Hi. I'm wondering if someone would mind helping me with some information.

[Writer]

I'm writing a short story featuring a protagonist who is an alcoholic in the earliest stages of recovery. He is a man in his late 30's.

I don't want to be insensitive to this issue; however, I personally have not dealt with substance abuse, so I wanted to know if one or a few of you would feel comfortable sharing your stories on how you began on your paths to recovery.

Particularly I'm interested in:

- Was there a specific moment when you realized you needed help? Can you describe that moment?

- How did it all begin?

- Was there someone else in your life? How did he or she deal with your addiction, and was he or she instrumental in beginning your recovery?


Certainly, if you'd prefer to PM me your story, please feel free to do so. I don't want to incite any bad memories in anyone, so if you are in any way uncomfortable with these questions, please do not feel obligated to answer.

Thanks so much in advance for any help you can provide.

~Writer~

[KitchenWitch]

1. Check your PM in awhile.

[FloridaJudy]

2. I recommend reading

Augusten Burroughs' Dry: A Memoir. Covers the experience nicely.

[SPKrazy]

3. well i would but i can't

send it to you

so

:shrug:

I guess I won't. I don't want to take up a post writing about it.

The simple story is:

1. I drank and used drugs
2. I did it too much and too often
3. It interfered with my life over and over and over again
4. I tried to fix the problem other ways
5. People told me I just needed to do ______
6. I met a young lady in recovery and went out with her, met her dad and a friend, all in recovery and they all talked about recovery the whole time I was there. (we were supposed to go somewhere else.)
7. I got mad when they invited me to AA
8. I got drunk and stayed that way again (never really stopped) for at least another year or more
9. A friend and I ended up going to an AA meeting after I flunked many courses for the second time in college.
10. I still tried to control my drinking, etc.
11. I started hanging with people who were sober after meetings.
12. I got a sponsor and started working the 12 steps.


The rest is filler really

:hi:

[Kajsa]

4. The specific moment you speak of is different

for each one of us in recovery.

It boils down to wanting to stay clean and sober
above anything else and willing to go to any length
to get there.

I hope this helps.

;-)

[NMDemDist2]

5. "the dark night of the soul" when the reality you own is worthless

and you are willing to throw it away for the *possiblity* it might be different

[Kajsa]

6. Wow- that is beautiful, AZDem!

You are a great writer!

:D :pals:

[NMDemDist2]

7. the Language of the Heart Kaj

it's really how I felt when I embarked on this journey of recovery.

what I was doing was miserable, I was willing to try anything with the hope of something better. even marginally better would be a gift back then. little did I know how rich the gift was to become.....

[Kajsa]

8. That's so true!

Sobriety gives us so much more than we ever imagined.

:hug:

[Justpat]

9. some thoughts

1. Was there a specific moment when you realized you needed help? Can you describe
that moment?

I knew I needed help for the entire sixteen years I drank. I just didn't want it.
I felt that I was better off dead. My drinking was a sixteen year,unsuccessful attempt
at suicide. Like a coward, I wanted to die - I just didn't want to feel anything when I did.


2. How did it all begin?
How did what being? the recovery or the drinking?
As for recovery, it began when I was homeless, unemployable and crazy as a loon. I had
exhausted every person who tried to help me.I went to meetings because they gave out donuts
and coffee and told me to come back. No one ever said that to me. Every state agency that attempted to help eventually told me to go away and do the best I could.

My drinking began at age fifteen and I didn't draw a sober breath until the day I sobered up.


3. Was there someone else in your life?
There was my four year old daughter. We lived in a car. Her life was hell until I got sober.

I made some inner shift when I had to do the second step. For me, it was the point in time
when I to decide to go ahead and choose to ask for a return to sanity. I pitched a major fit,
but came to believe that even people like me are not beyond redemption.

Much love, OB

[elleng]

11. Much love to you, OB.

I've only just read this.

Thank you

[Writer]

10. To everyone who has responded so far:

I just wanted to extend a thank you to everyone who has replied so far. I very much appreciate your opening up to a stranger on the internet, and I am moved by everyone's personal stories.

Again, thank you, and I wanted to let you know that what you're offering is very helpful to me.

~Writer~

[TrogL]

12. I looked out the back window

...to see if the car:

• was there
  
• was in the right parking stall
  
• had any unexplained dents or scratches (eg. from the school fence)
  
• had any blood on it (one time it did but it was probably mine)
  
• had a transmission (one time the gear shift just kinda wobbled)
  
• had an engine (without a hole in the block the size of your fist)
  

[Justpat]

13. Oh yeah.

I remember the car episodes.

One time I was walking down the street returning to my car after doing some
errands in a very hungover condition when I noticed a car that looked just similiar to
mine in very bad shape. I thought to myself, look at the car that looks like
mine with the whole right side smashed in. It was my car.

I didn't remember how or where I had plowed into anything the night before.

I love being sober. I have not had anything like happen for a long time.