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 am new to alanon, but have been living with the disease of alcoholism my entire life. My step-father, my uncle and both husbands (2) have all been alcoholics. I have done all the begging, pleading, crying and making threats that many of you have done. I have children at home still and 3 grown that have been through this with me. 2 grown sons are struggling now with the chains of alcoholism. I began counseling and started doing on-line meetings through this alanon site and ask myself "why has it taken me so long?" We just went through a crisis with my husband that could still result in legal problems and could have had a far worse outcome that could have harmed my youngest son.
In my counseling session today, my counselor told me "you are at a crossroads now" That is when it dawned on me, "YES" I am finally choosing to learn new skills to take care of me and my kids. I cannot control ah drinking, I cannot cure it, and I do not cause it. I feel some relief in that somehow. I am still anxious as to what is to come with the legal stuff because it affects my children, my home, my marriage and my finances. But I didn't cause this and I just have to trust God to work things out.
Hi Kathy, I am glad that you found alanon and have decided to keep coming back. Recovery is a process, I am sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.
Mamakat...welcome to the board and the MIP Family...you are in the right place; the recovery side of the disease of alcoholism which is a disease of the mind body spirit and emotions and that can never be cured...only arrested by total abstinence. It is a fatal disease and if not arrested by total abstinence will and does become progressively worse. We the family spouses, friends, relatives and associates of the alcoholic become just as affected and often worse because we don't have the anesthesia of alcohol to block out reality. We go thru it wide awake.
Alcoholism was natural to me as I was raised in it by it and would not come to understand until I reached the doors of the Al-Anon Family Groups totally resistant to what it had to teach me. It took me a long while to "get it" because I didn't understand and didn't understand that I didn't understand. I am on the face of this earth purely by the grace of my HP who walks with me 24/7 holding the lantern up in front of me so that I can see the trail and have a sane and sober journey. The longer I stay the more I learn and the more I learn the more I practice. Ours is a "do" program...we don't get it by thinking it alone. We walk it.
I remember my crossroads that point of going forward into new life practices rather than turning back toward where I came from which I had done over and over and over expecting different results. The disease runs within my family. My eldest son is trying to put together an alcohol and drug free life today at the age of 53. My grandchildren fight for sanity also knowing that their grandfather now has as many years sober as he did drinking and being drunk and insane.
Come across sister...we are with you and in support. You can have what we have if you do what we have done. We are not perfect. We are sane and happy. ((((hugs))))
mamakat - so glad that you have embraced recovery and see the value in putting you first! I see tons of awareness in your share, and believe that for me was a great motivator in moving forward. I too have been surrounded by the disease from birth and truly had developed many 'natural responses' to the disease and others that were not the healthiest. Yet, they served me well in survival mode until they didn't.
I too am sending you tons of positive thoughts and prayers. It's a journey and a process and you're in the right place, just for today. Keep coming back! Glad you are part of the family!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
