I struggled with alcohol for years. Didn't drink every day, but blacked out every time I did. A Xanax and adderall addiction soon followed. I was arrested 9 times over a 5 year period, with three arrests coming within 48 hours. When I woke up in jail the last tim I knew I was beat. I had long ago lost anything of value, including my friends, and now lost my mom after inadvertently assaulting her in front of a cop. That was Jan 27, 2018. I went to treatment, then a sober living house. I also hit a LOT of meetings those first few months. Happy to say I celebrated 18 months of sobriety Sunday!

JTA1029 said:

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So here I am. I fly back home tonight and I'll find an aa group to start going to. I've got to get ahold of this crap before it ruins me.

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Well, it's been a week, did you follow through on your decision to find an AA group?

How you boys doing? I've noticed that football season seems to have way too many opportunities to make bad choices. Just wanted you to know there are people out here keeping all of you in our prayers.

wbt5845 said:

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How you boys doing? I've noticed that football season seems to have way too many opportunities to make bad choices. Just wanted you to know there are people out here keeping all of you in our prayers.

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4 years yesterday! Doing well!

wbt - Thank you for bumping this and your message. The fact that you took the time to say what you did is really meaningful.

It is interesting that you bring up football season because this past weekend, I was reflecting on what football season use to look like for me. There were many Saturdays of getting together with the guys to "watch games". I put that in quotes because we definitely had games on all day, but it was more a day of drinking centered around college football being on from 11:00am to 1:00am. I can not tell you how many times a day of "watching games" turned into bad decisions, blackouts, and just general debauchery. It seemed fun at the time, but those Sunday mornings were filled with regret, shame, and me feeling hollow.

Now, I watch games - no quotes. I watch them alone or watch them with friends who know about and support my recovery. I don't make it much past 8:00pm anymore due to Sunday morning long runs, but that is not a bad thing. Sunday mornings are now filled with life and energy and the ability to pursue this crazy little running thing I have.

I say all this to say that the things in life that are so easily associated with booze can still be enjoyed without booze. I focused on college football here, but the same applies to other sporting events, concerts, whatever. Breaking that cycle of connection and dependency can be really tough and very daunting at first, but there is a way and that way pays off big time.

As I've said before, I don't want to come off as preachy, like I've got it all figured out, or anything like that. My only intent is to share my story in the hope that someone who needs to read it has the opportunity to read it and maybe take a little something from it.

So long as I don't drink or die - and I have no intention of doing either - between now and then, next Thursday will be 2.5 years sober for me.

wbt5845 said:

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How you boys doing? I've noticed that football season seems to have way too many opportunities to make bad choices. Just wanted you to know there are people out here keeping all of you in our prayers.

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There's not enough whiskey in the whole world to solve the problem if you're going to drink over Texas Aggie football. You might as well decide to start drinking because you don't like the sun coming up in the east.

2 years today

Vernada said:

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While I won't admit to being an alcoholic, I have struggled for years with what I will just call alcohol abuse. Over the past year (or so) I've become more and more concerned with my drinking and poor choices - basically just knowing the shoe was bound to drop at any point. There's is no telling how many years it's been since I've gone more than 24 hours without a drink.

After coming across this thread I decided to commit myself to 30 days sober. Today is day 30.

Someone posted a quote earlier that hit home: "if I controlled it, I didn't enjoy it, and if I enjoyed it, I didn't control it."

Unfortunately, that's pretty much me.

Thanks to deadhead for starting this thread and thanks to those that participate.

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Goodness. I can't believe this post is over two years old now! (March 2017)

I've gotten to the point where I pretty much never drink. The # of times I've drank is 2019 is probably fewer than the times I would have drank in a week in 2016/2017. By the same token, the number of drinks I've had in 2019is probably less than number of drinks in a week in my past. :-\

I feel much better all the time now. I'm much healthier now. Luckily, I've found a hobby that I enjoy that drinking makes pretty much impossible. It helps to have that motivation and (when needed) excuse to not drink.

I still have to be careful - I can feel old habits and impulses anytime I do drink. Which is why I make sure to do it almost never and have no alcohol around the house.

I'm in Ohio visiting the in-laws and few outlaws. I'm going to a meeting of Group One in Akron tonight. I highly recommend. it to anyone intrested in AA history. Also been invited to watch the Bama game with the Cincinnati A&M Club. If I attend, I'm gonna hang on tight to my chip 'cause I bet there will be an ounce or two consumed.

BTHO Bama

Anyone know where I can get some help in BCS?

First and foremost, that question is a very hard one to ask and takes a great amount of strength to do it. I want to commend you for just asking the question. Whatever your situation, stay strong and know that you have support!

I am including a range of options here in an attempt to not be overly specific and allow you to pursue what you need. I also know that too much information can be tough, but I don't want to make any assumptions about your situation.

Listing of various rehab and detox centers: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/treatment-rehab/tx/college-station

Listing of AA meetings occurring each day: http://www.bvig.org/BCS-AA-meetings.htm

Listing of addiction therapists in the area: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/addiction/tx/college-station

If you don't want to wade through stuff online and would like to talk to a human to start: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

14 Clubs gave you some excellent options. A little closer to home, if you're in Texas, I recommend La Hacienda in Kerrville. Can not speak from experience, as I've never been to re-hab. I'm one of those 14 talked about. I woke up drunk, not yet hung over, on 2-21-91 and made my first AA meeting that night. If I don't drink and don't die, I'll pick up a 29 year chip in some 100 days.

Thanks for the words guys, today we dropped her off at The Meadows in AZ. It was the hardest thing I've done in my life. I find hope in it that it was her decision and she is ready to take on this task.

I am pulling for her and thinking of you and your family. I know that this is a tough time, so stay strong and take it a day at a time.

Ditto to Ptot's comments.

You're right on target saying that she's has to want this for herself. If things work out wonderful. If they don't, this does not represent failure on your part. All the best to you and your loved one.

Encountered the biggest test of my sobriety this past week. My 10 year old dog, Gilbert, passed away Wednesday. I got him one day when I was at A&M from the animal shelter, and he was my partner in crime since. He was there for me when no one else was, and loved me when I couldn't love myself. Hell, he honestly probably kept me from killing myself several times. To add to the stress, I'm unemployed and running out of money.

With all of that being said, I cannot say enough for the fellowship of AA in these unforgiving times. I have some awesome guys around me that have really shown up for me the past 5 days... possibly kept me from turning 22 months into zero days. 3 of us went and shot guns yesterday, and it was the first time I had laughed since Wednesday.

Sobriety also allowed me to feel and remember this fiasco. If I were still abusing pills there is no way I'd remember holding my boy as I told him my last goodbye Wednesday night. Thank God for this program

Hope everyone is doing well

Today is day 1000 sober for me. I still very well remember when 1000 minutes sober was a big accomplishment, so I'm damn proud of and grateful for the days.

ptothemo said:

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Today is day 1000 sober for me. I still very well remember when 1000 minutes sober was a big accomplishment, so I'm damn proud of and grateful for the days.

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That's awesome PTO!