Abstinence was not enough
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Abstinence was not enough
Abstinence was not enough for me. I was pretty miserable first 80 days just going to meetings and being abstinent......
But when I finally stopped doing things my way and opened up my mind to a new idea, Things began to change......
It started by going to lots of meetings. Over 200 my first 90 days. All I did was sleep and go to meetings. Didn't remember much either......
I realized that meetings were getting me sober but I was still miserable. I finally surrendered. Started working steps with a sponsor.....
Plain old abstinence was awful. I needed to fill my mind with new stuff. I needed to push out the thinking of my illness......
My problem was more then just drinking...
I realized I had a mental obssesion. followed by a physical compulsion but before that was that thing Big Book Calls the Spiritual Malady......
That inward condition often referred to as my selfishness and self centeredness. My ego.I needed instant gratification all the time......
I had to see results immediately in everything in my life. I couldn't wait for anything.....
I had to have answers and money, and strokes and I had to get really drunk really fast when I didn't get what I desired.......
I don't know if my life was unmanageable and I drank because of it or it became unmanageable as a result.....
All I know was it was unmanageable and simple abstinence was not gonna be enough.......
I had to find a new way to live. How it works in AA says "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path"......
That is a very hopeful statement folks ...
"Those who do not recover are people who can not or will not completely give themselves to this simple program".......
That was the answer. I had to give myself completely to this program if I was gonna succeed........
Best decision I ever made. Life is Good today....
I am taking suggestions from people who are staying sober .If you are new and want to get sober, please have an open mind and take suggestions...
Again Suggestions, Suggestions, Suggestions. Recovery is possible. I know and I was a total mess ask anyone......
I hurt my back the other day and I called my sponsor who is a nurse and she said take ibuprofen and use a heating pad.
Well Did I take the suggestions? No.. I sat in pain for 4 hours and finally took the suggestions. Gee her suggestion worked. my back felt better...
How often do people really take someone's suggestion when They are sick, I mean really. Have you ever had a bad cough and someone said take in steam it will help. I would say oh thanks but Heck I didn't do it. I sat and coughed my brains out for 2 days....
Or if I had a sore throat someone would say go home and have tea and honey and I would say OK thanks and then go home and eat a bag of Halls and get a stomach ache.
See we will never truly know if the program of AA works unless we actually take the suggestions laid out to us by others who are staying sober.
Here are some suggestions, they are repetitive because they work.
1.90 meetings in 90 days
2.Get a sponsor and call them daily
3.Read Literature
4.Start working the steps with your sponsor
5.Volunteer for service work in AA
These things are the things that will get you unstuck. I know you know what I am talking about. How many of you feel stuck right now? We have to get unstuck and make that first move, we have to walk through our fear...
We can do this friends, we can help eachother. I got unstuck. I got busy and put forth effort. Heck I sure put forth a lot of effort for my drugs and alcohol...
This program is the easier softer way if you are honest with yourself and much less painful than active alcoholism.
It does get better. It may seem like you will never get past where you are but I am here to say I was a chronic drunk/addict.
Jails Plural, Institutions Plural, Suicide attempts plural. took suggestions and today I am happy and sober and completely blessed.
But when I finally stopped doing things my way and opened up my mind to a new idea, Things began to change......
It started by going to lots of meetings. Over 200 my first 90 days. All I did was sleep and go to meetings. Didn't remember much either......
I realized that meetings were getting me sober but I was still miserable. I finally surrendered. Started working steps with a sponsor.....
Plain old abstinence was awful. I needed to fill my mind with new stuff. I needed to push out the thinking of my illness......
My problem was more then just drinking...
I realized I had a mental obssesion. followed by a physical compulsion but before that was that thing Big Book Calls the Spiritual Malady......
That inward condition often referred to as my selfishness and self centeredness. My ego.I needed instant gratification all the time......
I had to see results immediately in everything in my life. I couldn't wait for anything.....
I had to have answers and money, and strokes and I had to get really drunk really fast when I didn't get what I desired.......
I don't know if my life was unmanageable and I drank because of it or it became unmanageable as a result.....
All I know was it was unmanageable and simple abstinence was not gonna be enough.......
I had to find a new way to live. How it works in AA says "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path"......
That is a very hopeful statement folks ...
"Those who do not recover are people who can not or will not completely give themselves to this simple program".......
That was the answer. I had to give myself completely to this program if I was gonna succeed........
Best decision I ever made. Life is Good today....
I am taking suggestions from people who are staying sober .If you are new and want to get sober, please have an open mind and take suggestions...
Again Suggestions, Suggestions, Suggestions. Recovery is possible. I know and I was a total mess ask anyone......
I hurt my back the other day and I called my sponsor who is a nurse and she said take ibuprofen and use a heating pad.
Well Did I take the suggestions? No.. I sat in pain for 4 hours and finally took the suggestions. Gee her suggestion worked. my back felt better...
How often do people really take someone's suggestion when They are sick, I mean really. Have you ever had a bad cough and someone said take in steam it will help. I would say oh thanks but Heck I didn't do it. I sat and coughed my brains out for 2 days....
Or if I had a sore throat someone would say go home and have tea and honey and I would say OK thanks and then go home and eat a bag of Halls and get a stomach ache.
See we will never truly know if the program of AA works unless we actually take the suggestions laid out to us by others who are staying sober.
Here are some suggestions, they are repetitive because they work.
1.90 meetings in 90 days
2.Get a sponsor and call them daily
3.Read Literature
4.Start working the steps with your sponsor
5.Volunteer for service work in AA
These things are the things that will get you unstuck. I know you know what I am talking about. How many of you feel stuck right now? We have to get unstuck and make that first move, we have to walk through our fear...
We can do this friends, we can help eachother. I got unstuck. I got busy and put forth effort. Heck I sure put forth a lot of effort for my drugs and alcohol...
This program is the easier softer way if you are honest with yourself and much less painful than active alcoholism.
It does get better. It may seem like you will never get past where you are but I am here to say I was a chronic drunk/addict.
Jails Plural, Institutions Plural, Suicide attempts plural. took suggestions and today I am happy and sober and completely blessed.
That bell or bike person
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: london
Posts: 4,978
Id drunk for so long that i needed some perspective/tools on dealing with life's issues sober . luckily the tools i'd learned when i thought my way out of "clinical" depression in my 20's helped, SR is helpful too ,
I'm glad AA worked for you,
Bestwishes, M
I'm glad AA worked for you,
Bestwishes, M
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