The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I was in chat room and put this in as it helps remind me to kep the focus on me..hope it helps you all...hugs IOna54
An open letter to my Family
I am an alcoholic, I need help.
Don't allow me to lie to you and accept it for the truth, for in so doing, you encourage me to lie. The truth may be painful but get at it.
Don't let me outsmart you. This only teaches me to avoid responsibility and to lose respect for you at the same time.
Don't let me exploit you or take advantage of you. In so doing you become an accomplice to my evasion of responsibility.
Don't lecture me, moralize, scold, praise, blame, or argue when I'm drunk or sober. And don't pour out my liquor; you may feel better, but the situation will be worse.
Don't accept my promises, This is just my method of postponing pain. And don't keep switching agreements. If an agreement is made, stick to it.
Don't lose your temper with me. It will destroy you and any possibility of helping me.
Don't allow your anxiety with for us compel you to do what I must do for myself.
Don't cover up or abort the consequences of my drinking. It reduces the crisis but perpetuates the illness.
Above all, don't run away from reality as I do. Alcoholism, my illness, gets worse as my drinking continues. Start now to learn, to understand, and to plan for my recovery. I need help from a doctor, a counselor, or a psychologist, another recovered alcoholic, A.A., from God. I cannot help myself.
I hate myself, But I love you. To do nothing is the worst choice you can make for us.
I really appreciated this ionee sweetie. I wish you would tell us how you are. How is A? How is your beautiful home? Your art???
I am doing so much better even now. Man that was a bad one. Cept well my pelvis arthritis was flared today. I started to lift my dog back over the fence. And heard and felt a crackle...so I am trying to decide if I need help...
My dog is a 7 month old Great Pyr, he has to be 90 pounds now. He will be about 200 at full growth..His dad was huge, mom too.
So I need warmth and sand and beauty and a plane ticket to an exotic place and be able to be with a nutty friend....Barbados comes to mind...
Thanks Iona for putting this on the message board. Although I have read it a million times, it is an excellent reminder for us, and putting it on here periodically, reminds us how powerless the A and we are over this disease called alcoholism. To me reading this is like visiting step one.
Wow Iona! That was really cool! I had never read that either...I actually put off reading this cause I was "afraid" that thre would be something in there that might be hurtful. That was just me being me. I guess I am still hurting from the things my son did. Sometimes I hate the way people look at me....like they know. The truth is they probably don't know me or anything about me. It's just the odd reality I get stuck in. Thanks....
