soberlife123

Hi guys,

been sober for a while and had a large slip. Thought I was good. Turns out I'm not. I love my job, so much, criminal defence lawyer and relatively young at 32, i love my job and it's blossoming, I have SO many opportunities. I don't want to lose that or my life. A stupid slip. I'll reset my sobriety date tomorrow. Bleh! so disappointed!!!!!!

Dee74

Welcome back

a slip needn't be the end of the world - if you learn from the mistake

Whatever your recovery plan looks like, it seems pretty obvious you need a better one - can you think of things to add soberlife?

D

soberlife123

I'm so scared in my profession and in my area to go to AA, i thought I didn't need it, I felt that slip coming and I reached out to my old addiction counsellor but then didn't follow up, and then it happened. EUGH i've never had so much time under my belt

soberlife123

If it makes it better I poured everything else down the sink

then hated myself and am not leaving this room lol

EndGameNYC

Home | ILAA

Fluffer

Sorry about your troubles. I don't know what state you are in, but in California and others they have a special group for lawyers with substance abuse issues where you will avoid getting in trouble with the bar if you go to them proactively before getting in trouble with the law. It's not exactly unheard of for lawyers to have problems with the bottle.

One thing that I have heard is that you must not expose your weaknesses to criminal defendant clients, who may not be nice people. I have heard of several addicted criminal defense lawyers who agreed to take payment in drugs from their clients and were later prosecuted when their clients turned on them and offered them up to the prosecutor in exchange for leniency in other matters. One of them, after getting out of prison disbarred ended up living under the freeway in a homeless camp and injecting speed. Yikes. But he did manage to get clean and now gives lectures on the topic.

DuhDave

It's Ok...just get back on the wagon...first thing in the morning !

DD

soberclover

I have one of those type of jobs too that my drinking would make very precarious. For me, I use that fact as ONE of the solid reasons why I don't consider myself a "drinker" anymore. I put sticky notes all over the mirror at my home and in my car to give myself subtle reminders. I also find that going to an AA meeting is a huge reminder why drinking isn't an option....lots of good going on in those rooms. I don't go all the time, but when I'm feeling like a case of the "I'm a big girl and I can do whatever I darn well please" coming on I go

Chuck39

Here's the admirable thing. You acknowledged it for what it was ... a bad decision. And you came clean and shared here. It's all about the accountability. And you learned something along the way. I continue to do great wracking up sober weeks, sometimes months, and then for reasons that continue to elude me decide one more binge sounds like a good idea. It never is ... and one of these days I'll get that through my thick skull. Thank you for being honest ... it helps to know there are folks out there in the very same boat.

IOAA2

Hi.

I’m not in favor of special AA groups but in certain vocational backgrounds I think it’s necessary. I was once at a meeting and a brand new person introduced himself as “I’m judge so and so” and he was well known in the area. Never saw him again at a meeting and I know he’s sober so he must have been informed about the professional meetings.

BE WELL

PurpleKnight

Don't beat yourself up, learn from it, tweak your plan and keep moving forward!!

You can do this!!

fini

Thought I was good. Turns out I'm not. ....... A stupid slip.

soberlife,
a "stupid slip" is evidence of lacking something vital to ongoing sobriety. (yes, i know, duh, self-evident)
finding out you're not "good", as in having solid sobriety, gives you the opportunity to build a better foundation now that you know you don't have it.

don't shy away from that, and you'll find a way that works for you.

BruceSA

Keep on going, adjust your plan where necessary and never give up!
It's possible, admire you for admitting your slip and getting right back up.
You can do it!!

Wastinglife

I can understand why you may avoid regular AA meetings. Law is a profession where reputation is vitally important. I suppose you are also likely to run into clients at AA.

I come from a family of professionals, lawyers and doctors, and alcohol abuse is a common thread in my family on both sides. I kknow there are recovery groups specifically for people in the legal field.

Anna

It's okay to be disappointed with your slip, but don't hate yourself. That will cause more harm than good.

You know that you can always check in here and read and be inspired. There's always someone around.

Ruby2

Hang in there. I'm a lawyer too and I attend one meeting in particular that has a good number of other lawyers attending. Alcoholism seems to be a vocational hazard. Find out if your state licensing or local bar association has a group for lawyers in recovery. They may have more resources available. It was a slip, not the end of the world. You're back here. You can do it.