| Topic Name: |
Alcoholism |
| Message Name: |
It is possible |
| Date Posted: |
05/08/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
In writing this I realized I was writing a bit too much for this forum.
So rather than punish anyone with a treatise on booze, let me ask instead another question:
Why can't someone just quit booze (or overeating or biting your nails or whatever) and leave it at that?
I know the AA's and OE's of the world have plenty of clients who swear by them, but what about self-discipline?
You drink too much and it's causing problems at home, at work, with friendships, whatever. You quit your pattern of bad behavior and move on.
Can it be that simple? Is it that simple?
Booze causes you problems, you stop. You can't fit into your clothes, you cut back on overeating.
I don't want to shortchange any recovery problem, but I am looking for other reactions to this issue.
Finally, as an example, Pat O'Brien didn't get to where he was in TV by being dumb. So why didn't he know he was jumping the shark with his life when he was saying, "You're so hot....let's hire a hooker....I want to have sex with you....yadayadayadaya..."
He, of all people, knew he had a problem. |
| Message: |
AA itself says there are people who can do just that. Quit. They have not crossed the line.
But there are also those who have gone so far that they cannot live with drinking and they cannot live without it.
They are living in hell.
People who don't reallly understand AA hear alcholics say that they are "powerless over alcohol" and take it to mean they are avoiding responsibility. It is just the opposite.
When someone knows that once they take the first drink they won't be able to stop they have a great responsibility. They must take steps to ensure that they do not take that first drink.
For those who choose to follow AA's guidelines, that means trying to adhere to a set of spiritual principles designed to help the alcoholic cope with life sucessfully.
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