Phinneas

I am stunned and angered by this thread. Let's do a quick spot check on motives here. OK, I will. My intent for posting my first reply was to offer support, hope and a solution to the newcomer, to the person who still suffers. My intent in posting my second response was to point out that this disease KILLS and that taking the thread off track from the original hope-filled message is simply not ok based on the potential harm it can do to that person who still suffers.

If you're new, please understand that there is hope, there is a solution and that we do recover. People will be people wherever we go, so please don't let this thread or anything else you read here disuade you from seeking recovery.

bartender129

You are one hundred percent correct Phin. There is hope. The cool part is that there are many solutions and choices in how one goes about recovering. So it is important for people to understand that if you try a Recovery Program, and find that it's not for you, there are alternatives. The important thing is to keep trying and find something that works so that you are not stuck with the misery. It is very important not to give up.

Little Missy

When I first went to AA, I was so scared. I'd post here to friends and have them tell me it was going to be ok. Just get your butt in the door!!

Many times, I'd get in the door and sit there and cry. I'd then get up and walk out. Only to drive around the block and go back in. I'd make the coffee and then go get money for beer, come back and sit on the curb and cry!! These people always helped me. I was asking for life and they showed me the way, asking nothing in return!!

One time when I walked in, they could see I was in a bad way. The chair person looked right at me and asked if anyone had a burning desire to drink. I just laughed and said,"yeah, anybody want to go with me!!" They laughed and gave me a hug. It was then that I actually said those words!! "I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE!!"

I'm not sure when I finally started "getting" the program. I continue to work on myself daily. What an amazing life I have now!! Even on my not so good days, I couldn't ask for anything more!! Today, I am sober!! Thanks to my HP, AA, and SR!!

I wish for everyone the peace, love, and joy, that sobriety brings!!

Love to all,
Missy

doorknob

Minnie, I felt the same way too. I'm kind of used to it though.

DK

Don S

That is true, Phinneas. Relapse is common but it isn't inevitable. People who achieve longterm sobriety, regardless of the program they choose (if any)....
--make a firm commitment to sobriety;
--make lifestyle changes to enhance that commitment;
--plan and practice for urges.
A lot of them also find it helpful to meet with others for support and to enhance those lifestyle changes. And any abstinence-based program can provide that support. So can SR, which makes peer support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

lonlion

OK, so I come back in to SR and find all of these posts in response to mine. What the heck people?

First off thank you Phinneas for expressing my motives in posting this in the first place. That was exactly what I had intended to do. Encourage people in their recovery. For sure I did not mean to dictate or say that all of these had to be in place for you to stay clean.

I realize that many of us are in different places in our recovery, and I totally get and respect that.

So with that being said, please allow me to rephrase my initial post.

It should have read...
These are the things that NA encourages (not demands as prerequisites), and are also the things that I have found work for me.

I realize that none of you know me, I mean really know my spirit and my heart, but I truly just wanted everyone to feel as good and as happy as I do, and thought that posting what I did would be encouraging.

My last message to all my SR posters to this thread is...

PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TOWARDS ALL!

love to all of you,
Diana