is not that much of a big deal, in my opinion at least.

The bigger questions here are;

1) Do you plan to make some changes in the kinds of people you hang around with?
If someone slipped alcohol into my drink, knowing I was struggling to stay sober, I certainly wouldn't consider them friends, nor would I want to have them in my life any longer.

3) Why are you now drinking Vodka? This is only making matters worse and is much more likely to pull you back into a full prolonged relapse. Dump the Vodka and start again today!!

You can do it!!....if you really want to.

RobbyRobot

Totally.

You know, once I had started drinking that drink, I was never sure when I could quit. It really was beyond me to just pick a day to quit and make it happen just because I wanted it to be that chosen day. I really was beyond controlling my drinking in those last end times.

I'm not slammin' what your saying Frankie, okay? its very positive, you know! It's also true though that we can't always just quit when we want to either, even if we really want to... and I thought that for this thread in particular, that should be noted.

Taking that next drink is always always an unknown journey that is impossible for the alcoholic to control.

Frankie12

Robbie,
Thank you for your concern, but I don't allow myself to be slammed easily. I am strong enough in my beliefs that I am able to allow others to have their opinion and their perspective and still maintain mine and be happy to disagree.

I believe that for most of us, true change doesn't happen until we are really ready and want that change to happen.
The original post in this thread suggested that AP made a conscious decision to pick up the Vodka to avoid a hangover (his own words) That to me indicates thought process, followed by choice, aka Free Will.

RobbyRobot

That's way cool, Frankie. I appreciate your words and opinion too.

To me, the alcoholic mind caused the decision process to pickup that vodka, all happening within an alcoholic delusion caused from the illness of alcoholism soaked in denial, and so alas, no free will.

Alcoholism makes a prisoner of the alcoholic - loss of free choice is a constant consequence of alcoholism while drinking alcohol or otherwise under its effects.

Good to know we can disagree and still be true to ourselves. Cheers!

Dee74

Hi act10n

I think there's been two bits of good advice in this thread - look carefully at the people you're surrounding yourself with, and stop drinking - now. Take whatever positive steps you need to.

I know you're scared of withdrawal but every day that goes by and you're still drinking? that withdrawal will get worse.

If you're really worried about it - go and see your Dr for help through the withdrawal process

D

Frankie12

I would like to share with you a story I read in "Freedom From Addiction" (Deepak Chopra & David Simon). I apologize in advance if this is a lengthy post.

"There is a story about a man who was looking for a new town to which he could relocate. He visited the wise elder of a village and asked, "What types of people live in this place?" The elder asked, "What types of people live in the place you are from?" The man replied, "Very difficult. They were never there when you needed them. They were always looking for a handout and couldn't be trusted." The elder responded, "You'll find the same types of people in this town." Hearing this, the man continued his search.

Soon another man looking to relocate visited the village. He too sought out the wise elder and a similar conversation transpired. When asked about the people in the town he left, the man replied, "My former town people were delightful. They were honest, trustworthy and always ready to lend a hand. The wise elder affirmed that he would likely find the same types of people in this town."

With our thoughts we create our world.

I can see myself, and others, as people that are capable of learning to make healthy choices for themselves, however hard and troubled by setbacks that learning process may be. And we may need help. To me, that is starting point of achieving personal growth and empowerment, and a life meaningful to me and those I choose to share it with.

Or, alternately I can see myself as a person no longer capable of learning to make healthy choices, "surrendering" myself to personal powerlessness. To me that is a starting point to a life of quiet desperation.

Dee74

I think it's best we leave the vexed question of choice/powerlessness for another thread and focus on the OP guys

thanks
D

RobbyRobot

Thanks for that share, your related example story really brings it home, Frankie.

Although I dont sign on for the understanding that "with our thoughts we create our world", I do agree that with our thoughts we create our personal choices in whatever world we live in.

I hear you, Frankie. Settling for a life of quiet desperation would indeed be a horrible life to live. I'm not myself living a life of powerlessness though, even though I agree with the philosophy of the illness of alcoholism.

Simply enough for me, I am powerless while under the influence of alcoholism (the alcoholic mind) and as well of course, while drinking alcohol itself. So for me, my alcoholism must be arrested, or otherwised stopped, made stilled and un-powered, if you will.

While spiritually sober, I am absolutely not powerless, and as a matter of truth, I am even more powerful now, as a thinking and feeling person than at anytime while drinking or otherwise thinking within my past alcoholic mind and life.

I want you to know Frankie, I did not initially believe what I am now saying when I first last stopped drinking. I just understood enough to know I didn't want to die drunk. I didn't even care enough to want sobriety for myself, it was really well beyond me at the time, really impossible for me to "think about sobriety." I was pretty well beat up, you know, by my alcoholism. I required a 30 day supervised detox and a 2 month rehab stay before I began to even understand what I'm talking about today. Changing out my alcoholic mind for my sober mind took time and effort and personal choices which all lead to me living a spiritual sober life.

For me, I did surrender to the truth of my alcoholism with an unvarnished simplicity: accept my alcoholism as an illness beyond all human succor, or else die as a drunk drunkard. I surrendered. I did not surrender to personal powerlessness, and perhaps you can see what I'm saying for myself.

I see that you have gottten sober this month of December, Frankie!! WAY AWESOME!!

Be true to yourself, as you are, and the life you want will be the life you live, has been my experience all these years since my last drunk. Good sharing with you, Frankie.



edit: sorry this was being composed as Dee just posted we move on and I posted without knowing about his suggestion. Feel free to delete, of course.

Frankie12

Dee, thanks for the reminder.

Squizz

OP, I just find it somewhat hard to believe that you couldn't tell there was alcohol in your drink.

When I'm not drinking, I can smell the stuff from a mile away.

Heck, a couple of weeks ago, I brought a co-worker to the corner store at lunch break. He sat in my car, and the first thing I blurted out was, "Dave man, have you been drinking?"

You must have known SOMETHING was up.

And if people are putting alcohol in your drink, I'd suggest picking your friends wiser.

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but this story sounds extremely strange to me.

Either one of two things was going on here:

1)You knew what was going on, and did nothing to prevent it.

or

2)You didn't know what was going on, and your friends aren't really friends at all.

One way or the other, it's not a good situation, and one that needs to be addressed IMMEDIATELY.

Terminally Unique

What I find interesting is that this thread has 42 posts so far, but only two are from ACT10Npack.

Dee74

I've removed several posts that either contravened rule 4 or responded to those posts.


I'd like to hear from the OP too - whats happening act10n?

D

JimH

Op, If you fell off the horse, the reason doesn't really mater as long as you get back on. This is for the long term and peer pressure is one of the hardest things. Brush it off and move on. And No you don't have to wean off of 6 drinks. Man up.
Oh and by the way. This is the worst place to bring that kind of story. Most of us have lied to ourselves and others at some point. Yours is no different. Many have also quit, only to falter after a period of sobriety.

Welcome to the club.

DanielR9

it doesnt matter what happened in the past. We are all day to day proppersitions and can only stay sober 1 day at a time.Just accept what has happened and try to get back on track