I have a drink problem - Professional opinion

[Laura's Babies]

It is time for me to go back to work and I just wanted to say Good LUCK and keep it up! Hope when I get back next month, there will be nothing but good news from you! keep at it, keep it up!

[JenBKR]

(((hugs))) and happy anniversary! Sounds like everything is going really well. Keep up the good work, we are all so proud of you!

[Catty1]

Good work.

Sounds like the 'substitution method' is working so far. Hope you are able to just live sober one day.

hugs
Catty1

[Pawsitive Thinking]

My hubby announced that his brother and wife may be coming round on Saturday night - they drink vodka like its going out of fashion and I would normally have seen this as a great excuse to drink lots but my first reaction this time was "just because they are drinking it like water it doesn't mean I have to". Will let you know how I get on but I am confident that I will pass this test - I am determined not to let me (or you) down....

Won't be posting every day now because quite frankly it doesn't make for very interesting reading but I do know I can come back here if I need a boost

[Catty1]

"He was interested and conceded that he had some of the symptoms, but was a long way from conceding that he could do nothing about it himself. He was positive that this humiliating experience, plus the knowledge he had acquired, would keep him sober the rest of his life. Self-knowledge would fix it.

(Fred wound up back in hospital - he goes on to say)

"I reasoned I was not so far advanced as some of you...that I had been usually successful in licking my other personal problems, and that therefore I would therefore be successful where you...failed...it would be only a matter of exercising my will power and keeping on guard.

"As soon as I regained my ability to think...not only had I been off guard, I had made no fight whatsoever against the first drink. This time I had not thought of the consequences at all...I now remembered what my alcoholic friends had told me, how they prophesied that if I had an alcoholic mind, the time and place would come - I would drink again. They had said that though I did raise a defense, it would one day give way before some trivial reason for having a drink...I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind. I saw that will power and self-knowledge would not help in those mental blank spots. I had never been able to understand people who said a problem had them hopelessly defeated. I knew then. It was a crushing blow."

pp40 - 42, Alcoholics Anonymous

Denise: I chose these words for you, based on what you have shared. I wish you the best. Your posts aren't boring - I see a lot going on, the early stages, the coping methods familiar to many of us. "Don't miss it at all -feel better." 'We know that such a man is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits.'

Just remember - you don't have to ride the dump truck all the way to the dump.

Any time you want a boost or help, you can come here, as you said, absolutely!

When you decide you want RECOVERY - get to AA.

Hugs
Catty1

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Thank you - have printed that out, its a lot to absorb in one go but I can see "me" in those words......Maybe I was worse than I thought and I thought I was doing so well *sigh*

[Karen]

You are doing well, you haven't been drinking, and you're not gonna start, right? When they're drinking "vodka like water" you can drink water - looks pretty much the same, right?, and guess which of you will feel best in the morning?

[RedHedd]

"He was interested and conceded that he had some of the symptoms, but was a long way from conceding that he could do nothing about it himself. He was positive that this humiliating experience, plus the knowledge he had acquired, would keep him sober the rest of his life. Self-knowledge would fix it.

(Fred wound up back in hospital - he goes on to say)

"I reasoned I was not so far advanced as some of you...that I had been usually successful in licking my other personal problems, and I wish you the best. Your posts aren't boring - I see a lot going on, the early stages, the coping methods familiar to many of us. "Don't miss it at all -feel better." 'We know that such a man is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits.'

Just remember - you don't have to ride the dump truck all the way to the dump.

Any time you want a boost or help, you can come here, as you said, absolutely!

When you decide you want RECOVERY - get to AA.

Hugs
Catty1

Catty1 - Thank you. I couldn't have said it better. Denise, good luck to you. Your posts are NOT boring, in fact lately this has been the first thread I check on PT. I NEED to read that other people are also trying to live sober one day at a time - it's what helps keep ME sober and has worked for a long time, one day at a time.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Denise, I'm so glad that you've admitted that you have a problem and that you're now doing so well. I don't know much about alcoholics but I too used to drink too much on the weekends. I'd go out with my drinking friends and then end up with a major hangover the next day. Many times I didn't even remember the whole night because I had black outs. I became very bored with drinking and tired of getting hangovers so I just stopped completely. I may have one drink on special occasions but I don't miss it at all. I hope that you'll continue to do well and you have my full support. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

P.S. I don't associate with my drinking friends any more but have made new non-drinking friends.