Anybody been through AA?

[Mastermind]

I did a running tally of what one of my best friends spent to feed his habits once. Smoking cigarettes and pot, drinking beer, and the cost of fuel he used running around to find a buzz.

The price of feeding his addictions was staggering.

I've not seen him in several years now, he is still chasing his high, and I ain't. So we have very little in common now.

 

[Pincher]

I hate to add up my carton+ a week smoking habit. Quit that when got up to 25 for generics. Still have nightmares that I restarted. I know if I bummed one at work, I would b buying a carton on the way home.

 

[exSW]

30 years ago one of the guys on my framing crew said what his wife and he spent a month on cigarettes would make the payment on a new truck.

 

[Brian72]

Welp, I messed up last night. Made it almost two weeks and am back on the wagon today. Pretty sad about it, but it is what it is and I’m just going to keep moving forward. Brother in law came by and brought pizza/beer. My wife had one drink, he had a few, and I had 16 beers.

Don’t even remember going to bed.

Stay strong and don't give up! Definitely have conversations with friends and family. Let them know what you're doing and ask them to not bring alcohol around you. You need support, not temptation. Some people just aren't good with alcohol and just need to face it. I'm not trying to be insulting so please don't take it wrong. My son was the same way. He couldn't just have a few beers and call it quits. He always ended up totally smashed. Wishing you the best!

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[dgb84]

Thanks everyone. Today is looking brighter for sure. Finally slipping past that hangover haze. Back in my early 20s, I was fine by noon the next day. Now I’m 36 and Hank said it best when he said “the hangovers hurt more than they used to”.

Crappie season is upon us and I’m “working from home”, but all the parks are shut down over this virus. May get out and tinker on some saws in the garage. Have 2 ms261s I found a few months back that I need to part out or rebuild.

 

[exSW]

Thanks everyone. Today is looking brighter for sure. Finally slipping past that hangover haze. Back in my early 20s, I was fine by noon the next day. Now I’m 36 and Hank said it best when he said “the hangovers hurt more than they used to”.

Crappie season is upon us and I’m “working from home”, but all the parks are shut down over this virus. May get out and tinker on some saws in the garage. Have 2 ms261s I found a few months back that I need to part out or rebuild.

One of the things about drinking and partying is some where about 30 you have to decide if you want to "turn Pro". Even if you arn't an alcoholic.That is,drink all the time so you can hang with the youngsters. Is alcohol really that important?

 

[TreeLife]

I became injured when I was young, they fed me prescription pain killers. It changed me and nearly ruined me. My now ex wife helped me every day, and we were together when I was sober. I'm 31 this year and I have havent touched a narcotic in 11 years. It's been the hardest 11 years of my life, the temptation is strong with my pains and other afflictions I've suffered thru the years. I'd rather suffer than ruin the lives of my loved ones, I dont care much for myself.

At the end of the day we change and better ourselves not JUST for ourselves, but for our friends and family. Often we realise not how others lives would be affected should we no longer be here anymore. My inspiration for sobriety comes in the love of my girls every day.



Be happy, be well and know that you are loved my friends. If anyone ever would like to talk, I am here. I judge not, I listen well, I am fair and honest.

~Dominick

 

[JimBear]

Find a sponsor. Not someone who sugar coats stuff. A mean old bastard who hurts your feelings when you step outta line.

LMAO This ^^^^^. I chose an old fella that looked “Grandfatherly” for my sponsor, he proceeded to tell me I was a f-ing idiot if I honestly believed the BS I spewing out. Well the grandfatherly thing was out the window, it helped me to start re-evaluating my thinking paradigm. Lol. I sure miss that Ol’ fella.

 

[Mastermind]

LMAO This ^^^^^. I chose an old fella that looked “Grandfatherly” for my sponsor, he proceeded to tell me I was a f-ing idiot if I honestly believed the BS I spewing out. Well the grandfatherly thing was out the window, it helped me to start re-evaluating my thinking paradigm. Lol. I sure miss that Ol’ fella.

That's what I'm talking about.

 

[Spladle160]

I took a couple of drugs and behavior classes in school and the research shows roughly the same recovery rate for virtually every program and it's about the same as no program or time. This leads me to believe that it a matter of hard work determination and personal will power. I am NOT saying it's just a matter of choice but there is an aspect of it that is. AA does not report there recovery rates but the external data gathered lumps them in with everyone else. Still, It can't hurt. Best of luck, You've completed essential step 1. realizing your behavior is detrimental. Step 2 is always remembering that your behavior is not worth the consequence and making the decision not to do it.

 

[Mastermind]

I took a couple of drugs and behavior classes in school and the research shows roughly the same recovery rate for virtually every program and it's about the same as no program or time. This leads me to believe that it a matter of hard work determination and personal will power. I am NOT saying it's just a matter of choice but there is an aspect of it that is. AA does not report there recovery rates but the external data gathered lumps them in with everyone else. Still, It can't hurt. Best of luck, You've completed essential step 1. realizing your behavior is detrimental. Step 2 is always remembering that your behavior is not worth the consequence and making the decision not to do it.

With AA, NA, faith based recovery programs, etc. You will only get out of it what you put into to it. Wanna reap the rewards of any program? You gotta do the work.

 

[FergusonTO35]

One of the things that some rehab programs do is have you come up with "your number". How much has your addiction cost you in dollars and cents. The actual cost of your poison of choice,court costs,lost wages,child support,alimony,lawsuits and so forth. Even if you are just buying a case after work and drinking at home the number can be staggering. It gets you to thinking what you have to show for all that money. Money you worked for. What you went through to get it. What you gave up to earn it. What you could of spent it on instead.

This, exactly. In the early 2000's I was spending at least $50.00 a week on beer, and that also drove up the cost of other things. For example, most of meals were from restaurants because the beer made me too lazy to go to the store and cook.

 

[dgb84]

I know what you mean, Ferguson. Beer is expensive as all get out and I preferred craft beer. A 6 pack of that stuff is 12-15 bucks and 6 was never enough. Doesn’t take long to add up to an enormous amount. Especially considering when I got drunk I wanted to smoke cigs at $7 a pack, grab a pizza for $10, etc. Beer, pizza, and problems at home made me gain weight which caused health problems, both physical and mental. It’s really just a terrible substance for people that can’t control their impulses and those “people” are me. I’m workin hard on it and reaching out to local groups. I went from 165# to 240# over the last few years and have worked my way back down to 220#. Still have a long way to go.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Yep, been there and done that for too many years. I finally said goodbye to all forms of nicotine a couple of months ago. Overeating is going to be a lifelong struggle, been afflicted with it since before preschool. Strangely, the corona virus has been helpful in that regard as I can't go to restaurants anymore. I've never been a fan of drive-through food so almost everything is brought from home nowadays.

I've been reading stories about how some people are so afflicted with overeating that they lie and steal like heroin addicts to get their fix, and continue their destructive habits when the evidence that it is killing them is painfully obvious. Yesterday I read a story of a woman who lost both legs to diabetes before the age of 30, yet was rolling around with a 2 liter bottle of pop in her wheelchair.

 

[Larry B]

Many years ago my sister married a guy who was an alcoholic. His family helped him hide it from her. They were all alcoholics to some degree. My sister suffered in silence for years dealing with him. Finally one Saturday morning she called me to come help her. Tim was having alcohol induced hallucinations. We were trying to get him in the car when his drunk younger brother showed up and tried to stop me from helping my sister. His mistake of the day. At the hospital the Dr. Said a normal person with his BAL would be dead and he could not believe he was still conscious. Alcohol destroyed many years of my sister's life and literally killed Tim's entire family.
I really wish you success with you journey. Always be aware of what alcoholism does to the people you care about if you need encouragement.

 

[legdelimber]

Just wanted to say good luck with your effort!
You might want to look into finding a good psych therapist and see if any underlying issues or personality traits are part of what's driving the drinking to the point of a problem.

 

[angelo c]

Yep, been there and done that for too many years. I finally said goodbye to all forms of nicotine a couple of months ago. Overeating is going to be a lifelong struggle, been afflicted with it since before preschool. Strangely, the corona virus has been helpful in that regard as I can't go to restaurants anymore. I've never been a fan of drive-through food so almost everything is brought from home nowadays.

I've been reading stories about how some people are so afflicted with overeating that they lie and steal like heroin addicts to get their fix, and continue their destructive habits when the evidence that it is killing them is painfully obvious. Yesterday I read a story of a woman who lost both legs to diabetes before the age of 30, yet was rolling around with a 2 liter bottle of pop in her wheelchair.

Sugar is a powerful drug too

 

[birdmeter]

jesus saves.

 

[ammoaddict]

I know what you mean, Ferguson. Beer is expensive as all get out and I preferred craft beer. A 6 pack of that stuff is 12-15 bucks and 6 was never enough. Doesn’t take long to add up to an enormous amount. Especially considering when I got drunk I wanted to smoke cigs at $7 a pack, grab a pizza for $10, etc. Beer, pizza, and problems at home made me gain weight which caused health problems, both physical and mental. It’s really just a terrible substance for people that can’t control their impulses and those “people” are me. I’m workin hard on it and reaching out to local groups. I went from 165# to 240# over the last few years and have worked my way back down to 220#. Still have a long way to go.

Keep up the good work. Still praying for you man.

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[FergusonTO35]

My desire for alcohol and nicotine really kicks in when I am under stress or dealing with a tragedy. I am enjoying a small victory, as my cat died one week ago and I still haven't consumed any of my favorite recreational drugs. The last time I had a pet die was three years ago and I was drinking and smoking like mad for days afterward. My wife didn't say anything about it because she knew I was grieving and it wouldn't be a permanent thing, but it was still a big disappointment to her.