First post and questions

[dander]

Without reading to much on this group I have several questions. I have
done much reading on my alcohol addicction in the 5 or 6 years on the
internet.

1. I have experienced several times (work, life obligations, etc) where
I have not been able to drink for extended periods. After a length of
time I start to enjoy my (sober) time, wether it be a movie or cooking
or a good television show or a construction project a fishing trip, and
the list go's on. after several day's, no matter how much fun I am
having I start to "engineer" it so I will get home sooner, or I will
schedule things to get to my "beer" sooner.

My question is: Does the urgency to drink decay with the amount of time
that passes. Is it any way proportionate. Do I have to learn to live
with this urgency for the rest of my life.

2. I was sober for sevral months a long time ago and loved it. I said
to myself "As crappy as my life is, it is 100 times better than what it
was when drinking" (A time when just hikeing or boating or reading the
paper at breakfast felt sublime)

My question is: Does this feeling get better with time.

3. Is there a plausible or existent alternative to aa, I have read up on
RR and one other.(I will be consulting my addiction service agent in my
area and am expecting to be sent to aa. I am not against or for, but am
displeased with what I have read about aa.)

4. I am keeping an open mind about every recovery option and would
appreciate all advice from anyone who takes the time.

5. AA, Do you just show up or do you first go with a "buddy" . It
would be really hard to just "show up" at a party you were not invited
to.

My email is valid.


Please ignore troll's.

[Robert McGregor]

dander wrote:
> Without reading to much on this group I have several questions. I have
> done much reading on my alcohol addicction in the 5 or 6 years on the
> internet.
>
> 1. I have experienced several times (work, life obligations, etc) where
> I have not been able to drink for extended periods. After a length of
> time I start to enjoy my (sober) time, wether it be a movie or cooking
> or a good television show or a construction project a fishing trip, and
> the list go's on. after several day's, no matter how much fun I am
> having I start to "engineer" it so I will get home sooner, or I will
> schedule things to get to my "beer" sooner.
>
> My question is: Does the urgency to drink decay with the amount of time
> that passes. Is it any way proportionate. Do I have to learn to live
> with this urgency for the rest of my life.

FWIW I recall that when visiting non alcoholic friends, I would
inevitably calculate the time to get to the nearest liquor take away
before it closed.

As soon as I made a real commitment to stay sober, I discovered a new
freedom. Freedom to remain gregarious, but leave home, and return,
without even noticing I had taken neither card nor cash for the liquor
store.

Regular exceptions to that freedom gradually faded with time. Now, with
more than a decade sober, I only recall what that feeling of urgency
used to be like because I chose to answer your post.

>
> 2. I was sober for sevral months a long time ago and loved it. I said
> to myself "As crappy as my life is, it is 100 times better than what it
> was when drinking" (A time when just hikeing or boating or reading the
> paper at breakfast felt sublime)
>
> My question is: Does this feeling get better with time.

Not for me. Gradually I recognised the good aspects of life as normal,
not some sort of special bonus for non drinkers. I did learn that many
more bad life experiences than I had cared to admit were a direct
consequence of my own behaviour.

>
> 3. Is there a plausible or existent alternative to aa, I have read up on
> RR and one other.(I will be consulting my addiction service agent in my
> area and am expecting to be sent to aa. I am not against or for, but am
> displeased with what I have read about aa.)

AA members used to boast AA was the last house on the block. Unaware of
that, I tried all other options I was aware of anyway. At least when I
finally chose AA, I was ready to give it my absolute best shot. Although
I heard more bullshit per hour at AA than I ever listened to in bars, I
found that thoroughly taking the 12 steps proved a successful formulae
for learning how to get and live sober.

>
> 4. I am keeping an open mind about every recovery option and would
> appreciate all advice from anyone who takes the time.
>
> 5. AA, Do you just show up or do you first go with a "buddy" . It
> would be really hard to just "show up" at a party you were not invited
> to.

With, at best, mixed motives, I phoned AA first, was invited, and had no
problem arriving at AA solo.


>
> My email is valid.
>
>
> Please ignore troll's.

What are troll's?

--
Bob.
"I don't believe in evil, I believe in right and wrong, and very often
they are the same thing" ... Paul Theroux.

[readandpostrosie]

>
> My question is: Does the urgency to drink decay with the amount of time
> that passes.


mine did..........................all i have to remember is that i am
powerless over alcohol..................and ONE DRINK IS TOO MANY!

>..................., but am displeased with what I have read about aa.)


where are reading about AA?
here?
i would be displeased too!

rosie

[OceanView]

dander <ihatethisemailaddress@gmail.com> wrote in
news:Xns9830F419AF4D3443ff44@199.185.223.78:

> Without reading to much on this group I have several questions. I have
> done much reading on my alcohol addicction in the 5 or 6 years on the
> internet.
>
> 1. I have experienced several times (work, life obligations, etc) where
> I have not been able to drink for extended periods. After a length of
> time I start to enjoy my (sober) time, wether it be a movie or cooking
> or a good television show or a construction project a fishing trip, and
> the list go's on. after several day's, no matter how much fun I am
> having I start to "engineer" it so I will get home sooner, or I will
> schedule things to get to my "beer" sooner.
>
> My question is: Does the urgency to drink decay with the amount of time
> that passes. Is it any way proportionate. Do I have to learn to live
> with this urgency for the rest of my life.
>
> 2. I was sober for sevral months a long time ago and loved it. I said
> to myself "As crappy as my life is, it is 100 times better than what it
> was when drinking" (A time when just hikeing or boating or reading the
> paper at breakfast felt sublime)
>
> My question is: Does this feeling get better with time.
>
> 3. Is there a plausible or existent alternative to aa, I have read up on
> RR and one other.(I will be consulting my addiction service agent in my
> area and am expecting to be sent to aa. I am not against or for, but am
> displeased with what I have read about aa.)
>
> 4. I am keeping an open mind about every recovery option and would
> appreciate all advice from anyone who takes the time.
>
> 5. AA, Do you just show up or do you first go with a "buddy" . It
> would be really hard to just "show up" at a party you were not invited
> to.
>
> My email is valid.
>
>
> Please ignore troll's.

Just show up at any AA meeting. Show up early and hang around outside and
introduce yourself to a person or two. It will help.

The urge to drink subsided with me, but on occasion, I still get the urge.
What I do is "follow the thought' What will happen if I indulge that urge?
Where will it lead? I already know the painful answer, I just have to
remind myself.