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Alcohol Before All
(Preview)
This is my first contact with Al Anon. I know I could go to meetings in my town but I don't want to because my town is so small--there can't be any anonymity for me. I may try to go to some meetings in bigger towns when I visit my family. But will have to think of something to tell them I am doing because they don'...
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Jayla
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29
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743
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Courage to Change (C2C) 12/9/16
(Preview)
Today's reading in C2C is about Tradition Eleven, which suggests Al-Anon's public relations policy is described as being based on attraction rather than promotion. The writer suggests that their first responsibility in Al-Anon is to learn to keep the focus on self and to do the best possible to li...
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Iamhere
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1
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317
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flatmate of alcoholic and acoa
(Preview)
Hi this is kadri liisa recovering acoa and also al anon....i have been in both fellowships about 7 years and now i sometimes keep doors of al anon and acoa open in my town as groups are small here. I am 32 years old single lady. Currently my flatmate is social alcoholic and i am following and thinking what...
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kadriliisa
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8
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574
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And the sneaking continues..
(Preview)
I wrote a post last Friday that I could tell ABF had been drinking a little and trying to hide it. (he started AA almost 90 days ago) Soooo obvious to me but he thinks I don't notice. Sooooo badly wanted to call him out (as he WAS getting closer to 90 days sober) but I didn't. I stuck to my lessons and said nada....
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Aerin
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30
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663
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Self Care
(Preview)
Last week in my meeting a girl mentioned focusing on drinking water each day. At the time it kind of rolled off my brain, but on the ride home I started thinking about how I don't drink enough water, or any. That eventually lead to me thinking about how little I care for myself. Simple acts, like drinking w...
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sarahGee
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11
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778
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The depths of my disease
(Preview)
When I think of the way I used to live while living within the insanity of the disease it makes me so grateful for Alanon. I was thinking about the things I thought were 'normal' or okay or at the very least I thought just passing phases. I must have known they weren't normal because I kept it all a secret so i...
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el-cee
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8
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589
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An alcoholic in recovery is the same as an alcoholic minus the drink
(Preview)
My husband has been in recovery since May but yet he continues to act like the alcoholic he was while on the drink. He has been reaching out to his family who constantly reject him. He has been consumed with sadness and frustration because of this. I know that in Al-Anon the focus is NOT on the alcoholi...
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mauigirl
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9
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492
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First time here
(Preview)
Hi, first time here. Haven't talked to anyone yet about this. DH is 75 yo, grew up with functioning alcoholics. Drank heavily when we were first married - but socially. Didn't drink for years and years. Our social set was mostly church folk and we really weren't around drinkers. This summer he s...
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justjenna
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11
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385
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Very grateful
(Preview)
Having recently been through a tough period of growth and out pouring of inner poison that had been stuck inside me festering and rotting. Stinking! I wanted to share that now a few days later a great feeling of lightness, cleanliness has settled in. Like I have scrubbed out the muck and dirt inside me....
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Calm Lady
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3
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355
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Choosing Alcohol over everything..
(Preview)
So I am a spouse of an alcoholic who in July spent 10 days in the ICU with an esophageal varices and found out he also has cirrhosis of the liver. He almost died! He spent 5 days in rehab then left remained sober for about 6 weeks. Unfortunately one of his doctors told him he was looking great "like nothing...
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MegV
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7
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460
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Courage to Change (C2C) 12/8/16
(Preview)
Our daily reading today is about taking care of self and allowing the alcoholic to do as they need to for their own journey. I love the quote ---- "The suffering you are trying to ease....may be the very thing needed to bring the alcoholic to a realization of the seriousness of the situation -- literall...
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Iamhere
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1
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292
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It works if you work it! Amazed!
(Preview)
I wanted to share a positive experience I had recently. My 15 year old son exhibits all of the signs of being an alcoholic....without drinking. He recently had a really bad morning during which he was upset to the point of ridiculous over a very minor issue. The skills I have learned in Al-Anon and fr...
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Kim C
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5
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357
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12-7-16 One Day at a Time in AlAnon
(Preview)
It's double value day in ODAT: two outstanding quotes to choose from. Both point the way to a peaceful day through patience, warmth, and respect.The first is in the poetic style of Max Ehrmann:"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible wit...
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Enigmatic
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4
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442
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this and that and an omg
(Preview)
I made some big steps in detachment lately. My AS and drug user kept asking me to borrow my car and my daughters car. I was really uncomfortable with it because he is on record as a drug addict and is on probation. How he has a valid license is beyond me but he did show me the paperwork reinstating him wh...
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Fooled
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4
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352
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Pain
(Preview)
Writing is my solace. I wrote this to "him" this morning. I don't want to react to his behaviour. I want to maintain my sanity and most of all I want to learn to respond rather than reacting. I hate you today. It is the day after my birthday. You didn't think of me. You did not call me. You did not message m...
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tealfighter
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7
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368
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Advice needed
(Preview)
I need some advice. My single adult daughter recently told me she has returned to her old habits of drinking and smoking weed. She has gone to rehab 4 times For alcoholism and drug abuse. She said the sober life wasn't her thing. She had been doing really well for the past 2 years. She was gointg to AA but la...
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Buckeye Girl
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6
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373
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Drama addicts
(Preview)
Why do I constantly try and change these drama addicts? Like I tried to change the alcoholic.....I was doing so well for about 2.5 years...(yay!) living peacefully, in a good place, maintaining boundaries, making friends, staying active... then I started getting closer to an individual who is ver...
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slogan_jim
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6
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2666
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Hope for Today dec 6
(Preview)
Hello Everyone- Today's reading is about decisions, trying to understand our HPs will for us, and paying attention to inward signs about whether we are making choices which are good and healthy for us. In the reading the following statement is quoted: 'Without God, man cannot; without man, God wil...
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yanksfan51
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5
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376
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Alcoholic Partner Telling Me Who To Be Friends With
(Preview)
Long time lurker, first time poster, but I wanted to start off by saying THANK YOU to all of you for helping me feel not quite SO crazy and alone in all of this. But on to the matter at hand, long story short is that I have a friend of 8+ years that my alcoholic (ex at this point) partner has never been a fan of. I...
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thekentuckygent
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8
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385
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First Post
(Preview)
Newbie here. Glad I found this board. My wife is binge drinker who recently has become violent. She is in trouble with the law. I'm planning on attending my first meeting tomorrow. Any advice for a first timer? Thanks in advance!
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Haysinger
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10
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358
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Ramped up
(Preview)
Hey all Haven't posted for a while. Been working my program and growing. Just wanted to kind of say out loud that as I move forward I am finding AHs drinking behaviours far harder to cope with. I obviously practice 'detach with love,' I move away, don't engage etc but wow, whereas in the past in my numb sta...
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Calm Lady
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26
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862
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Hope for Today 12-5-16
(Preview)
Today's page reflects the experience of one who, looking back, recalled the great care taken at the supermarket to pick out the small but more flavorful carrots for her children's snacks. As a teen, however, her son lamented how he received the "scrawny" carrots. Ah, perspective... The writer cons...
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Enigmatic
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5
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497
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Loneliness after breakup
(Preview)
I split with my ah after he turned violent. I had to move out of our shared home. I'm finding the loss incredibly painful. Even though the breakup is for the best I miss him. We had some good times, especially early on in the relationship. I went on a couple of dates with a new man. I felt huge attraction to hi...
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Emma123
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3
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2243
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How to disengage with spouse?
(Preview)
I'm struggling. I feel that as of late I've been very good at disengaging with love. We have a toddler to co-parent and so when I'm working my program I'm great at ignoring husbands mood swings. I keep my life peaceful and kind of ignore his moaning and whining. He is an insomniac and typically looks exha...
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Prissykitty
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7
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2230
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So worried about my husband feeling hopeless
(Preview)
He's so broken. He relapsed Friday night. He hates himself. He hates his life even though he has so much he knows he should be grateful for. It breaks my heart to watch him sobbing and talking about what a horrible person he is. His dad died ten years ago tomorrow and he sobs that he misses him. He dabbled in...
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Prissykitty
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4
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378
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Where to begin
(Preview)
I grew up with alcoholics and married one. I am at a breaking point and have no one to turn to.
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Rwisdom08
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3
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392
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Partner blames me for everything when he's stressed
(Preview)
I have just returned to Al anon after a 20 year absence. I am so glad and grateful to have found a forum as it really helps me when I write things down. I promise I won't make a habit of venting my every issue but I will get this one off my chest if you don't mind. It's been building for a while. it regards yet anot...
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Faintly Falling
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12
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2830
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Slogan for the Holidays
(Preview)
"We Came, We Ate, We Left" Great One .... Thanks Tiredtonite
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LinSC
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6
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427
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Whinge whinge moan moan.
(Preview)
I know this is kind of whingy but it's making me miserable lately and seems to be my ever present woe so, maybe if I share it, it will get smaller. Sometimes it works that way. Seems like many people have walked the same path as me and separated and then moved on with someone new and things are wonderful..in...
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MissM
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5
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714
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Dealing with family counsellor and totally exhausted!
(Preview)
I feel that I have been quite good about setting boundaries within the family. I know my limits and I usually instinctively know when I've been sucked in too far. But this time it's the health professional who has sucked me in like a blackhole! To explain briefly, my sister died last summer from cancer ....
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Faintly Falling
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7
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476
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You can run but you cannot hide
(Preview)
I am not sure what it was today that kept pushing me off kilter but there was something. Nothing really concrete but a state of restless anxiety slowly burning under the surface all day. I really found myself fed up, ready to give up, hopeless, tired and weak. Like the armor I have been putting on is...
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Fooled
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6
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415
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Confused, overwhelmed, hopeless, SAD ...
(Preview)
My ABF has been struggling with addiction since he was a kid. We come from VERY DIFFERENT backgrounds. So needless to say, it was hard for us to understand each others way of living. My ABF struggles a lot with boundaries. He would use the excuse of seeing his kids to disappear for days on end. He would end...
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Confused16
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5
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439
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Courage to Change reading 12-4-2016
(Preview)
The C2C reading for December 4 speaks about making choices. The reading points out that many times, before program we made our choices strictly on the basis of our feelings as if feelings were facts. If we were frightened about taking certain action then we avoided it, there was no middle ground and no...
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hotrod
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3
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456
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Old Behaviors
(Preview)
I'm really struggling with old behaviors .. mine .. LOL. Being new into a relationship for the first time in 5 years and then dealing with the fact I'm dealing with another co-dependent which there is nothing like two codies in a relationship together .. LOL. I have to keep really strong boundaries a...
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SerenityRUS
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5
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401
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New to group
(Preview)
Thank you for this group. My mother was an alcoholic. Now my son. He is 28 years old, very bright, and the world was his for the asking. He has been a slow downward spiral for years looking back but we just didn't see it. He was in Korea when his father died and that triggered an event with Adderall. He r...
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DeeS
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4
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408
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Subtle shifts
(Preview)
I think the program is starting to sink in! I am noticing some subtle shifts in my thoughts and behaviors. I haven't made any big proclamations to myself, but my attitude is changing. AH is away this weekend hunting. Normally, I would think that he just wants to get away to drink freely. Now, while tha...
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El
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12
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367
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Mini relapses- should I call him out?
(Preview)
ABF has been in AA for almost 90 days. He has had only 2 obvious relapses during that time and only missed only 1 meeting. (that I know of) Thats pretty good I think. However yesterday I came over and could smell just a liitle beer on him and he was acting a teeny bit off (nothing like drinking days) but I coul...
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Aerin
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11
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432
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Feeling sorry for myself
(Preview)
I am really feeling sorry for myself right now. All my pent up anger has turned me into an asshole over the years...i just masked it as being 'authentic'....this is no longer a one off...this is a pattern I exhibit and it was only a matter of time before I could no longer get away with it.....i'm the common...
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slogan_jim
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9
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2671
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Does the problem temporarily get worse when person starts Al Anon
(Preview)
I haven't been here for a while. I have been going to the face to face meeting and reading all the materials. I have also been practicing the 12 steps. I noticed something, does the addicted person's behavior get worse when the family practices the 12 steps? I have been re reading the new comers packe...
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Lucy125
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8
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503
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He relapsed
(Preview)
It's been about four months. It's 1am and I woke up because I heard husband making weird noises in the living room. He was asleep but I knew immediately something was up. Sure enough when I "woke" him he wasn't speaking English and couldn't look straight.
He's not in active recovery, but I finally am. I...
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Prissykitty
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10
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448
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Binge drinking spouse
(Preview)
Ok, so I have never gone to a meeting. My spouse (boyfriend of 13 years) has started showing signs of binge drinking - maybe it's been happening longer than I want to admit. We have been on the roller coaster as some describe it - things are great throughout the week, and then on Friday night, he says he's g...
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Kristy66
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3
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366
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Dreading going home tonight...
(Preview)
My AH seems to find ways to take Fridays off or at least come home early on Fridays. I won't even go down the road of what a bad idea that is related to his work because it's not my problem it is his and shockingly it doesn't seem to cause him problems. But it causes me problems. He tries to refrain...
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KT2015
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20
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876
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Courage to Change 3/12
(Preview)
Today's C2C asks "what is meditation?" It suggests that the answer for us is to interpret in our own ways, but drawing on other member's experiences can help us to find what works for us. It suggests various interpretations such as seeking the spiritual purpose to our actions, concentrating on breat...
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MissM
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3
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310
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Feeling confused
(Preview)
lo everyone, I am new to this group and have already taken comfort from reading your messages. My husband and I have now separated because he is an alcoholic. I am incredibly sad about this and struggling to come to terms with it because I love him but I had to end it for a number of reasons but mainly becaus...
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JosieP
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7
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565
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Let it begin with me
(Preview)
For the last month or so my daughter has been the bane of my existence. I have finally have achieved happiness, and a somewhat sense of peace and serenity and I swear to all that is holy that if I thought she could be, she is doing it on purpose. Every single day she manages to push my buttons and test t...
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Fooled
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19
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682
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Courage to Change (C2C) 12/2/16
(Preview)
Today's reading discusses the concept of recovery - "Let it Begin With Me". The reading suggests it's easy for us to sit and itemize the defects of our qualifier/others. We can spend hours thinking of the ways others should/could change! Yet, not one time has this mental criticism improved anythi...
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Iamhere
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2
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341
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Gaslighting? I get it now!
(Preview)
I kept hearing talk of "Gaslighting" and then someone referenced the movie, so I went to the library and got it on DVD to watch. My AH was passed out, so I had uninterrupted time. Now I totally understand the use of that term. And last night, I saw it in action. I went out to dinner with 5 very good women...
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Bethany66
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7
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470
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Courage to Change (C2C) 11/1/16
(Preview)
Today's reading talks about 'all that is Al-Anon'.....what this means is we arrive, and no matter how defeated, broken, crazy or other we are - we are invited back. Many of us are grateful for this love and acceptance, no matter our condition when we arrive. For many, Al-Anon is the last hope. The dis...
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Iamhere
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3
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358
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Perception
(Preview)
How do we perceive ourselves and how accurate is that perception to others? Is our perception of ourselves always the same as how others perceive us? The alcoholic doesn't think they have a problem, but we all know they do...as far as they're concerned they are one thing, we see them as something comp...
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slogan_jim
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7
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462
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Better times.
(Preview)
What a weekend. Daughter and I went to volunteer at a very large music festival that happens in a town about 40 minutes from home. The idea is, you work for 10 hours and in return they give you an all-access pass for the entire 3 day event. Daughter wasn't required to volunteer in the end because she is too y...
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MissM
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6
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469
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phonecall(s) from my ex ..
(Preview)
I'm not really surprised as i once would have been earlier in my recovery but i think a part of me will always be a little baffled in the presence of the disease of addiction .. these past couple weeks i received many calls from my ex addict .. this happens when his life slows .. maybe a comedown moment .. not...
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MeTwo2
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6
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472
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It's hard for me to clearly define my boundary-I just want serenity!
(Preview)
My qualifier tended to phone me after drinking in the evenings. After those calls I had trouble sleeping. I decided I could take control of getting healthy sleep if I turned my ringers off on my phone at 8 pm. It took about a year, but my A finally accepted the phone wouldn't be answered (though she still s...
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lgnutah
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4
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371
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11/30/16 Courage to Change
(Preview)
Today's reading challenges us to consider every person we encounter as a teacher who offers us a very important lesson to learn...every person, even the ones whose company we struggle to endure. We may witness positive qualities we can adopt, negative traits that remind us of something we are worki...
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Enigmatic
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8
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397
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THANKFUL
(Preview)
A few years back I bought a strip of plaid fabric that had just the word "THANKFUL" stitched onto it in large capital letters.
I hang it on my front door every November but I love lookjng at it so much I almost hate to take it down when it's time to put up my Christmas wreath.
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lgnutah
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2
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245
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my husband just left me, and it's hurting so much
(Preview)
I asked my husband to leave because I don't deserve to be treated so badly: aiming fist at me and calling me names and demeaning my being a person. I don't know if he drank last friday but he came home later than usual. He keeps on saying bad words while sleeping friday night. Saturday was quiet, I tried...
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jocelgp
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20
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3425
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lady-child
(Preview)
It's been a rough semester. I live approx 2 hours from my university and this semester I was meant to do a lot of contact hours. I negotiated with my child, 2 days a week she would go to the school library at 7:30am (when the staff come on duty) so I could get to school late for an 8am class. We had a deal. When it...
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MissM
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2
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312
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Healing your Inner Child?
(Preview)
I'm starting to work on healing my Inner Child, and I was wondering how some of you have done it? I've been struggling with doing this for years and it's holding me back from having a happy and healthy life. I'm nearly 23 and I want to start living. The thing is I don't know how.
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Miss A
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10
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743
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The Need To Know The Truth
(Preview)
Something I have really been struggling with lately is feeling like I need for my son(adult son) to admit he has been using when he stops by.It's obvious to me that he's high,I already know he is,yet I still call him out on it,even though I already know he's going to deny it. I am causing arguments with him...
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TessaB
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16
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576
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Asking for prayers and help...
(Preview)
Asking for prayer and help!I have not been interacting on the boards for a good while because of internal and external hardships I am so overwhelmed with and that has reduced my ability to shoot positive energy, inspiration, and hope into the Universe for the benefit of others, when I am so stuck in the...
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John
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28
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1312
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little moments
(Preview)
I was lucky to have met my AH when he was sober. We had many wonderful years together. Then alcohol came back into his life and my world became explosive. Most of the time the disease has control of him, but sometimes there's little moments when I get a glimpse of the man I used to know. As time goes by those l...
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_bunny_
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4
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350
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