Announcement

**Tipplerette** · February 21, 2012, 07:59 AM

I am an alcoholic !

Saroise, you've racked up more sober time than me. I am on day two again and trying to move from feeling ashamed of my past failures to hopeful of my possible success. I, too have now asked God to help me become the best I can be. You accomplished so much last time. This time you can take it to any limit you decide including forever.

Keep coming back and so will I.

**Unwasted** · February 21, 2012, 08:14 AM

I am an alcoholic !

Saoirse and Tipps, it's the addiction that's bad, not you guys. We've all been there I promise. Alcohol is a soul killer and it's reprogrammed our brains. All is not lost, and you can do this. But, you'll have to have a plan that includes whatever it takes to be successful. You probably both know the drill......it could be anything from AA to rehab to meds to counseling and including proper nutrition, exercise, reading and posting..........but it can be done. I promise, though, if you can get some chunks of AF time, you won't want to go back to drinking. There are a lot of people here doing it and I truly believe that if you want it, you'll be successful.

Best to you both :lilheart:

**Steady Hands** · February 21, 2012, 08:19 AM

I am an alcoholic !

Hi Saoirse

I am still in the middle of huge family problems and unresolved issues from things that started when I was still drinking. It will blow over, but it is not there yet....So, I understand feeling low about things done while drunk.

I don't think that most of these issues will ever be resolved with my family , BUT it is a 1000 times easier without AL, anxiety and hangovers.

Keep the faith... We have all messed up while drunk. A week without dringking and you will feel much more in control!

:l

**mama bear** · February 21, 2012, 12:06 PM

I am an alcoholic !

Love and hugs to you Saoirse

**Supercrew** · February 21, 2012, 12:34 PM

I am an alcoholic !

I think you are giving way too much power to a word. I have come to believe that the word "alcoholic" just gives people a label that they can attach to themselves that gives them an excuse to drink. By calling yourself an alcoholic you are turning your power over to alcohol. That is why I don't refer to myself as an alcoholic or a recovering alcoholic etc. It makes my mind believe that I have to want and crave and drink alcohol.

The reality is I don't like alcohol anymore, I don't want to drink alcohol because it makes me feel bad, it hurts my health, it hurts my relationships, and it is poison to me.

I am not an alcoholic, I am a non drinker. If you erase alcohol from your equation then you won't be an alcoholic.

If I label myself an alcoholic that tells my mind that I need to drink, but if I label myself a non-drinker that means that I never want to drink. Change your label and change your life...it worked for me.

**mama bear** · February 21, 2012, 01:13 PM

I am an alcoholic !

interesting Supercrew

**Supercrew** · February 21, 2012, 01:50 PM

I am an alcoholic !

mama bear;1266085 wrote: interesting Supercrew

I honestly believe that you get what you focus on. If you hear the term alcoholic what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it a happy picture of someone who is in control of their life? Or do you picture a person who is out of control, unhappy and needs alcohol?

Now all of the recovery information I have ever read says you are the only one who can decide if you are an alcoholic. There is no test, there aren't any guidelines set in stone. If you say you are an alcoholic you are one. Just by admitting that you are an alcoholic makes your mind believe that you need alcohol and quitting will be really hard. Why do we believe this? Because TV, movies, talkshows, and recovery programs tell us that if we are an alcoholic it is next to impossible to quit drinking. Everytime you focus on labeling yourself an alcoholic do you think it makes it easier or harder for you to quit drinking? I would think it would be really hard because I watched all the shows that tell me so.

Now if you are physically dependent on alcohol, which I was for a long period of time, quitting drinking will have physical effects that will make it hard, but if you are at that point, drinking is already physically hard on you. But within 3-6 days of cleansing your system, the only thing that remains is the mental obsession. If I keep saying I want to quit but I'm an alcoholic, will it make the process of quitting harder or easier? I found that if I focused on the real facts that I don't want alcohol in my life, and I want to be sober, and I am a non-drinker it made it much easier to say no to alcohol and to quit for good. When I look at it the other way and say "I can't drink anymore because I'm an alcoholic", I am just sending my brain a message that I am quitting something that I really want and need.

I know it all sounds like semantics, but your brain believes semantics. If you really want to be sober, do a little experiment. Pretend that you are a healthy, life loving non-drinker for a week. First picture what that would look and feel like in your mind. Visualize and paint a picture of how a sober loving, healthy person wakes up, and what they do for breakfast and how they exercise and how they handle their relationships. Once you can visualize this sober, happy day in detail, try to recreate that day for real for a week, and pretend for a week that you are that sober person who loves being sober. What decisions would you make if you were sober and happy? If you can't commit to a whole week, do it for 1 day, and then come home and visualize the next day then go to bed, and try it again for day 2.

Be an actor for a week and act like the happiest, healthiest sober person you can be. I challenge anyone to try this and come back and report to the forum what your week was like. A week of just focusing on being a happy sober person, pretending that alcohol has no role in your life. Who is the best actor in our forum? Who can play a part for one week? I am curious to see who tries.

**Tipplerette** · February 21, 2012, 01:57 PM

I am an alcoholic !

Me, me, me... fake it til you feel it ! That has been my motto in other areas of my life and it works! I did not drink yesterday; I was acting like a non-drinker: I snowshoed for an hour, I rebounded for 20 minutes, I made a veggie/fruit juice and drank herbal tea. I even read a book on how to meditate (Thanks again Unwasted).
Today, I am the world's best actress: I play the part of a healthy, happy non-drinker. Even this morning, I blow dryed the usually tangled mess of hair, I put on some HEELS, dressed up and faced the day with NO hangover.

Thanks Supercrew and all the others.

Great advice.

OK, three muskateers, let's do this.

**Supercrew** · February 21, 2012, 02:08 PM

I am an alcoholic !

Tipplerette;1266115 wrote: Me, me, me... fake it til you feel it ! That has been my motto in other areas of my life and it works! I did not drink yesterday; I was acting like a non-drinker: I snowshoed for an hour, I rebounded for 20 minutes, I made a veggie/fruit juice and drank herbal tea. I even read a book on how to meditate (Thanks again Unwasted).
Today, I am the world's best actress: I play the part of a healthy, happy non-drinker. Even this morning, I blow dryed the usually tangled mess of hair, I put on some HEELS, dressed up and faced the day with NO hangover.

Thanks Supercrew and all the others.

Great advice.

OK, three muskateers, let's do this.

I love your enthusiasm Tipper!

But you aren't faking, you are doing. Actors don't fake, the allow themselves to become the role they are playing. Fake sounds like you are being something you don't want to be. To be a great actor you have to really become that part. I know again that it's just semantics, but I think it is important. When you are acting you aren't faking, you are just becoming the part.

**mama bear** · February 21, 2012, 02:09 PM

I am an alcoholic !

I LOVE it Supercrew
I am a fabulous actor......I used to act not hungover ALL the time!!!

**Tipplerette** · February 21, 2012, 03:01 PM

I am an alcoholic !

Thanks for the tip, Supercrew. Will continue my acting debut. Maybe it'll continue. Probably it'll continue. It WILL continue. It's not deprivation, it's a declaration ! I don't drink.

**Struggles 106** · February 21, 2012, 03:48 PM

I am an alcoholic !

I agree Super! I think the semantics, the associations in our minds is very powerful and relevant. I cannot explain why but I really dislike the word alcoholic.
I have no problem facing and stating the truth about myself, but oddly I prefer to think of it as an addiction. An addiction that is not active as long as the substance is not used.

I think of myself as a nondrinker, and it does make a difference. My options are different,better and more diverse. As in after work I might go for a walk, go shopping.cook something,write in my journal, and on and on and on with no option in my mind of going to a bar. Or the so-called "meeting people for drinks".
Once it's off the table it's a conscious effort to dredge it up, and that instance of consciousness of it is when I go NO WAY. And proceed.

**Saoirse & the wild horse** · February 21, 2012, 08:50 PM

I am an alcoholic !

Thanks all for the support!!!

Super crew. I am a non drinker

I am healthy, happy, full of life and enthusiastic !

I am going to see how good my acting skills are !! I am going to make my life what I want it to be by acting as if I already have it!!!

What great advice I love it . Thanks so much everyone!!

**Supercrew** · February 22, 2012, 12:29 AM

I am an alcoholic !

I have High Hopes for you!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54yGSDBXdCM&feature=related[/video]]Frank Sinatra - High Hopes (with lyrics) - YouTube

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