CODPlayer

Hi I'm Chris, an alcoholic.

I was never comfortable sharing, but I know keeping it inside isn't good.

I'm dealing with unemployment, divorce, addiction. It's hard right now, but I know it can and will get better. I just have to do the work.

I hope anyone else struggling doesn't give up hope, too.

biminiblue

Are you ready to stop drinking for good?

CODPlayer

I am. But I'm lacking the discipline. But I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

CODPlayer

I know a sponsor is a must. For me.

biminiblue

Where do you think you will find that discipline?

*edit, ah, a Sponsor. (we cross-posted)
If that's the plan, how many meetings are you going to?

Anna

Hi Chris,

You are dealing with a lot, and I'm sure you know that being sober will be a great help in getting through this time.

Do you have a plan for what you can do each day to help you stop drinking?

LumenandNyx

Hi there,

Just an FYI - staying sober isn't like going to the gym or doing something else where the behavior is learned. There's no math involved to stay sober. Sobriety and Recovery (two different things) require commitment. That's it. Don't swallow alcohol. Drink something else.

What I know for myself to be true is that I discovered the hard way that I want my sobriety AND my recovery more than I want air (almost). I am its savage protector - like a Mama bear with her cubs. Nothing - absolutely nothing gets in the way of maintaining my abstinence from alcohol. That stuff is poison and all it does is compound the difficulty of things that are already difficult enough without it.

CODPlayer

I don't have a plan, but yes I need one.

CODPlayer

In the past the Big Book and bible worked for me.

CRRHCC

My guess is that you might feel better after having posted here.
Sharing with another human can be empowering, because you have taken a direct healthy action to reverse feelings of being helpless, trapped, powerless and out of control. Alcoholics have learned to temporarily regain control of their helpless feelings or emotions with a displaced quick fix or mood changer of alcohol. We can learn more direct ways to escape the trap of helplessness when we understand the specific circumstances that promote our helpless feelings. When confronted with circumstances in life that are important to us and are intolerable and overwhelming, we all try and escape this helpless feeling! Addictions are all about our emotions and how we regain control of our feelings. When we use direct healthy behaviors to regain control there is no addiction. When we develop values and purpose in life that don't jive with getting wasted, we stop getting wasted. Sharing is a good example.
Keep up the posting/sharing. :-)

CODPlayer

CRRHCC thank you. I know, I need to share and it's against my comfortable zone. I need to change that.

CODPlayer

And I will try.

CODPlayer

I won't try, I will do it. At AA meetings I hated sharing because I thought I would make a $%# out of myself. But I know no one will judge.

CODPlayer

I think all of us have a similar story.

CODPlayer

I need to open up and let it out.

Takeaction

Good job on being here and posting! I’ve known about my problems with alcohol for over ten years. I’ve tried to be sober on numerous occasions and never followed through. I’ve been sober for 12 days and it’s nice to have a clear head! Post when you’re thinking of drinking! I do and the people here at SR have put things in perspective for me. I know I don’t want to drink and that’s why I’m here. We can do this!

MaximusD

Have you checked out the AA forum on here?

CODPlayer

I will check it out, thank you.