The most difficult part in life is fighting craving. We could have stopped drinking, all is well, we are going about our business etc trying to behave all is normal like an non-alcoholic person lives his life , but then there is something deep down lays a very dangerous feeling , which can change a person's life for bad or for worst. Its sometimes very hard to fight it, the tought of sitting in a bar or at home holding a glass of liqour is very satisfying. This is what Iam facing these days, trying very hard to control it. Few days back I told myself no drinking or smoking today , I go about my work doing what Iam doing but my eyes for no reason at all keeps looking at the clock, when it will be evening. I tell myself so what it becomes evening I shall just wind up my work and have dinner watch tv and go to sleep, but you know what I forget this as time comes I automatically go to the bar and just have 2 glass of drink and back home then have my dinner and go to sleep. But Iam sure that I will over come these fellings ASAP. Has anyone faced these kind of feelings and if you did and have forgotten your craving please let me know how you did it.
I know we all have those thoughts, usually triggered by an emotion. DRINK! They usually take control of us, we get a frustrated, fearfull, guilty, panicky feeling and it can consume us. I kept seeing the pattern reoccur and inevitably end up with me getting drunk at something. Or, letting my thoughts develop into a state of justification for drinking. Maybe try what works for me, it will cost you nothing. When the thought appears, I acknowledge it as a thought only. If I engage and entertain it, it will continue into a full blown dialog in my head and will take on a life of it's own, the only way it sees possible. If I simply acknowledge it, apply no resistance, accept it as a totally normal thing to occur ( I am after all an alcoholic) then there is no drama, the event just passes without incident. If I Fight It, I Will Lose! I apply the same thing to smoking. I quit both at the same time and can honestly say it is working for me, one day at a time.
scott
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Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. ~Buddha
One of the strange paradoxes of the A.A. Program is that we actually have to STOP fighting, even the craving for alcohol. The first step in our recovery is to make the admission to ourselves that we are powerless over alcohol, both mentally and physically. This means that, if we are alcoholic, we can't on our own willpower fight off the physical craving or the mental obsession. We come to believe in a Higher Power that removes the obsession. For many of us, that "Higher Power" is the A.A. group in the beginning of our recovery.
If we want to recover, it is extremely important, especially in early recovery, to go to a face-to-face A.A. meeting every day. It is suggested that we attend at least one A.A. meeting every day for at least 90 days. If we're feeling particularly shaky, we go to more than one meeting a day. In those meetings, we listen and learn from others who have been just where we are but have found the solution to alcoholism.
Please give yourself a chance and attend an A.A. meeting today. If you don't feel comfortable speaking up in the meeting, grab someone before or after the meeting and tell them how you are feeling. We have all been exactly where you are, but we can promise you, if you apply the tools of A.A., it does work.
Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing.
Thank you for your msg response. Yes I have been to number of AA meetings in my area and also at different far of places. But what I have found as I mentioned in my earlier post threads is that , the people who come for the meetings are looking for someone who can listen to them, more then listen to others. I have tried to share my exp in the meetings but did not get a chance. I have also spoke to my sponsor that I would like to share but he refused to listen. what I have seen in my 12-15 meetings is that my sponsor shares mostly his exp , and Iam tired of listening to his exp, there are politics here to , so I stopped going to the meetings. I have searched many of places to share my exp and found MIP, this place is GREAT. I have learnt alot here and also received many pvt msgs.
I have been to number of AA meetings in my area and also at different far of places. But what I have found as I mentioned in my earlier post threads is that , the people who come for the meetings are looking for someone who can listen to them, more then listen to others. I have tried to share my exp in the meetings but did not get a chance. I have also spoke to my sponsor that I would like to share but he refused to listen. what I have seen in my 12-15 meetings is that my sponsor shares mostly his exp..............
AA Big Book pg. 20
"Our very lives, as ex problem drinkers, depends upon our constant thought of OTHERS and how we may help meet their needs."
Gary,
There are 2 sayings in AA
1)
"Learn to listen and listen to learn."
2)
"Stop fighting and just surrender."
Give it a shot? What have ya got to lose?!
Good luck.
(((hug)))
Jen
-- Edited by Doll at 20:23, 2009-03-11
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Do they have beginners' meetings in your area? I shared at every meeting in beginners' meetings because that is what they are there for and also what my sponsor told me to do. People with the least time share first. I know people had to listen to some crazy shit for a while from me. I cried and babbled for a good month....I just thank god that I was able to share at those meetings, otherwise how would anyone even know me at all? I'm not sure how AA works in other places. I did figure out that at my other meetings, it was more of a place to listen. 3 nights a week though it's beginners' meetings. If you can't share with your sponsor, you could try finding another one. I also called my sponsor freaking out at 1am a few times in the first month as well (also called at normal times of course too). Cravings lifted because of replacing the drinking with these things and surrendering to the program like others stated. I guess you might just need to tweak your program, look a bit more into what's out there and find some better recovery in your area.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Hi Gary, besides going to meetings daily for your first year, try writing down your goals for sobriety. It's very powerful to write goals, boudaries, and spiritual principals that you wish to adhere to. Then when one of those voices in your head says "let's have a drink" another can say "no, we aren't doing because of this this and this...". Think the drink through to the drinks that follow and the typical stuff that happens afterwards. This is very effective, like warding off a compulsion to buy something that you don't need and saving the money for bills ect... You think that through along with where and when will I use it, put it, how will I maintain it.... Think think think (and call your sponser) before you drink.
The first step in our recovery is to make the admission to ourselves that we are powerless over alcohol, both mentally and physically. This means that, if we are alcoholic, we can't on our own willpower fight off the physical craving or the mental obsession. We come to believe in a Higher Power that removes the obsession. For many of us, that "Higher Power" is the A.A. group in the beginning of our recovery.