Its taken me a long time to realize this. Ive done a ton of meetings. Ive learnt the AA way of life, and I see people every day suffering. I want everyone browsing this board whos reading this to behonest with themselves... Have you truly quit all drugs and alcohol??/? Whos still nipping a beer or two, smoking some joints/ tobacco?? Heads up, are we DYING? truly?? I just had a spiritual awakening and it was when I threw ALL the drugs away and was 100% serious that I'd never do it again, nothing, not anything. Now I know I know, never swear off forever, theres no rules etc blah blah blah.. Don't worry about being a winner, just quit the damn drugs.
Signed, a really sick drug addict/ alcoholic who is now perectly strait in a beautiful apartment feeling warm and normal. It took 15 days of saying it ok. not one second. Don't ever drink or drug again.
just f'in quit. if it was that easy there wouldn't be people dieing every day from alcoholism/addiction.
I don't give a crap about who's "nippin a beer or two, smoking some joints/ tobacco." that's none of my business.
I only have one day I have to be concerned with and that's today.
Wow, I am glad that wasn't one of the first posts I read when I first came to this board. I didn't quit drinking by someone ordering me to quit. I quit because I wanted to and was ready to do it for myself.
I just read the part about "smoking joints/tobacco"..... (darn adhd or killed off too many brain cells because my mind just ain't what it should be..) Anyway....
No, to joints. Yes, I do smoke cigarettes. I talked to my sponsor about feeling bad that I still smoke and was told to focus on not drinking right now and not worry too much about the cigarettes for a while. Also, my mom told me the same thing. I am not going to cross either one of them and do as I am told. Thanks for sharing, though.
I tried to smoke cigarettes for about a week when I was twelve years old but I just couldn't do it. They were awful. But I found that I really liked to drink and use drugs so I did that - until I didn't like it, but couldn't stop - until I came to AA and stopped. So I have never had to deal with the "what about smoking" question.
When I stopped, I stopped all alcohol and all drugs and have been truly clean and sober for many years now. In my experience, when someone has alcoholism, like I do, they are simply not able to consistently drink a small amount on an occasional basis, or use moderate amounts of other drugs 'recreationally' on an occasional basis. When people like me try to do that, they relapse in a very noticeable way before long. I mean, if someone CAN reliable control and enjoy their drinking/drugging, like any other normal person, they have no need for sobriety or AA.
Hi Brian,
Nice positive post. I guess I was relatively fortunate in having no other problems than alcoholism in the beginning, though I did have a hell of a time with the cigarettes.
What I take from your post is that your in this for the long haul and that is what our book talks about, permanent recovery. It says we have a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spritual condition, so as long as we keep in good spiritual condition there is no reason for us to drink/use again. The BB also talks about being ready to quit for good and willing to go to any lengths to do so. And it is at pains to point out that the delusion that we will ever be able to drink like other people has to be smashed.
Staying sober one day at a time is really about getting through those early days until we get connected to our higher power. In that time we are doing everything possible to stay away from the first drink, but we know from experience that we can't get permanent recovery under our own power. But in the long term, having had our spritual awakening as the result of the steps, we focus on living life one day at a time, and trying to do Gods will in our lives. The drink problem is removed, it no longer exists, and it will stay that way as long as we remain in fit spiritual condition.
