by 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.