Do I deserve to even attend a meeting?

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Do I deserve to even attend a meeting?

Unread postby elileo » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:11 pm

I am new here, interested in attending some meetings. I have been drinking heavily for about 7 years. I am 27. I know I have a problem with alcohol, that I am an alcoholic. I detoxed once while in hospital for a suicide attempt. Occasionally I will test myself, though rarely, and go one, two, three or four days without drinking, more so recently. Much of what I have been reading on these boards is folks encouraging others to detox first and attend a rehabilitation program prior to attending meetings. My question is, essentially, am I allowed to attend to meetings if I am actively trying to reduce my drinking - (as in, starting with last week, not drinking one night, this week, trying to not drink two nights, and eventually, hopefully, phase it out entirely) but not officially sober? I am interested in attending meetings to see how people support themselves and others through the struggle, but I don't know if I will come across as someone even deserving support as I don't know if I am actually fully capable of going 100% cold turkey sober right now. Do you have to be 100% 24/7 sober to attend? Or can meetings be utilized as part of the process? I just want to talk with people who have had experience and can maybe shed some insight into this truly enormous problem. I am actively destroying what few relationships I manage to maintain. And I have lost most of my ambition to be a productive human being. Thank you in advance for the information.
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Re: Do I deserve to even attend a meeting?

Unread postby rayray816 » Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:59 pm

I'd love to hear responses for your post as well because I feel like I may be in the same situation as you. I wish I could help but I've been too nervous to attend a meeting myself.
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Re: Do I deserve to even attend a meeting?

Unread postby abclimo » Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:47 pm

Hi and welcome! You are always welcome to attend meetings and you definitely do deserve to attend them. You've admited that you have a problem and that's a huge first step, congrats on that! It's difficult and dangerous to go "cold turkey" especially when you've been doing it a while and your body will be looking for it. One great thing about going to meetings is that you'll meet people who will have great ideas for you, as well as you'll be able to get phone numbers of people to call before you drink who can help you through the rough spots. They've all been where you're at and know the feeling. Even though our journeys are a little different, our struggles are the same. I have a good friend who goes to meetings and I recently heard him tell his whole story, which was profound. When he first started going to meetings, he would walk in all stoned, then he decided he didn't want to do that anymore, so he kept going to meetings and he would be sitting in a meeting shaking because he didn't have his regular "fix". He's such a great example for so many people, but as he says, you can get there, but staying there takes work. Hope you attend a meeting soon and come back to post on how it went. Please know that all meetings are not the same and if you don't like or feel comfortable at the first one, please try several others. I tried 6 different meetings and I found 3 that I feel very comfortable at. You can do this and you are worth doing it!
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