Other high functioning alcoholics?
Guest
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 675
I have "recovered" now three times with the last relapse being somewhat of a mystery to me. I sought one on one counseling during the second recovery and this was excellent. During one of the last sessions it was suggested to me that I needed to find something to be passionate about rather than getting high which truly had become the focus of my life. In response to this I discovered my artistic side which had resided in me during all of my high times and, indeed, all my life. It was eventually expressed in woodworking and I truly found something to be passionate about. The feeling of creativity and accomplishment and satisfaction actually became the focus of my life except for my family relationships.
When I somehow fell back into oxy addiction I was able to continue with this and therefore was "high functioning" if not "functioning high." Something was gone though. My work lost a quality of feeling as well as perfection in accomplishment. I turned out some good work during those three years but the passion was gone and had been replace by being high and seeking to get there.
Now that I have "recovered" again I note that the feeling is back as well as the accomplishment, the artistry and, in fact, the passion. I feel a connection between my brain and my hands that was lost.
This is a much greater way to be high functioning. How can it so easily be lost?
When I somehow fell back into oxy addiction I was able to continue with this and therefore was "high functioning" if not "functioning high." Something was gone though. My work lost a quality of feeling as well as perfection in accomplishment. I turned out some good work during those three years but the passion was gone and had been replace by being high and seeking to get there.
Now that I have "recovered" again I note that the feeling is back as well as the accomplishment, the artistry and, in fact, the passion. I feel a connection between my brain and my hands that was lost.
This is a much greater way to be high functioning. How can it so easily be lost?
Stingy athlete recovery method
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: U. S. A.
Posts: 754
Originally Posted by Prettynoose 
First, I feel so much worse physically, emotionally and mentally than I did when I was drinking everyday. I can't work out like I used to, I feel jittery an out-of-sorts, and I am very depressed.
Since quitting in July I have been feeling strange and sometimes depressed, but my workouts are markedly better (aerobic capacity, muscle strength, flexibility).
Was I high functioning? Certain of my genes have made it easy for me to enjoy greater success than some. But I would be insane to misinterpret my measure of success as proof that I can hold my drink. Alcohol is obviously horrible for me.
True, in some circumstances one functions better on a substance. For instance, patients in extreme pain function better on morphine. So one can cherry-pick a circumstance to praise a drug, and there would be some truth to it: "aha, 0.5 oz of alcohol improves my functioning when I need to cough phlegm."
I think, however, that one needs to look at the totality of circumstances, and not do this kind of cherry-picking.
Mel
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