Dear skeptical, I wish I could give you an easy answer. But I don't have any personal experience with being able to drink in moderation without the obsession for alcohol in the back of my mind. As far as how to start sobriety, for me the answers were simple, but definitely not easy. I started sobriety by not drinking one minute, then one hour, then one day at a time. Never once looking beyond the day I was living in. I kept going to AA meetings (even if I drank afterwards). For me, the goal of one AA meeting was not for AA to cure me of drinking. Rather, the goal of any single AA meeting I still go to is to provide fellowship to fellow alcoholics who are suffering. The point of the AA fellowship is to belong to something greater than yourself that can help you. The point is to meet and learn from fellow alcoholics who have gone through what you are going through and remained sober. The way I see it, you have won half the battle if you are willing to attend and participate in meetings regularly. Your problem of not being able to refrain from drinking around other people who are drinking is common. Perhaps you will attend at least one AA meeting this weekend? Keep on posting. I can see your growth. Bipolar II, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia & PTSD; Alcoholic in recovery since 3/21/07.
Aplenzin 522mg; Pristiq 200mg; Lamictal 400mg; Geodon 160mg; Ativan 1mg TID; Deplin 15mg; Xanax PRN; Metoprol 100mg.
• "Don't give up 5 minutes before the miracle happens."
• "My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet." ~Edith Wharton
• "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Ian MacLaren (Usually mis-attributed to Plato)
• "And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~Anais Nin
My support and advice is not a replacement for medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical advice. |
