Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Unwasted, that is great news. There are a couple of all female groups I really really like. Also a couple I've been to that weren't really my cup of tea. Every group is covering familiar ground and yet has a very different dynamic. That is a cool thing about it for me. You never know until you try, right? AA has helped me let go of a lot of things that triggered me to drink and/or made me unhappy. I had no idea how much of my discomfort and irritation in life really WAS *me* and not *them* LOL!

DG

[ThreeDogNight]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Great for you, Unwasted! I go to a women's group at an AA member's home, and there are usualy around eight of us. We read and discuss the Living Sober book. I like it a lot. Had been going to another women's group, but didn't like that as much. A couple of real complainers and one who was happy to report how she was fooling her therapist! UGH! So you'll have to give this meeting a try and see how it goes. I do like my noon meeting (not just for women) although had to miss yesterday due to weather and today due to other things. Every weekday is a different format--Big Book, Step, Speaker/Discussion, Topic, Daily Reflections, so it is not always the same. Please let us know how you do!
TDN

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

UW: Not all meetings are completely to my liking, though any meeting is better than no meeting at all for me. I have a few favorite meetings which I attend regularly. That often happens. Even though I knew I needed AA, I gave myself time to adjust before taking on a job or making friends. Now, I can't imagine my life wo/AA.

Tonight is a step meeting (the 4th, I think), & I'm really looking forward to it.

M

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Thanks for all the information everyone. I'm still planning on the meeting tomorrow afternoon and will report back!

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Greetings all.
I mostly find meetings through the AA websites. When I travel it is really easy to find a meeting location, time, etc. from the local website. Once while on the road I needed a meeting, researched it on the computer, found one and raced over to the location. I walked into the room full of women. Uh-oh.....I should have read the fine print....yep...it was a women's only meeting. So they kindly asked me to leave.

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Hi everyone.

I posted this on another thread too.....there are quite a few people who go to AA and post on a few of the other threads. And, some people are thinking of going......

Well, the meeting....first of all, I thought it was going to be all women but it wasn't. Really, I was sort of glad because I thought the men added something to it .... all age ranges just like the women. Quite a few of the women came up and hugged and welcomed me. They gave me phone numbers too. Really, I couldn't have felt more comfortable. I cried at the stories I heard.....I hate that raw feeling of not being in control, but somehow I think it's necessary for me to get myself out of my comfort zone and experience this. I'm such a private person, but there was something about being there that felt right to me. I think on some level I still want to think that "I'm not like them" and "I'm not that bad" but I am. Maybe I didn't progress to the level that some have, but I definitely could have and I know alcohol was making my life miserable. Anyway, I'm going to keep going because it was such a relief to be around people who understand this struggle. I think it may have been the best decision I could have made for my long-term sobriety.

I can sure see how the group dynamic could make or break one's wanting to return to a meeting.......this one was wonderful for me. I got lucky.

Phil, how ironic - I made the same mistake about the meeting - thinking it was one type when it ended up being another. I got to stay at mine, though . I have no idea why I thought this was an all-female meeting.....I guess I had it mixed up with another one I looked at going to.....oh well, it worked out really well for me..............sorry it didn't for you. But, at least you've been at this for a while......for a brand new person, having to leave could have been a big deal but I'm sure you took it in stride.....

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

UW: I'm so glad it worked out for you. I too have had those thoughts:
-I'm not THAT bad.
-Maybe I'm not an alcoholic after all.
-I'm not like them.
-etc.

For me, that's the alcoholic part of myself talking. No, we are not all alike in AA. A friend of mine describes alcoholism as an elevator ride. Some of us get off at a higher floor. I did. I didn't lose my job, home, family, etc. But:
-I didn't drink like a normal person.
-I did have the obsession.
-I did lose my self-respect & integrity.
-I did hide my drinking.
-I was filled w/guilt & remorse.

That's proof to me that I'm an alcoholic. I need the fellowship, because I could not stop drinking on my own. Regardless of how hard I tried, I always went back.

I had to keep going to AA even when I didn't always feel comfortable about it. I knew I was in the right place. Give yourself a chance. You're doing so well. I'm glad for you.

I don't get around the forums as much as I used to. If people are thinking about AA & don't quite understand it, please direct them to this thread. It's useful & encouraging. I haven't felt a negative vibe here yet.

Mary

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Feb. 27 - March 4

Mary,

Whenever I read questionnaires to find out if I'm an alcoholic, I'm always borderline. Some of the questions don't apply, like....has anyone ever criticized your dinking....I don't have anyone around me who would do that....things like that. But, I do have an intense craving once I get started and I don't ever stop at one. I don't drink ten drinks, but I drink enough to greatly disturb my sleep and ruin my next day. I figure if I knowingly do that to myself something isn't right. When I read the stages of alcoholism I fit pretty well into somewhere around stage two. I think they say in AA that you just have to have the desire to quit drinking, and I have that. I think the fellowship will be a huge help to me. Right now I still feel a void that my alkie brain thinks would be helped with alcohol. I'd really like to not feel that way and I'm hoping time will take care of it.

Thank you for posting in such detail, it really helps!