As stated in your other thread. It doesn't matter and it is not the focus of AA or recovery at all. I know you stated you have OCD...I understand that but those of us who don't are not going to understand why it matters so much. Most of us drank every day.....many of us were in such a fog the first month that we don't even know the real date for sure. Get busy getting sober first and don't worry about the date.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
I was having a bit of a chinwag with a friend of mine earlier as I was having a bit of a sad day being that it is my 40th birthday and I'm missing my wife and kids.
Anyway - long story short - my friend told me to take the advice of my birthdate and March Forth.
I don't know if that helps you or if you will read it in time but it cheered me up and might just help with your number dilema.
Autumn...I didn't mean to come off judgmental in my last post here.... I just wanted you to consider this: Most of us had reached the point in our alcoholism where it became a life or death decision to get into recovery. Alcoholism kills. So....knowing that this is the group of people you are writing to for suggestions, I do believe many of us are going to be thinking it is foolish to dilly-dally thinking about dates while you could die on your next alcoholic binge. Does that make sense? It's kind of like if you had a ruptured appendix...would you wait for just the right day and time to go to the hospital?
I know you have other factors in play here, so do I, but don't let anything deter you from recovery.
In support,
Mark
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Autumn...I didn't mean to come off judgmental in my last post here.... I just wanted you to consider this: Most of us had reached the point in our alcoholism where it became a life or death decision to get into recovery. Alcoholism kills. So....knowing that this is the group of people you are writing to for suggestions, I do believe many of us are going to be thinking it is foolish to dilly-dally thinking about dates while you could die on your next alcoholic binge. Does that make sense? It's kind of like if you had a ruptured appendix...would you wait for just the right day and time to go to the hospital?
I know you have other factors in play here, so do I, but don't let anything deter you from recovery.
In support,
Mark
i appreciate your honesty. i wish more people would just be honest with me.
I can not see how anyone has been less than very honest, blunt even, with you. It's tough when a mental illness gets in the way of getting sober, but as those of us who have "been there", and still live with the other conditions we have, can attest, it is better to get sober and have a chance to deal with both, than to keep drinking and have no chance with either. We may be powerless over alcoholism but we are not helpless...big difference. You've not said whether you are getting appropriate treatment, which may or may not include medication, for the OCD. Untreated, your row to hoe is likely to be harder still. If you are receiving effective medical/psychiatric help, then your health practicioner should be helping you to overcome this hurdle. In any event, OCD or not, putting getting sober off because of the "Yeah, but....s" does not seem to be working. Have you been to a meeting? Are you willing to go to any lengths?
I can not see how anyone has been less than very honest, blunt even, with you. It's tough when a mental illness gets in the way of getting sober, but as those of us who have "been there", and still live with the other conditions we have, can attest, it is better to get sober and have a chance to deal with both, than to keep drinking and have no chance with either. We may be powerless over alcoholism but we are not helpless...big difference. You've not said whether you are getting appropriate treatment, which may or may not include medication, for the OCD. Untreated, your row to hoe is likely to be harder still. If you are receiving effective medical/psychiatric help, then your health practicioner should be helping you to overcome this hurdle. In any event, OCD or not, putting getting sober off because of the "Yeah, but....s" does not seem to be working. Have you been to a meeting? Are you willing to go to any lengths?
Okay i will share my story and yes everyone has been completely blunt and honest with me and i wouldn't want any less. what i meant was people in my real life. i don't get any treatment. i was hospitalized for trying to kill myself a few years ago. i was on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. i went to a few aa meetings. i quit that and eventually started drinking again. i can stay sober for a few weeks or months, but then i go on binges where i drink every other day for few months. i've never had serious physical withdrawls. but then again every time you have a hangover it's a withdrawl. but i've had plenty of instances where i wake up feeling panicky, shakey, sweaty. usually i crave food and something to drink from not having nourishment for so many hours, i will drink and eat anything that will make me feel better. non-alcoholic. i never cured a hangover with more alcohol. but i feel manic the next day and will do anything for more alcohol and can't focus on anything else. i guess most of you have been sober enough long enough to forget the ugly little thoughts that consume. or maybe not i'm not trying to judge anyone. i think i have depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, avoidance personality disorder, OCD. it's much more than i could ever handle on my own. plus there is physical medical care i would like to take care of. HOW in the WORLD DO YOU HANDLE ALL THIS MESS YOU CREATE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY WHEN ALL THE DAMAGE IS DONE? i need like 50k to 1 million to fix it all. i drink because i'm done with it all. i'm so out of control i can't even pick a date. i hope i do die sometimes and i'm only 27.
Hi Autumn. There's one thing you stated in your last post that jumped out at me right away. "I drink because I'm done with it all." I remember all the "reasons I drank before I got sober. I drank to escape, to have fun, to ease the pain, to celebrate, to mourn, because no one could POSSIBLY understand how I felt. You want to know the real reason I drank? Because I'm an alcoholic. Until I could truly, honestly, and whole heartedly embrace the fact that I was an alcoholic, I never got sober. I'm not saying your an alcoholic...that's up to you to decide. So maybe you also drink because your an alcoholic, or maybe you drink because you think it's the only way you can deal with your life. I can say one thing for certain ... psychological problems can not be treated affectively when there's still drinking involved. That's a proven fact. That was the case for me. I was told when you want to treat a stab wound, the first thing you have to do is remove the knife. In order for me to get the treatment for my other problems, I had to remove the biggest one first, and that meant no more alcohol. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that the alcohol was at least 50% or more of the problem. It's your choice, and your decision to make. What do you want, and how badly do you want it? I was told that I would never be able to get sober until I was ready to go to any length. Today, I'll do ANYTHING to remain sober from the time I wake up until I go to bed.
Brian
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Nothing ever truly dies. The universe wastes nothing. Everything is simply, transformed. :confuse:
