Lost3000

I'm sorry Tara. I suspect you are not alone at all, that there are many who feel like you. And I'm sure you don't regret your kids one bit. With sobriety I know you'll find a better relationship with them, better than whatever you have now.

I mention that book because it's the second I read that really touched me. I saw myself in a lot of her (Brenda Wilhelmson). I don't have kids and I'm not a housewife but still, so much of what she went through I've been through and am going through right now.

I'm so glad you are going to a meeting. I can honestly say it's the best thing I chose to do when realizing I had a real problem. Trust me when I tell you it won't hurt your career one bit - I too was terrified of that. It's actually made it much stronger. And I've made friends who are in my field, and that's a nice feeling. Knowing they are like me, and doing what I do, helps me soooo much.

I had a lot of mis- and pre-conceptions about AA. But I finally got to this point where I thought, to heck with it. I want to get sober, I want to be one of those 20+ people who are sober. And they did it via AA, so I'm going to do it too. Whether they are a bunch of Christian nut jobs or not. haha, seriously, that's what I thought. Good luck.

Lost3000

Tara - check your email!!

Lost3000

I've met more attorneys lately than I imagined would be in AA. I'm a paralegal. A few weeks ago I ran into a judge at an AA mtg. And now our paths are converging as we meet for coffee, and then often see each other in court or at client meetings. What a small world.

ACT10Npack

As long as you stay sober then you should not have a problem with your small town.

soberlicious

I am a teacher. My county approved my leave for rehab...so no secrets there. How open you want to be about your problems with drinking is entirely up to you and as others have stated, there are many ways to recover. If you do want to go to AA, I say just go. Remember that of your co-workers, administators, and parents, certainly a fair number are or were addicted themselves. As we all know, addiction does not discriminate. Personally, anyone who makes a judgement on someone addressing their addiction in this day and age has got to be a full blown idiot who has lived under a rock. This touches lives EVERYWHERE. The stigma will only go away when the secrecy goes away. That said, I am well aware of others need/desire for anonymity, and I fully respect that, I just don't hold that opinion for me. Best to you on your journey.