justhadenough

Hi James

The book is brilliant I've not seen the website. I'm just starting reading it a second time on the recommendation of an SR member who uses it. My theory is It can't do any harm and may do a lot of good. good luck.

Dazee

Glad to see you on here James. We are cheering for you!!! You can do this.

James18

For less than a tenner it's worth a shot. It would pay for itself a thousand times over if it works.

langkah, I'm just not sure AA is for me. Maybe if all else fails I'll give it a try. I realize my view of what an "alcoholic" is is quite skewed, but it's not the reason I would keep away from AA.

James18

Thanks Dazee

langkah

'langkah, I'm just not sure AA is for me. Maybe if all else fails I'll give it a try. I realize my view of what an "alcoholic" is is quite skewed, but it's not the reason I would keep away from AA.'

Perfect, James. That saves me from posting my usual 'don't waste everybody's time by going too soon' suggestions.

There's sooo much to try first, to get a good and personal basis of wide experience to draw from in understanding and accepting certain AA concepts. Without that people who go too soon often suffer from lingering doubts about what might possibly work well for them.

It can be an exciting journey in some ways...it's great that you're beginning it early in life.

James18

It doesn't feel like it! I started with drink/drugs fairly early in life and it seems like I've been doing it forever. But yeah, I see your point and am glad I've decided to make some changes now rather than later; even then I wish it had been sooner. I've had one to many brushes with bad health/injury and the law to carry on as I was.

As for AA, it's not something I'm willing to take completely off the table, that would be detrimental. I can be pretty strong willed (when I WANT to be - and I guess that's the main issue), and hopefully won't need it.

langkah

I don't doubt for even a moment that you're quite strong willed, James.

I just took a walk thinking about what I might now say to myself at 19, when I first decided it was a bad idea for me to drink because I'd had one too many brushes with bad health/injury and the law and went 2 weeks on my own steam before drinking again.

I'd tell my young self very little. The subsequent 9 exciting years had to be lived out.

lilac0721

James, I understand your struggle. I have gone 3-7days without a drink then something happens and I think "I can have just one." Then the day after having just one, I will totally tune out of my life and have just one bottle of liquor. That continues for a few days until I have an epiphany that I shouldn't be doing that to myself.

The worst thing I have ever done is to beat myself up over drinking when I don't want to. It leads me to feel hopeless and pick up again. You can do it. You are seeking support of others here on SR and there is lots of good advice here!

James18

Lol, I think my username might've given you the wrong impression - I'm 33 (it should've been "james78"). I thought you must've been way older than me with your earlier post mentioning "beginning it early in life" Looks like we got our wires crossed!

langkah

Another example of the many limitations of this medium, James. Fortunately, everything I wrote still applies perfectly though you are 15 years further along in life than I'd understood to be so.

We all have lives before sobriety and our better lives whenever sobriety may begin for us. That you're beginning this process at 33 instead of 18 only means the final amount of sober years that you'll have left available to enjoy is reduced.

Can't be helped.