Hi, My names Brian and Im an Alcoholic. I thought Id join the forums online as well as go to meetings.
I first came to AA in 2009 but I didnt start working the program properly until about May 1st of 2011. Im hoping I can post messages with other members to help keep me away from drinking. Ive gotten myself feeling like the old me but my life is still a mess. Im a 26 year old without a job and I live in a small apartment. I have a family affected by Alcoholism. My relationships with my family are very poor to say the least, I am not angry at them but things arent the way a normal family should be. I began drinking at age 13 and by age 23 I was arrested and spent 4 months in a Psychiatric hospital which was the worst, darkest time of my life. I tried to continue with alcohol for about 2 years afterwards, I have suffered intensely. I am hoping by continuing with the AA program I can get myself clear enough that Im no longer unemployed and Im on my way to a better life. Ive dealt with a serious illness, a bone disease, using food banks, Depression, terrible family relationships, I have lost all my friends from long ago, I have been in hospitals and I have lost jobs all due to my drinking. I am currently sober for longer than Ive ever been and Im attending a Mental health office regularly for the last 3 years which is almost finished. Im not gonna go into grim detail about the last few years of my life I am just hoping I can post messages with other Alcoholics to remain sober and get on to a proper structure of working and being a happy person.
Brian
Welcome Brian, your story sounds a lot like mine. Now I have great relationships with family and friends, a great place and job and its all due to getting sober and working the steps. Welcome, we all need you here!
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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Hey Brian welcome to the board. Your honesty about the consequences, of this progressive disease, will greatly help, but especially the numerous newcomers that wander in here daily. Typically many of these folks have not experienced the hardships that this disease brings, eventually, to alcoholics, Yet. We try and try to explain to these folks to quit while they are ahead, but usually they are looking for a way to compare out, modify their drinking, or do it on their own. Unfortunately, they don't have 5,10,20,30... years of, basically, watching the same sad story over and over again, like many in here do. And of course there is on own story. Brian, Use a good sponsor, work the steps quickly and thoroughly, and hang on to the promises.
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among ussometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
3rd ed. Big Book pg. 83 & 84
-- Edited by StPeteDean on Thursday 29th of December 2011 06:18:48 AM
Welcome Brian :) I think of this place as my mini meeting, when I can't get to a real time meeting and I need one this is one of my tools. I hope it fits in your tool box too
I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
Aloha Brian...Welcome to the board and thanks for the honesty and courage. There are similarities in all our stories and we support and learn from each other. It's important that you know where you come from and just as important that you know where you are at now and what you want to do with your desire to be sober. As has already been mentioned...life changes and everything with it does also when you work this program because of course...It Works!! in all our affairs. Good to have your here.
Brian, that sounds like great progress. It took a long time to develop these issues and it will take a while to sort out the wreckages. You sound like you are right where you are supposed to be at 7 months sober and recovering from a pretty low bottom. A day at a time, if you continue with this, it will get better. Welcome.
Mark
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Brian
