Still Battling It....

I know how you feel, I have been sober 15 months tomorrow. There is always the chance that I will drink again if I do not safe guard myself every day. I am in drug court and on probation so if I drink I could go to prison and lose everything. A.A. meetings help me a great deal. It is just one day at a time and that is all we can do. You did the most natural thing in the world to an alcoholic, you drank. Do not beat yourself up for it, just move on from here. HUGS!!

Alcoholism is something that doesn't affect everyone. Thank God. But it is a terrible thing to deal with.
I have a cousin who I am watching die slowly from this.
He is 6 months older than I am and there seems to be nothing I can do.
I can call him on Friday and he won't remember that I called on Saturday. I want to help him but what can I do.
I can't babysit him. I am afraid this is what it would take.

One thing I learned from going to a drug counselor, was quit searching for a reason why you are an alcoholic/addict. At this point it doesn't matter. When I was first getting clean, I searched for someone to blame. Was it hidden in my family somewhere? Was it myself self-medicating my depression? All that matters is we realize we have the affliction and get help. You really have made the right step in going to AA. And Cinfullynn is right, don't get discouraged over a slip or relapse, it happens, just get back in there.

My husband is an alcholic. I know I can't do anything; but it is destroying me and my family. I wish you all my best. Try, try, try again...

Don't let the relapse get you down. If you think alcohol is a problem for you, it probably is.

Get your *** to a meeting today!
sign me: sober 22+ years

Yes, it's true "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, even if you don't drink anymore" Alcoholism is a disease. A disease I didn't understand. Don't look for the cause, look for the solution. I don't drink or smoke, but my husband of 15 years did. He would try to get me to go to Alanon meetings, I said I would but I never did. He died on August 6th this month at the age of 42. And the pain has left me in pieces. DON't EVER GIVE UP! If you relapse get back up and start again. And your partner should be aware and should support you. Life is short. Live it sober and enjoy it.

I think people are born alcoholics... Some of them may never realize it, but I think it's determined by your genes whether or not you will become an alcoholic (if you try alcohol, of course). I heard somewhere that a lot of people are born with a certain gene (or gene pair, or something) that causes them to not be able to learn well from their mistakes. ie, how often do you wake up feeling like crap and say I'm never drinking again, but do it again anyway?

It is a relapse, nothing more, nothing less. If you have been given a "last-chance" ultimatum from a significant other, then that is a good sign that that person thinks you're an alcoholic, too. However, facing the disease for someone else isn't good enough. You really have to decide to do it for you. As simple as it sounds to non-alkies/addicts but, giving up that one thing for everything is sooooo hard! But, do you want to lose EVERYTHING for that 'one' thing? That is ultimately what it took me to quit drinking. At least darn near everything. I have my health, I have my freedom (back)- hence the screen-name, I'm regaining the respect of my family, and getting new and better friends. I knew I was an alcohlic for YEARS before I finally decided to "stick and stay" in the rooms. Do you have a Big Book? Read it! Read the 3rd Chapter- "More about Alcoholism", it does get worse. The nature of the disease (and if you question the disease factor, read "The Doctor's Opinion") is that it is progressive, you only stopped because others interceded. I have a question that seems relevant- if you are that fragile- why was alcohol accessible in your home? If you have someone you live with that cares about your sobriety- it should not be in the house! I've only been sober about 14+ months (by the way...it feels AWESOME waking up every day without a hangover, plus I love when I am ill or sick, I'll get better like a normal person with medicine and rest, not a hair of the dog, or something I did to myself) but, I know that probably still if there was alcohol in my home, my mind would trick me into thinking I could just "have one". I can go out into a restaurant, or even picnics with alcohol but, alone, on my own- where I'd think no one would "find out". I do not trust my sobriety, and I'm not going to test it. I thought I lost everything but, there is always more to lose.

I KNOW WHAT LIVING LIFE ON LIFE'S TERMS IS A ************ I'M COMING UP ON 6yrs. CLEAN OF DRUGS INCLUDING ALCOHOL ,THE BIG HOUSE THE BUG HOUSE AND THE BOX THE ONLY ROADS IF YOU KEEP GETTING IN THE RING WITH YOUR ADDICTION ,I KNOW I"VE BEEN IN OUT OF A.A. and N.A. FOR 26yr. AND I'M ONLY 44 AND PARTYED FOR 26yrs.

Dear Cleo, I understand why you are scared. I watched my husband for years do heavy drugs and alcohol almost killing himself. I prayed and prayed and believed GOD to give him freedom from the alcohol and drugs. GOD is all I had to latch on to. The worse my husband got, the MORE I prayed to GOD. Finally he got tired and sick of the lifestyle and signed himself into a rehab. I asked GOD to give him something to latch onto, some type of understanding and desire that would help him so he wouldn't go back to the alcohol and drugs. When he came home from the rehab he immediately began to go to AA and has been successful in not drinking or doing drugs. I asked him what kind of encouragement would he give you and he told me to tell you to get back into the game, forget about the relapse and fight, fight, fight so that familiar feeling and taste of alcohol will not succeed within you. Go to AA faithfully as if you're married to it, you have to work the steps of the program. I know it may not be what you want to do but, my husband is a different person since he's been free. Get a sponsor, someone you can trust that won't mislead you and will help and encourage you. He says it takes time and alot of patience but you can do it, ONE DAY AT A TIME. I will be praying for you just like I prayed for my husband believing that you will get the freedom and peace you want. God Bless.