Alcoholism Support Group

When I was in AA, and not long ago when I did some steps (5, 6 and 7), that's where life changed for me. I drank again though, so I didn't reap the benifits for long.

I was also out of AA for most of my sober years, and life is life still, but the alcohol that was making life worse wasn't there. Life is ALWAYS worse with the booze.

Sober Doesn't mean lifes gonna be a bowl of cheeries from here on out... it's more like a box of chocolates, ya never know what's inside. You may like it, or you may just want to toss that piece and try something different.

Life is tough, but such is life. Since working the steps I get the promises talked about in the Big Book everyday. I choose to be thankful, and practice gratitude. Things are much better than they were 4 months ago.

No one has ever told me that this would be easy and I agree with you that this is tough, however it is not as tough as living drunk all day; everyday. I would rather have this than my worst day drunk.

Speaking for myself "happy" is not a big enough word to describe how I feel about being sober.

I am alive and probably wouldnt be if I had carried on drinking and my life drinking was a terrifying, horrible, miserable existence that I am so grateful not to be in anymore.

I dont just exist slowly commiting suicide now. I actually live and my life is infinitely better than when drinking.

Two things for me though - it didnt get that way just by stopping drinking, I tried just not drinking and ended up in a mental hospital - my life changed as a result of all the work I have done on changing myself and the way I look at life. I did this through the 12 steps.

Also, life and the world is still pretty much as it was, good things happen, bad things happen, I have got ill with other things, I am happy, sad and lots of feelings in between. That is the way life is for everyone. Sobriety didnt give me an exemption from the natural highs and lows of life. But now I can deal with it pretty well most of the time. I have learnt another way of dealing with life that works if I use it.

You are right sobriety can be difficult, life can be difficult, but by putting in the work miracles have happened for me. It didnt happen overnight but overtime as I changed.

I am an alcoholic so the fact that I am not drinking is a miracle in itself. And the difference in my life means that I experience miracles every day.

For me it hasn't been that answer to all of life's problems. Not at all, and by now I'm sure I'd be bored with the whole show if it had been. It simply increased my awareness and put those problems in a clearer perspective.

But that was an acquired taste, and I didn't really begin to appreciate what I had until I was sober for a few years. The miracle wasn't nearly so much anything that happened, but all the stuff that didn't happen.

No, I don't think it is misrepresentation...I think and I only can speak for myself...that sometimes the longer that I am sober the farther away those memories of those really difficult times were. I fly right past the really awful times to the serenity I have now, because if I had thought that I would feel like I did at first then I might not have had anything to look forward to.

Where I am now took six years...and I still struggle with the stuff that every human being struggles with alcoholic or not.

Mircles of sobriety...Yes, I am a miracle of sobriety and my whole family is blessed because of it. See it isn't about just me anymore...that it where the happiness is for me. I had no idea that the things that bring me happiness today could do so or that what I needed would turn out to be also what I wanted after all.

How I did it then is exactly how I do it now. I ask for my HP's help, I put one foot in front of the other, striving to do the next right thing and hope like hell I can stay out of my HP's way.

I other words...I try to do as I think is good and right...key word is do...action and then I leave the rest up to God, HP, Universe.

It is doing this over and over that change has been brought about...my attitude, outlook, thoughts, and feelings are calmer, more focused and more productive.

No, it wasn't easy but it has been worth it. What would you rather focus on...how difficult it is or that today's difficulty will pass and you too will find peace?

Soxrox: A lot of times you will hear people on a pink cloud. Happens to me big time, sometimes....
And when we're not there, we knew what it felt like once and hold onto that.
I don't think you have heard a single, serious and sober ol timer say anything close to that sobriety is the answer to all of life's problems. Quite the opposit.
I can appreciate pink clouders can be a bit irritating except for the fact, even if you've never experienced it,,,kinda puts a warm giggle in your stomach and you know what they are talking about but just not completely.
Nemo has a great story in this context.
Nemo? It's a great one! That's when I fell in love with you.

It took me 2 yrs to feel like a "normal" person and that I didn't have to drink to be happy. So it was miraculous that I was able to quit but life didn't just suddenly get better. I started AA meetings and worked the steps and that helped me a lot. I have no desire to ever drink again(one day at a time, LOL)

Hi. I understand the feeling of misrepresentation, but it depends on how you look at it. A.A. or anything else doesn't promise to do anything for you, accept help you to get sober. And by that, a lot of times your life becomes more manageble, and allows you to have a more happy life. But it's still you that has to do things. It won't fall from the sky. If things are still disorganized, look at what you can do. My life didn't get better overnight. It took doing things, little by little. There were times I thought, "What the hell," because nothing seemed to be changing, but I kept on. Later one day, someone said something nice to me that made me realize that changes were happening. Sometimes we don't see anything changing. We are a people that expect instant results. We drank because it changed things instantly. Sometimes change takes time. If your expecting God to change things, I hate to tell you, He won't do it. Change only comes about by us, and our decisions we make sober. God will help, but he leaves the choices up to us. You are right tho. Life is tough, and always will be. What recovery gives me is a way that I can still live in this tough world, but have what it takes, and still be able to smile. Sometimes that may be all I can do. Life can seem F---ed up, but at least I can smile, and perhaps even say hello to someone that may have it harder than me. Just because you get sober, doesn't mean the world changes. Everything is still the same. The only thing that has changed is that we have gotten sober, and we try to live a spiritual life that, hopefully, allows us to smile and live as good people. All the best. James

Thank you soooo much for your thoughtful responses. I needed to hear about others experiences. This has helped more than you'll know.

I live by the A.A. promises every day. The only thing that A.A.promises is that if you don't pick up the first drink,you won't get drunk. The other promises are up to you. I don't believe that things get better, but I do believe that I get better. Things that used to weigh me down are still there. I just refuse to let them get to me.Things don't get better..I get better.. I have healthier choices today. I also like to put some gratitude in my attitude daily.
I woke up in my own bed today.. My apartment was warm. There was food in the fridge...I didn't puke today...I didn't have to look in the bottle to see if anything was left,of look next to me to see if any one was there. Only my loving cats looked back at me TODAY!