Studying my DOC
1."Or, let's assume that I can control the fact that I will not drink more than a specified amount, let's say twelve beers or three bottles of wine? Will that not also put me in the grave in short order?"
Yes it will, but it's not alcoholism. It's called drinking too much or hard drinking. There are people that can drink tremendous amounts of alcohol, get in trouble, get DUI's, end up in treatment centers, and may even need medical detoxification, but give them a good reason and they will stop or moderate.
Jim
Yes it will, but it's not alcoholism. It's called drinking too much or hard drinking. There are people that can drink tremendous amounts of alcohol, get in trouble, get DUI's, end up in treatment centers, and may even need medical detoxification, but give them a good reason and they will stop or moderate.
Jim
When it comes to working with alcoholics, with a few rare exceptions, people's opinions and beliefs don't matter to me at all unless they are alcoholic. Like I said, you can read a book about being an astronaut, but it doesn't make you an astronaut. Someone recovering from meth or crack can't offer me any insight at all about what it's like to be an alcoholic. I'm not interested in someone's opinion of an experience they've never had.
Jim
Katie, is the SOMA you mentioned the muscle relaxor? Because I take a muscle relaxor called SOMA and have for many years but I'm not addicted to it I just take 1 before sleeping.
I think I must be a blueberry too because I was definetly a blackout drunk (I don't remember much of anything during 2 decades of my life) but when I nearly died 2 yrs ago I accepted on my own that I couldn't handle drinking and haven't since but I didn't have any kind of treatment and only went to about a dozen AA meetings; I've just done the work on my own. So I guess I don't belong here?
Judy
I think I must be a blueberry too because I was definetly a blackout drunk (I don't remember much of anything during 2 decades of my life) but when I nearly died 2 yrs ago I accepted on my own that I couldn't handle drinking and haven't since but I didn't have any kind of treatment and only went to about a dozen AA meetings; I've just done the work on my own. So I guess I don't belong here?
Judy
When I call myself an alcoholic/meth addict--
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
When I call myself an alkie/methie--
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
When I call myself a problem drinker/partier--
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
Now, how much does the label matter? And how much does it matter which addiction I'm talking about?
Maybe I'm not an alcoholic, cuz they go to meetings. I must just be a drunk.
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
When I call myself an alkie/methie--
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
When I call myself a problem drinker/partier--
-Things I do to stay off alcohol: exercise, eat right, don't drink, avoid people who drink, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
-Things I do to stay off meth: exercise, eat right, don't use, avoid people who use, learn to cope with things that stress me out.
Now, how much does the label matter? And how much does it matter which addiction I'm talking about?

Maybe I'm not an alcoholic, cuz they go to meetings. I must just be a drunk.

I enjoy learning about how the brain is altered by drugs like meth, alcohol and opiods/opiates. I find it interesting and when I hear the description of the "high" of heroin etc. I no longer obsess over it, mostly it makes me a little sad. My brain has slowly repaired itself from my abuse of opiods and it gets better every day. I don't want to go back to the beginning.
The more I know, the better I am.
I remember myself as a teen, I didn't listen to anyone. It wouldn't have mattered if it was a police officer or an active/recovering addict. What kept me pretty straight during my teen years was the fear of jail. Funny thing is, that was my bottom...being faced with jail.
Interesting topic.
The more I know, the better I am.
I remember myself as a teen, I didn't listen to anyone. It wouldn't have mattered if it was a police officer or an active/recovering addict. What kept me pretty straight during my teen years was the fear of jail. Funny thing is, that was my bottom...being faced with jail.
Interesting topic.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
There are different groups for different problems. Since this is a secular forum, I will respect that and not go into the fact that there is one program that will work for any problem, provided it is grounded in truth.
Jim
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
woohooo, according to this I am NOT an alcoholic, because something cruddy happened and I just quit, same way I quit meth and cigs, cold turkey and for good (I hope:P)
I guess because we have determined I am not an alkie, this doesn't apply BUT, I drank every day for the last 28 years except for when I was preggers. I thought about quitting for at least ten years. I have learned SOOOO much from SOOO many people here on these forums about how to make my life more manageable and how to be more at peace with my self (among other things). Half of the time I don't even know if the person is an alkie, an addict, an AAer or not, but I feel really lucky to have found this site, with all its cool people and its wealth of information. And whether or not I am or was an alcoholic, I believe my life is going to be better without relying on and being dependent on booze.
I guess because we have determined I am not an alkie, this doesn't apply BUT, I drank every day for the last 28 years except for when I was preggers. I thought about quitting for at least ten years. I have learned SOOOO much from SOOO many people here on these forums about how to make my life more manageable and how to be more at peace with my self (among other things). Half of the time I don't even know if the person is an alkie, an addict, an AAer or not, but I feel really lucky to have found this site, with all its cool people and its wealth of information. And whether or not I am or was an alcoholic, I believe my life is going to be better without relying on and being dependent on booze.
You do realize that you are the only one that can determine if you are alcoholic don't you?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
You can say I'm in denial all you want.. but if the alcoholism label was helpful then the AA treatment model would be more successful. The 12 step movement popularlized it, not science. I'm honestly happy the label has served all the AAers. And of course it would, its a de facto Step 1. If you don't believe that people become powerless over things (loss of control), then you naturally wouldnt believe that you became powerless over drugs.
Now addiction is real. But do all addicts lose control every time they use? Of course not. Even the hardest drinker could stop after drink number 1 if a gun was held to his head. There's no evidence to support the magical out of control theory.
Now addiction is real. But do all addicts lose control every time they use? Of course not. Even the hardest drinker could stop after drink number 1 if a gun was held to his head. There's no evidence to support the magical out of control theory.
Although I'm an AA'er, I realize that this is a secular forum and respect that. I'm not here to debate about AA. We are discussing alcoholism. On this forum it doesn't matter to me what approach you take to recover. Oh by the way, I'm not powerless over drugs, just booze. As far as evidence to support what you call a theory, go ask my uncle who tried every known means including going to AA meetings, for thirty years to not drink. One morning he realized it wasn't go to be any different than the previous morning and couldn't stand the thought of going on one more minute the way he was and went out in the back yard and blew his brains out. Or ask the ones who show up in the de-tox where I work time after time. You think they want to do that?
Jim
Last edited by jimhere; 04-28-2009 at 07:14 PM.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,141
Katie, is the SOMA you mentioned the muscle relaxor? Because I take a muscle relaxor called SOMA and have for many years but I'm not addicted to it I just take 1 before sleeping.
I think I must be a blueberry too because I was definetly a blackout drunk (I don't remember much of anything during 2 decades of my life) but when I nearly died 2 yrs ago I accepted on my own that I couldn't handle drinking and haven't since but I didn't have any kind of treatment and only went to about a dozen AA meetings; I've just done the work on my own. So I guess I don't belong here?
Judy
I think I must be a blueberry too because I was definetly a blackout drunk (I don't remember much of anything during 2 decades of my life) but when I nearly died 2 yrs ago I accepted on my own that I couldn't handle drinking and haven't since but I didn't have any kind of treatment and only went to about a dozen AA meetings; I've just done the work on my own. So I guess I don't belong here?
Judy
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,141
Thanks for asking, Jim. I am doing ok. Went to my therapist, we had a good session. In spite of my bumpy road, she sees growth. Not everything is as it appears to be, I am discovering. That is ok with me. Like they say in my treatment place, "suspend judgment." That is what I am trying to do and to not take things personally - as well.
How are you today?
How are you today?
Gneiss, I think your post makes alot of sense. I think it would be wonderful if they had a special mandatory class in every junior high and high school in America, and all over the world. Showing a picture of the meth addict before use, and the meth addict after, with no teeth, open sores, aged and ragged. The heroin user, before and after. It's just a thought, and it would be really good for the young people to see rehabs, institutions, car crashes, jails, hospitals, and all the other lovely places that addiction takes really good people to. It's just a thought. But hey, I think it would be very effective. Once addicted the addict doesn't care about the consequences. I am always amazed at that.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,141
Gneiss, I think your post makes alot of sense. I think it would be wonderful if they had a special mandatory class in every junior high and high school in America, and all over the world. Showing a picture of the meth addict before use, and the meth addict after, with no teeth, open sores, aged and ragged. The heroin user, before and after. It's just a thought, and it would be really good for the young people to see rehabs, institutions, car crashes, jails, hospitals, and all the other lovely places that addiction takes really good people to. It's just a thought. But hey, I think it would be very effective. Once addicted the addict doesn't care about the consequences. I am always amazed at that.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
Thanks for asking, Jim. I am doing ok. Went to my therapist, we had a good session. In spite of my bumpy road, she sees growth. Not everything is as it appears to be, I am discovering. That is ok with me. Like they say in my treatment place, "suspend judgment." That is what I am trying to do and to not take things personally - as well.
How are you today?
How are you today?
Good deal. For what it's worth, I've seen a change over the last several days as well.
It was a great discovery for me when I realized that not everything is as it appears, and that I could change a crappy day into a good day with a simple change in the way I perceived the day's events and the people I encountered. Actually that is when I began to get over being so thin-skinned. I realized that most people don't think I'm that important. They don't get up in the morning and think "What can I do to **** Jim off?" They're too busy thinking about themselves to waste too much energy on me.
Suspending judgement is another good practice. Things are not good nor bad, they just are. I'm not saying that I practice that 100% every day, but when I can, the days go much smoother and I'm not exhausted at the end of the day.
Just got home from work, so I am a bit tired. Going to take it easy this evening.
Jim
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,141
Get some rest

Katie
I'm wondering why the government doesn't demand this mandatory class. With all the drugs all over the schools. All of the young people in rehab. It's sickening. I mean I can't be the only person who thought of this. :wtf2
Oh by the way, I'm not powerless over drugs, just booze.

I see what other people have mentioned. SC does kind of take everything anti-AA. I started this with comments about drug education and somehow we got into AA. Not trying to squash comments regarding AA, but I sure didn't expect that.

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)