JADIII

<div>Hey all, hope all is well.&nbsp; I've posted before about HA and I know it hits some of us harder than others.&nbsp; Personally, it's something that has really screwed up my life on a daily basis. I've "had" cancer, MS, ALS, diabetes, you name it and I've either had it or will have it soon which is a horrid way to live (trust me).&nbsp; So what I've always done in the past is grab a few drinks which made everything go away (for an hour or so) but then the next day, it was worse.&nbsp; I know what I'm saying is old hat for most of you but if it can help one person when I say this that temporarily relief is so not worth it as it really does double the next morning and you have a new disease to worry about.&nbsp; <br></div><div><br></div><div>For me, I'm on day 3 and while I feel a little better than day 1 I know it's going to be a while before I'm back at square one.&nbsp; <br></div><div><br></div><div>For people that had/have HA and booze fixed the issue, how did you manage to white knuckle through this even though you knew "relief" was a short drive away.&nbsp; Oddly, there were times that I would go to the liquor store and buy a bottle and I didn't even drink it yet and I felt better just having it.&nbsp; I mean like I was already buzzed.&nbsp; That's scary.</div><div><br></div><div>I read a quote in here somewhere that says, you spent five years walking into the woods, its going to take more than a day to walk out.&nbsp; I'm trying to work on that now.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks<br> </div>

Anna

I'm sorry, I don't know what HA is, but I do know drinking makes everything worse. I hope you continue to take care of yourself.

Steely

Are we back on deck yet? &nbsp;

Gottalife

<div>I think HA = health anxiety. I call it fear, and I have a bit going on right now. The answer to fear is faith. That is something I have observed and experienced, and I built my faith first through the steps, then maintained through working with others (faith without works is dead), and that has got me through everything that has come my way so far.</div><div><br></div><div>The most frightened person I have ever seen was a man with no faith at his passing. I have been with a few who have passed with faith, and they all showed incredible courage, selflessness, dignity and grace, even serenity.</div><div><br></div><div>The first example was the most beautiful young lady I met briefly in my early recovery. Her name was Bindy. She had been sober an incredible length of time (to me) something between 6 and 12 months. Bindy was diagnosed with terminal leukemia.&nbsp; <br></div><div><br></div><div>I had just turned 23. I guess she was about 25. I guess no one would have blamed her if she reached for a drink, but to my amazement, she didn't. Instead she reached for a Salvation Army uniform and spent her remaining months in service to others. <br></div><div><br></div><div>My sponsor also died after a long illness. He had a saying which he lived, and is still with me today. "Through adversity, we grow."</div><div><br></div><div>Faith is a powerful thing.<br></div>

awuh1

Much of what I was about to write was just said by Gottalife. Anxiety is just another word for a lower level of fear. I think it's important to examine fears, as difficult as that my be. The process of doing so can be quite revealing. The steps of AA provide one way, but there are others. The fear of death is typically the most fear inducing thing most of us ever face. Fortunately I've had a glimpse of the other side and that is no longer a reason for me to worry. I must confess that the pain which could precede my passing is a source of anxiety, but even that is outside my control, so to dwell on it seems a little pointless.<div>There is a book which I think you might greatly benefit from reading. It's called "Mans search for meaning" by the author of this quote. He said "suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning".</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img src=""></div>