The AA model wasn’t for me. I went with a self challenge model for me and I did it on my own.
I knew I was never going to escape from contact with alcohol so I forced myself to be around it without drinking. I even carried an unopened beer around with me for several months. Its been nearly a decade since I last drank.
I think that you realized that sobriety was only going to be temporary if it depended upon being away from alcohol. More booze is as close as the nearest store.
My last drink was over thirty-two years ago. I left half of a margarita in a restaurant. I had been recognizing that my drinking was affecting my life in negative ways. That is the definition of being an alcoholic. I decided that I would quit right in the middle of that drink.
I knew I was never going to escape from contact with alcohol so I forced myself to be around it without drinking. I even carried an unopened beer around with me for several months. Its been nearly a decade since I last drank.
It doesn't really matter what method is used, as long as it works!
Good for you. My husband is a recovered alcoholic/addict. He started going down hill after two spinal surgeries in two years. Yep. Followed in Brett Favre’s footsteps down ‘The Old Vicadin Mine-Strewn Path.’
Yee-Gawds. I’m glad I stuck it out, but what a nightmarish hell it was for the year it took him to get it together again! (Ten years ago.)
I went to a few Al-Anon meetings (for families) and what a bunch of enabling whiners! I couldn’t take it, so I did some one-on-one therapy with a psychiatric nurse who is also a dear friend of mine, and I did a lot of reading and research on my own. A lot. We went through couples therapy, too.
I thank God he chose me and the boys over alcohol and drugs. Al-Anon/AA is NOT for everyone, but it sure helps many.
What makes you think that people in AA don’t have ‘contact with alcohol’?
You really never gave AA a chance. I don’t care one or the other. Good for you that you aren’t drinking. We have no corner on the market.
Just wanted to set the record straight. For example a friend of mine is in a band that will be playing at a local watering hole this weekend. me and some of my friends will be there dancing and drinking (iced tea -— not LI—and sodas) and having a grand old time. Nothing prevents me from doing this. There will be drinking and drunks and other folks there. that is part of life.
**The AA model wasn’t for me. I went with a self challenge model for me and I did it on my own.**
GOOD FOR YOU. In the Book Alcoholics Anonymous, in several areas it alludes to the idea that we have no Monopoly on Recovery, and if you find a way that workse for you, our hats are off to you.(don’t have my book at hand to get the Exact Quotes)
Anyone tells you that AA is the ONLY WAY... RUN AWAY ..those people can be DANGEROUS!
When I had finally had enough and told my husband to pack his crap, he promised to quit drinking...LOL. I laid down the law and part of the law was attending AA, he said he’d do anything if he could stay and NOT go to AA.
I just told him, “If you ever take a drink, don’t come home...ever, don’t call, don’t write, don’t send money, cuz I’m done.”
It has been almost 25 years and he did good, he was pretty unbearable the first year but as time went on it got much better.
congrats cc...but keep the seed of support just in case...
I was just shy of ten yrs 9&1/2 of it without AA, got drunk and floundered for 18 mos before reaching out fer help...
in treatment, my counsellor asked me point blank why I simply hadnt called the AA hotline? which to my amazement, I had no idea why not...