Cyber AA Meeting...Come on down!!!

[moosmom]

I just thought it was appropriate to start a Cyber AA Meeting. It's a great way to meet new people and also a chance for us to share our experiences (if you WANT to, that is).

So, I'll start.

My name is Donna, and I'm a greatful recovering alcoholic. I hit rock bottom in 1993 when I turned 40. I was unemployed and desperate. I knew I had to do something so I asked God to help me. I went to my very first AA meeting and met the most wonderful people who, over the years, helped me maintain my sobriety through a very dark period. I didn't drink socially, I drank for a reason - to get drunk. But it seemed no matter how hung over I was, the problems were still there. I suffered from depression as well. A double whammy, thanks to my family genes. BOTH sides of my family were alcoholics. I was the first one to get help. My cousins followed suit.

It wasn't until after I got into a very BAD accident and lost control of my car did I realize how close I came to the end of my life. I drove in a drunken black-out 50 miles off course, slamming into a guardrail (after drinking 3 Long Island Ice Tea's on an empty stomach). I was VERY lucky that I didn't kill someone else or myself.

Anyone else care to share??

[Catty1]

My name is Candace. I am an alcoholic and finally got sober just over 10 years ago.

I was a binge drinker, and I suffered from depression. Even when the booze did nothing for me anymore, I still went on binges. I was puzzled why I couldn't stop something I was bored with, but today I know it was the alcoholic thinking!

I am glad there is no magic "pill" for alcoholism - if I had been 'cured' years ago and able to drink 'normally' (HA HA), I wouldn't have grown so much nor learned so much!

As I say about growing in AA: "Life doesn't get better - but I do."

Great idea for the meeting Donna!

Candace

[moosmom]

After hanging out on the porch of the Wilson House, I found out you can have a meeting ANYWHERE! We used to have "mini" AA meetings outside when the moon was full. Those are the best kinds of meetings to have! Very impromptu.

[RedHedd]

After hanging out on the porch of the Wilson House, I found out you can have a meeting ANYWHERE! We used to have "mini" AA meetings outside when the moon was full. Those are the best kinds of meetings to have! Very impromptu.

You've been to the Wilson House? Lucky you! That's one of my dream destinations.

Hi, my name is Georgia and I'm an alcoholic. My last drink was on April 18, 1986. I got to AA through the intervention of some very loving friends who are still in my life and all of us are still sober. I got sober on JD's birthday, one of my interventionists, as I was SO co-dependent in those days, I thought I'd show him what a good buddy I was by getting sober on his Birthday. Now, every year we get a good laugh over what I was like and both of us get to celebrate another year of life.

I come from a long line of alcoholics and watched my father struggle with the disease, try to get sober through AA and finally died from it. He always wanted me to follow him in his footsteps into the medical profession, however I chose to follow his alcoholic footsteps and almost ended up dead too.

I stayed continuously employed until the very end so I didn't think I was that bad, however in 1986 I was physically falling apart from my drinking. I tried to stop on my own, but, of course, couldn't. I remember calling AA once (we have a wonderful 24-hour hotline with live alkies answering the phones here in San Francisco) but didn't get to a meeting that night. Two years later, before I died, my friends intervened. I went to a treatment program - actually a locked psyche ward - and 32 days later was released into the world, scared and newly sober.

I didn't get a sponsor or do what was suggested immediately. I got a job, a boyfriend, started to look and feel good and was shocked when he moved out in December 1986, that I wanted to drink. I learned that that's what we do - normal for me is drunk. That's when I finally dove into AA and haven't left since. I've had many sponsors over the years - they all seem to move on me! My latest moved a few months after I asked her to be my sponsor and I finally got it - God wanted me to learn that relationships take work. She's still my sponsor, in fact I'm going to hear her speak at a meeting tonight.

As I have a huge anniversary coming up, I'm going to more meetings. AAnniversaries somehow do that - make me pull in a little closer. My sobriety "sister" called last night. We've been getting our AAnniversary chips together for the past 20 years and this year is no different.

I'm also a member of an on-line AA by e-mail group - New Beginnings. In fact another woman from PT has joined my group. It's nice to meet others "friends of Bill" on Pet Talk!

[moosmom]

RedHedd,

The Wilson House is awesome! No phones, no television, no stereos. Just peace, serenity and LOTS of meetings!! It's one of the biggest things I've missed while I was away in Michigan. Now I can just hop in my car and head North. Can't wait till it's nicer out. Haven't seen my friends in over 10 years!

[slick]

How does one know if he/she is in trouble? I'm concerned about a co-worker of mine.

[odaat]

To our dear PT friends who are struggling,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE.

Here is the home website of AA:

http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

please check it out, you'll find some information that can help you figure out how to get in touch with your local AA. Check your local newspaper, phone book for AA. If there's a hotline number, call it. you don't have to identify yourself, just explain what you did here.

Please don't feel like you are intruding, one of the most important things we alcoholics do to stay sober is to help the next alcoholic. Really, you are helping US by asking for help.

I'm so glad this thread got started, so many people struggle with this.

[king2005]

I think this is a wonderful thread!
I don't drink, never have & never will. I hate booze to no end, but for different reasons then some on here.

I only remember 1 thing about my dad's dad, & that he drank a bottle of Vodka daily. I also remember the first day I met my grandfather. I was about 4 or 5yrs old, My grandpa asked me where we kept the sugar (we had sooo many cupboards!!) I hopped up onto the counter like I always did (parents show me how to do it safely, so I would have the urge to play on them) & took out the sugar only to get a slap in the face! I loathed everything about my grandfather after that. I have never been hit like that before, esp. for something I didn't do wrong. Luckly he lived 2000km away & I never had to see or deal with him. I think I saw him a total of 10 times in my 15 years (he died a slow painful death & was still bitter, right to the end), he was the type of person who would never go to an AA meeting.

My mom's dad was an alcie aswell, except he was much nicer & easier to get along with when he had a beer in him. Its when he had several beers it became an issue, mostly a cost issue. I've never seen him yell or touch a sole, but grandma hated him drinking, & that rubbed off onto me, as Grandma was the only person I was able to talk to when I was younger.

I watched my younger sister hit rock bottom at only 14yrs old! She never had a strong will & when she drank, she felt good (so she claims!). One night she was drunk & stoned (I've told the story before so I'll keep it super short), she started a fight with me (I did try to avoid it), I beat the snot out of her & made her an ugly mess, cause the more she tried to fight me, the harder & faster I punched. It was aweful, I was the sober one & I'm the one who lost total control for a moment.

Luckly the outcome was wonderful. My life didn't change 1 bit, except for my hate of booze, I just hated it even more! But my sisters life turned right around & for the better! She doesn't do freaky drugs anymore, just pot on holidays (which I can live with, but still dissagree) & has her drinking 100% under control now!! She only drinks a little on holidays & refuses to get drunk! Its been about a good 5-4 years since shes gotten drunk & the amount she consumes is still getting smaller & smaller. We get along now & chit chat on the phone & MSN almost daily! We never did that before.


I always knew it was the booze that controls people & that its very hard for people to overpower the booze. Thats why I hate booze & not really the people (except my grandfather, he cared only for his drink & nothing more)

[moosmom]

My Dad was a very mellow drunk. He was VERY depressed, so he drank himself numb. He'd sit in his chair and cry about my Mom and stepmom and how much he loved them both. It killed me to watch him kill himself.

I recall years ago when our family (all uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc.) used to drive out to Bolton Lake on the weekends. We'd have cookouts, go swimming, hiking. They were my fondest memories because, as Laura's Babies said, I always felt loved. Even though it WAS through an acoholic haze. Back then there WERE no laws against drunk driving. Not as strict as now. They thought nothing of packing everyone up and driving home after a day of drinking. I don't think I ever remember any of my family members actually sober.

[RICHARD]

I just stumbled across this thread..no pun intended.

Now I feel kinda guilty for doing the Thursday's thing.

I admire everyone that has posted their thoughts on the subject.

(Another reason that PT is the ONLY website I frequent....Constantly evolving and you never know what you will find here.)

------------------------------

I posted about finding PT after a particularly troubled 6 months in my life.

I drank quite a bit and after a few months found the best "group therapy"
on the planet.

PT started out like a sip, then a shot-
half filled tumbler-hold the ice, please? And finally, I do it in huge gulps.

I still do drink, but not at the frentic pace I once did.

You have to stay sober to post at one or two in the morning

You are all very brave to post and you have gained one more heart, cheering you on, in your daily fight..


It sounds like a broken record but..

You all rock!

[RedHedd]

It always amazes me (or at least it does since getting sober) that people who are depressed drink to alleviate their depression. When I went through treatment I learned that alcohol IS a depressant! Hello? Isn't that kinda like pouring gasoline on a fire? So it's starts or continues a vicious cycle (or is that cyclone?) ripping through a drinking person's life.

In sobreity, my feelings are up and down and I've learned that that is the normal flow of life and human emotion. It feels SO good to be a part of the human race again - even those days when it feels like a rat race at the end of the day, like right now, I'm tired but know I put in a good hard day of work and feel pretty darned good about all I accomplished.

PS. Richard, don't feel guilty about Thursday's - it's one of my guilty pleasures where I can pop in and have some fun.