Never thought it would be me

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Never thought it would be me

Unread postby VillaPozzi » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:59 pm

Never thought I would consider myself an alcoholic....good school...great job...great house...nice car...but here I am. Not sure what to do with the down time or how to "trade my friends in" for a new lot, so to speak. I have everything, and yet have nothing....
VillaPozzi
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby Guest » Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:09 am

You are still alive, and that's pretty much all you need. Talk to your doctor, go to AA meetings, read books about your disease - that's a start.
Get help because it's not going to get better unless you work at it. Consider it a new chapter in your life (and a fun one this time!) - A new challenge to conquer. Go for it.
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby VillaPozzi » Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:58 am

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I suppose I need to get creative here and figure out a way to make this transition exciting. I am just not sure how to do that yet. The hardest thing for me about this is not knowing what to do with my time! I have been reading a lot, which is great. Oh...I would also like to recommend the book: "Drinking....A Love Story" it is by Caroline Knapp and it is a fantastic Biography!

Anyway, I am hoping to connect with some new people and ideas.....time will tell...
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby Guest » Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:46 am

Thanks for recommending that book! The title says it all - haha.
What to do with your time: You'll have to think of this one on your own, but how about 1) Going to AA meetings!!!!!! There are always tons of meetings everywhere. You'll listen to stories, you'll learn ways of staying sober, you'll get a sponsor if you want, etc. 2) Volunteering. If you have too much time on your hand, go to the nearest hospital or nursing home and offer your time to the patients, read books to kids with terminal diseases, well you get the picture... Or spend some quality time with your own family. Alcoholics destroy any and everything in their path - I'm sure, like the rest of us, you can do some mending there...
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby dofsaint » Sat May 01, 2010 9:55 am

The best quote that I have ever heard in the rooms is" Your very best thinking got you here" from that I learned that I had to change the way and what I thought about everything, not just drinking. I needed to change my life, and 10 years later I have and I have a much better life now. MY kids respect me, my wife is still with me, I have a good job and I can finally look in a mirror and not "Hate" the person I saw, I can safely say that I love that person I see now.All this by just not drinking and changing my thinking just a bit! Hang in there it does get better, I promise you it does!
Stick with it and don't drink just for today, tomorrow will take care of itself!
David
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby VillaPozzi » Mon May 03, 2010 8:06 pm

Thanks again for the support. Yes, I definitely need to be open minded and optimistic here! I am not doing so well thus far...well....in terms of the intake, but feel that I am getting closer. If anyone is an Indigo Girls fan..."...closer I am to fine..." is ringing a distant bell.

I used to volunteer every weekend at an animal rescue, which I really enjoyed and then the hangovers took over and I couldnt make it happen anymore. I often beat myself up for not continuing because I am an avid animal lover and truly have a talent for bonding with animals, even those that seem scary to most. I am a small girl and always went after the largest dogs in the run, LOL

So, I am actually afraid of the AA meetings! I fear that I will not be able to see myself in others unless they are in a "functioning state", so to speak. I suppose that addiction is addiction and it shouldnt matter if it is crack and you are on the street or if you are a professional person who runs home to a bottle of wine every night, right?

I actually sought out a one on one therapist today in my area, but I am almost certain they will strongly encourage AA meetings in addition to the therapy.

Oh...and lastly, the book! I thoroughly enjoyed it and while I found parts of it "over the top", there were so many pieces I could relate to!

I have to say that I love jumping on this site because I can be honest and forthcoming without fear of repercussion.....
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby dofsaint » Tue May 04, 2010 10:39 am

I still remember my first AA meeting, I thought that I was nothing like "these" people they do not understand my problems and other thoughts of this nature. However I started to try different meeting and started to truly listen to what was being said, before too very long it dawned on me. AA was the first group in my life were I felt that I truly belonged, they understood how I was feeling and had felt in the past, if I said something at a meeting I understood that at least one person in the room knew and understood what I was saying and they had felt/thought the same thing or way. Once I really stopped drinking and started to make it a point (no matter how hard it was) to speak at EVERY meeting that I went to, I really felt that I fit in and this was were I was suppost to be. When I took the first step to heart (this was after 5 or 6 years of going to meeting off and on) this is when I was able to not pick up a drink and really begin my new life and things said and everthing about AA made sense to me. So I guess what my point is, try some different meetings and you may find a meeting that fits your needs and believe me, no matter how we drank, everyday, once a week, once a month or if you could still function when you drank. In the end we all have the same problem, it just that different forms and the end result will be the same for all of us, if we do not/did not stop drinking, Jail, Mental Hospital or Death! I know this to be true from personnel experence, I have been to jail and I do NOT want to experence the other two!
David (10 years sober as of May 1, 2010) so it does work!
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Re: Never thought it would be me

Unread postby BrianM » Mon May 17, 2010 6:42 pm

I have been coming around for a couple of 24 hrs and clearly remember something said to me very early on - don't drink go to meetings and listen for the similaritites not difference. This has made every meeting the right meeting for me. Keep coming back it works IF you work it!
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