“once I had a drink—whether it was at 7 p.m. or 9 a.m.—I couldn’t stop until my body shut down and I passed out in a pile on the floor”
Why do some assume that _everyone_ responds to alcohol this way?
Yeah, it’s tough. I cut myself off and only drink beer on weekends.
Once you take that first drink, it usually leads to you passing out somewhere till morning.
Interesting read. I don’t think it would work for everyone, but AA doesn’t work for everyone either.
I have a different kind of a “problem with alcohol”. It gives me a headache. I don’t mean a headache the next morning like a hangover. I mean almost immediately after taking even a sip. It used to take a glass of wine, then a half a glass and now even a small sip gives me an immediate headache. I finally stopped trying, when every one else is having a blast, I am sitting there with a Diet Coke.
When I was about 19 I woke up saturday morning turned on bugs bunny and popped open a cold bud...
I was sitting their watching cartoons drinking a beer at 8 am in the morning and realized I had a problem
What scared me was it was so naturally didn’t think twice about it
I stopped drinking for 5 years...
Still can buy a case (not Bud) and it will long me a month
Although I am happy this guy has stopped drinking. 2 1/2 years is not that long of a time in the scheme of life.
Why people like him need to tear down AA is astounding to me. AA is the most successful program for alcoholics. Tried and true. I laughed when he scoffed at the idea of powerlessness.
If I were a betting man, I’d say without a support system this man will probably drink again. I truly hope he doesn’t. Declaring you are an alcoholic publicly... Even writing a book will mean nothing when you
become powerless (there’s that word again!) over the first drink. But judging by his story, he is pretty full of himself. A dangerous state of mind for an alcoholic.
For adults with addictions, the most effective program is Teen Challenge. Despite its name it’s for adults. Faith based, it’s a 12 month residential program.
http://teenchallengeusa.com/
I’m allergic to people and situations that drive me to drink.
The author did well, and got himself some income from it in the end. If he begins drinking moderately, he’ll do OK, as one is not a powerless alcoholic for life as AA (protecting its own interests) insists.
Anyone who is able to get and stay sober, no matter what their method, deserves congratulations. That said, I’m not sure his methods will work for most people. I don’t think AA is necessarily the solution either (particularly if you don’t believe in any “higher power” to call upon).
Personally, the only method I know is surrendering to Jesus Christ and letting Him change you (which is similar to some of AA’s steps but not completely). And there are some people who have developed such a physical addiction that they may need some form of hospitalization or other temporary restriction on their freedom to “dry out” before they can seriously move forward on the rest of their treatment.
Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith had nearly four years sober, when they wrote the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
And both remained sober for the rest of their lives.
This guy has about 2.5 yrs.
I’ll stick with AA, flaws/weaknesses and all.
Served me well for 18 yrs, 1 month and 13 days.
Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith had nearly four years sober, when they wrote the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
And both remained sober for the rest of their lives.
This guy has about 2.5 yrs.
I’ll stick with AA, flaws/weaknesses and all.
Served me well for 18 yrs, 1 month and 13 days.
This line that the author wrote, is predicated on a falsehood.
There are NO 'musts' in AA. I know plenty of AAs who never work a single Step. They are miserable cusses, so much so that even *they* refer to themselves as 'dry drunks'.
So it is suggested that an AA work the Steps, but there is no 'must'.
Looks to me that you guys all married the wrong girl.
I’ve posted this before in alcoholism threads, but I want to keep touting naltrexone, the drug of choice for the “stubborn” drunk who can’t stop drinking on his own (or with help) but wants to. The Sinclair Method allows you to keep drinking on your regular schedule, but you take naltrexone before each drinking session — and the drug eventually takes away your desire to drink. No joke. Someone very close to me has had great success with this inexpensive drug (easily available from Canada, or your own doc if you can get them to prescribe it). The person I refer to has, in the space of a year, gone from drinking 12 - 15 beers at a time, three times a week, to drinking six beers at a time, once a week, or often once every two or three weeks. Just google “Sinclair Method” and “naltrexone.”
Ping
I know someone who is retired and drinks beer constantly. He would deny that he is an alcoholic but I think he is.
My father was an alcoholic and as a young man I feared that I possibly inherited the gene (if there is one). Luckily, alcohol does not appeal to me.
The only support you need is the Lord Jesus.
The author messed up badly when he discounted the AA steps. That step, while watered down so as to not offend, all call on you to realize the IMPOTANCE of God and of surrendering your will to His.
I too had a drinking problem, resisted acknowledging it. It was costing me more than I could afford, it was also killing me through high blood pressure (at times 200/120).
I got saved, asked Jesus to be my Savior, He took that away from me, I can rely on Him to be my strength. Today, I am less poor everyday, as well, much healthier (114/70).
It is nothing but PRIDE, self-destructive PRIDE, that keeps people, even in self-destructive habits, from acknowledging God and the power He can have in a life.
Thank you Jesus for paying my debt, Thank you for loving me.
It has worked for me.