Had an alcohol evaluation done today. Was not at all what I was expecting; more like a kick in the stomach. The counselor I met with was fantastic; a very kind and knowledgeable man with 17 years sobriety. After completing the paperwork, we talked for over an hour and, much to my surprise, he recommended inpatient treatment. Guess I was assuming outpatient... you know, "I'm not that bad. I don't drink every day." Turns out it's more about your likelihood of making it through the program without a relapse rather than how often you drink. Anyway, logistically we can't make inpatient work with 2 young ones at home, but I can make outpatient work. Will be following up with him on Monday (needed time to talk with my husband), but it looks like that is the path I'll follow. Sticking to this, but not feeling super great about the whole thing. Hopefully there will be a light at the end of this tunnel.
My Prayers and support will be with you. The program when worked does indeed have a light at the end of the tunnel. Stick with it cause you're worth it. God doesn't make any junk.
Larry, ---------------- Surrender means being willing to follow someone else´s direction.
Nothing to be Freaked out over. When we finally surrender we get a feeling of peace, that the fight is over and our new life can begin.
Hope you stay sober no matter what path you follow. Treatment has helped a lot of people get a jump-start on soberiety.
A lot of us did not go to treatment and have been successful in soberiety. Once detoxed, I don't think I have ever seen someone not stay sober who has made anything close to 90 in 90 days.
Like the book says, rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.
We are here to support you!
__________________
Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
Sounds good, no more lurking ideas that you can drink like other people
check
Cat is out of the bag, your family knows, professionals have diagnosed you
check
You are running out of "places to hide"
check
If you continue drinking, in your heart of hearts you know it will be on a lie, you now know what the problem is, better yet you know what the solution is
You're running out of excuses to keep drinking kiddo, looks like you are going to have to join the winning team (surrender) sooner rather then later now, then you can graduate from our crack team of Research and Development specialists here at AA and leave that crap to other people
Your time out in the cold is done sweetheart, come into the light, it's time
Although rehabs are trendy and recommended by those who make tons of money from them, and there is cool TV shows about them, my experience matches Rob's, most everyone I know that got AND STAYED sober did so in AA, which is where they send you the day you leave treatment anyway, you will notice all those highly trained specialists that are sober all go to AA as well, just an observation.
Here's your $10,000 Big Book, thanks (available for 4.95 or even free at any meeting)
90 in 90 works kiddo
-- Edited by AGO on Friday 23rd of April 2010 01:18:13 AM
__________________
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a night, light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life
This consoler, like us, is probably trying to steer you toward the best chance of getting sober, through inpatient, which is a "captive audience" and insures participation vs. outpatient, where people might not even show up regularly and it's a couple days a week vs. every day. The bottom line is that if you attended meetings everyday, your chances would be roughly the same as impatient imo, and possibly higher than just going to outpatient a couple days a week. Now if you did outpatient and went to meetings all the other days of the week your chances would improve. I've got the feeling that you're a lot like me, "too smart for this simple program". Take a look at the last line in the AA preamble,
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Definition or Primary- adj.
First or highest in rank, quality, or importance; principal.
Being or standing first in a list, series, or sequence.
Occurring first in time or sequence; earliest.
This means, before relationships, before spouses, before kids, before work, before hobbies (running), before friends, before family....
If we don't treat our alcoholism we won't be around to take care of those other less important things as we'll be dead, in jail, in a mental institution, living on the street...
"Whatever we put in front of our recovery, we will lose anyway, when we relapse and begin drinking again."
"We are only granted a daily reprieve, from our alcoholism, based on our spiritual condition"
All those mean that when we wake up in the morning our first thoughts are about working our program to stay sober Today. We ask our HP to keep us sober today, then we go about a routine that we've developed (reading, praying, going to a meeting, talking to our sponsor and other AA friends, working the steps, and avoiding people, places, situations, and things that trigger us to drink) to get through that day sober and
just before we go to sleep, we give thanks to our HP for keeping us sober one more day.
The rest of our life, we schedule around this and sometimes we have to do without.
We don't skip meetings for anything, and with (usually) the abundance of meetings each day we don't have to. A lot of people go to 6 or 7am morning meetings to start the day off right and get their meeting in. A lot of people go to Noon meetings and eat their lunch during the meeting. A lot of us go to 5:30pm meetings, right after work so that they can go home and spend the rest of the evening with their families. They MAKE IT WORK and their families, bosses, and true friends understand and are supportive of this.
There's millions of us doing this day in and day out and it's pretty widely known that we do this, so there is really no excuses except for our reservations about getting sober, or reserving the right to drink.
-- Edited by StPeteDean on Friday 23rd of April 2010 08:22:06 AM
Laurie, you are making a good choice, in trying SOMETHING that is different from what you have already tried. Encouragement to make this program of AA work, is in any form, commendable and worthwhile. I also believe that AA works, period. But on another note, I believe that good solid counseling adds to one's chances of being able to remain sober. AA is not professional counseling, and although there is a whole lot of terrific advice and suggestions in AA from people who have "been there, done that", I strongly believe that some of us can increase our chance at recovery by at the same time addressing the psychological "blocks" so many of us are riddled with.
I have checked myself in for outpatient treatment at this time, as well. It is going very well. And part of that treatment requires me to attend a certain amount of AA meetings per week. Another source of accountability for me, and one that I'll gladly accept. The treatment program I am in focuses on putting a flame up under our butts to get a big support group of AA's working in our lives before we are released from IOP (Intensive OutPatient). Some might argue that if we are not on our own attending meetings as often as we should, that we don't want it badly enough. But as is common, that is just another judgment from the peanut gallery. I want someone to keep me more accountable, and seeing as how my sponsor does have a life, my 3 hours per day 4 days per week of accountability plus AA meeting requirements is what I seek in order for my better side to hold the "slacker" in me accountable. Some of use are sicker than others, and if we need a professional to give us a helping hand in the beginning, much encouragement and support from that same peanut gallery is appreciated.
So enjoy your treatment and get all you can out of it. And make sure to have a bunch of support in place through AA, for when you are released from the program you are in. And be grateful each day that we have stuff like this available. I know I am.
__________________
~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
Take a look at the last line in the AA preamble,