Still drinking. Getting bad. Thinking about sobriety. How do I make the leap?
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Hi Andrea. There are several ways, but I can only tell you how I did it. I got up one morning and made the choice that I was not going to drink that morning, and go to an AA meeting. This was exactly opposite of what I wanted to do. I wanted to drink, and I sure as heck didn’t want to go to one of those meetings. Regardless, I really wanted to stop, so I tried it. I did that for 90 straight days. I didn’t love everything I heard at the meetings, but I heard enough things I liked. That’s how I started. I’m celebrating 1 year in 2 weeks. That’s how I did it.
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Hey Andrea. While AA can be good and beneficial to some, it’s not for everybody. It didn’t work for me, maybe it can for you, but maybe not. Only you can determine that. For me, I had to sit back one day, after some legal issues and really dig deep to see what mattered to me. I don’t know if you have kids, but I have a daughter, and I imagined her living without me in her life. Whether I was dead or in prison. That helped me to start making the change. Once I realized that, I began taking steps to work on myself. It wasn’t easy, I didn’t wanna give it up. But in time I got there. I’ve been an alcoholic/addict since I was 17. I’ve been sober for 2 years now. Recovery is individual to each of us. We can all recommend things and that’s perfect, but your recovery is yours. Find at least one thing. If it’s AA, fine, if it’s something else, great. There are many ways to achieve this. Reach out if you need to talk.
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Yes, get to a meeting and get the phone numbers of women there you can call for support. Do 90 meetings in 90 days. I am certain your life will get better.
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Hey Andrea. You just took the leap by acknowledging you want a change in your life and signing on to this group 
hmu if you wanna talk!
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Congratulations. One day at a time. That’s all I can focus on right now.
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Hi Andrea. This is my experience: The only way I was able to finally stop because I was physically addicted. Meaning drank from minute I opened my eyes until I closed them at night. I was physically sick, shaking, vomiting, among others things. I had my husband drive to the ER where I was immediately put on medication to help with withdrawal and spent 1 1/2 weeks in detox. Best thing that ever happened. Now at 21 months sober I do Meetings, recovery group, counseling and reaching to others in recovery. I honestly thought I was going to die every night that I slept, which wasn’t many. It takes a lot of work but you just admitting you have a problem is 1st step to recovery. Not everyone has to go through what I did. But for me it saved my life. My brother died at 33 the color of a lemon and I knew I was headed that way. Grateful everyday that I am working on my recovery. Reach out to people go to AA meetings. Only out come of continue drinking is death. You don’t want that I saw it first hand and it is a miserable way to die.
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Thank you so much for the support. I’m not there yet but I can see that there is a community that will support me!!
Keep sending ideas and thoughts. I don’t believe in God so I have a problem with AA. I feel like I am drowning without a life preserver.
I recently relapsed pretty bad. Please check into a detox center if your having withdrawals 100% the best decision I made as they helped find out patient service that worked around my schedule. Also download meeting guide app for AA locations near you!
Ugh! I have tried AA meetings in the past. The ones in my area are toxic and tribal. I live in a very small community. I did not feel welcome or safe.
I am sorry! Try to do out patient! I work full time and they are working around my schedule.
And you can find AA meetings via zoom from all over the country I believe.
You don’t have to believe in God to do AA. It for me is mainly for the support and friendships there. There are other groups besides AA. I believe there is also Smart Recovery. If you really want Sobriety you will find what works for you. If your from a small are go on a few zoom meetings, if you have a computer, there are so many to choose from.
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Try The Luckiest Club. Not a 12 step program and it is online. AA wasn’t doing it for me and I love TLC. Google it! You will feel welcome. People immediately put numbers up. You can keep your camera off. And even if you are not quite ready to quit, just sober curious they welcome you with open arms. I love it! Made more connection there in one week than in AA for 12 years. Keep searching there is something for everyone. Sadly I thought that AA was the only credible program. Boy was I wrong! Many programs and tools out there. Loosid is a great start. In a round about way that is how I got to TLC! Keep coming back! Good people here!
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There are certainly different ways to achieve sobriety. I fought AA for years. If you are truly an alcoholic of the hopeless variety, AA, in my own experience is the only way to maintain quality sobriety. Sure, you can stop drinking and be dry and miserable. It’s not the “drink” that is the problem, it’s our “thinking.” That’s the difference between AA and other programs. Some people including myself (until this time around) cannot surrender, be honest, and willing to right their wrongs. I do not mean this in a “mean” way, but when someone says the program didn’t work for them, I have to chuckle to myself. The reality is that they did not work the program, bottom line. I hope you find what works for you because you don’t need to continue suffering.
Do good for you alone and before you know it your life will change. Always remember it’s easy to be good and it’s hard to be bad. Do the next best thing always for yourself! When you are in a good spot, then do for others!
Convince yourself to give sobriety a real genuine chance
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You have to do it for yourself first. You are worth it!
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Hi Andrea ! That’s amazing you’re thinking about sobriety. I started with sober lit. (This naked mind, quit like a woman, the unexpected joy of being sober) and some podcasts that were great for me are (recovery elevator , this naked mind , recovery happy hour and that sober guy podcast) when I wasn’t reading I was listening to podcasts. You just have to throw yourself into it 100 percent. Take it day by day. You got this!