Army June 22

[lifechange]

Good evening, Army!

how fun that you all met up! how long ago was it? did you meet up in Dublin?
nightmare counseling stories! i had therapy eons ago and it helped to deal with issues from my childhood/depression.. but i've never had therapy with regards to my alcohol problems..

Molly, i was wondering the other day if you continued with AA/step work after you got out of treatment? were you in a 30 day program?

and JC? you said that you got sober before you joined MWO? were you also in a treatment program?

i've tried AA here a couple of times but it hasn't felt like my thing.. i can't exactly put my finger on it.. i've felt more comfortable in online AA groups with people from the U.S... i guess because they were more diverse with regards to age.. here it's such a young, hip group (at least the women's group and there's just one) and though i'm soooo happy to see people getting sober so young, i don't feel a connection or like i fit in.. i did tell myself before coming back here, that this is my last chance just using MWO and all the tools i have here.. that if i can't do the work i need to do here, listen to the advice/recommendations you all offer me and then DO them, give every ounce i have to getting well, i'll have to find a way to get into an in-house program. i'd definitely rather find my way out here..

oops! time to feed the tigers! at least they're acting like it!!xx

[mollyka]

Good evening, Army!

how fun that you all met up! how long ago was it? did you meet up in Dublin?
nightmare counseling stories! i had therapy eons ago and it helped to deal with issues from my childhood/depression.. but i've never had therapy with regards to my alcohol problems..

Molly, i was wondering the other day if you continued with AA/step work after you got out of treatment? were you in a 30 day program?

and JC? you said that you got sober before you joined MWO? were you also in a treatment program?

i've tried AA here a couple of times but it hasn't felt like my thing.. i can't exactly put my finger on it.. i've felt more comfortable in online AA groups with people from the U.S... i guess because they were more diverse with regards to age.. here it's such a young, hip group (at least the women's group and there's just one) and though i'm soooo happy to see people getting sober so young, i don't feel a connection or like i fit in.. i did tell myself before coming back here, that this is my last chance just using MWO and all the tools i have here.. that if i can't do the work i need to do here, listen to the advice/recommendations you all offer me and then DO them, give every ounce i have to getting well, i'll have to find a way to get into an in-house program. i'd definitely rather find my way out here..

oops! time to feed the tigers! at least they're acting like it!!xx

With regard to AA and steps etc....what I'm going to say...I'm not sposed to say....but I will...I was in 30 day treatment ...in-house...loved it! Part of the 'agreement' I had with my designated counsellor down there (HE was magic...unlike the rest of the muppets described here) was that I would attend Aftercare for 2 years ..2 hours once a week..and 1-2 AA meetings...also for 2 years....I did all that ....I goy
t to know all the local meetings and lots of people who went to them...then....2 years done...I stopped.
This is the bit I'm not sposed to say....I knew 100% that I would never drink again....absolutely 100%.
So I made a pact with myself...if ever ever ever that belief was challenged or I got notions..I'd go straight back to AA.
Reason I stopped going ..#1..my life was very full and busy...worked full-time and hoards of family always needy and time consuming and #2 I'm chronically shy so couldn't imagine EVER asking someone to be my sponsor or anything so couldn't really do the steps.

That's it...deal with the devil or a sensible pragmatic decision? Who knows? I'll tell ye on my deathbed!
However...I think for someone still in the throes of a struggle I think AA is wonderful...I get exasperated when people here talk about not wanting to be seen by local people etc etc....we should be so proud of dealing with all this in whatever way possible. One of my pals at one of the meetings was the local doctor....when I saw him there chatting away with all and sundry I just knew there was no shame ...nor should there be....I do get the generational thing tho....and I also preferred mixed meetings to all women but that's just a personal preference!

[satz123]

This is the bit I'm not sposed to say....I knew 100% that I would never drink again....absolutely 100%.

You knew it - same as I knew it on 23/06/2013 - same as most on here - because we are all strong wilful people.
We must be to have been to have continued drinking year after year when all around us told us not to.
But when WE were ready & sick to death of it WE decided to quit for good.
- and in this case the wilfulness stood to us.

And @lifechange stick to your guns & you will get there too.

[IamMary]

I really think that's the key, being ready. We all have different rock bottoms, I never drank in the morning, but calculated every drink, just like Stirls. No one knew... I was very secretive. But I was miserable in myself and desperate and then so determined when I came across this site and read all the stories.

I always wonder who around me is suffering.. like kids parents who refuse to do the pickups after a certain time, as they go to bed (at 7, I don't think so).

Morning. In work. Laptop crashed.

16yr old off to Longitude today (festival). Up since silly o'clock getting ready. I'm not even there to tell her to put more clothes on

[lifechange]

hi Army!
happy Friday!!
thanks for the responses..
also wonder if any of you tweaked your nutrition and if anything in particular helped?
i feel the b vitamins are kicking in, which is great! have also been taking some magnesium and trying to get exercise in when i have the energy..
don't want to overdue it or cause stress.. so i'm taking it easy.

Mary, what is Longitude? a music festival? hope the weather will be nice for it!

off to have lunch with a friend then to a celebration for my eldest.. finished her Abitur.. think it must be like A levels in Britain.. is it the same in Ireland as in England?

xx