How I stopped drinking even when I didn't really want to is a secret I 
learned from some AA old-timers and I'd like to pass it on to you.  By 
the way, I'm sober ten years as of last April 18th.  It keeps me sober 
even when I really want a drink - as I did last Feb. tenth after 
watching my father die, from lung cancer.  
.
The secret is that if I don't pick up the first drink, I won't get 
drunk because it's the first drink that (biochemically) triggers a 
physical compulsion to continue drinking and a mental obsession with 
booze even when I'm sober.  When I take the first drink, I keep 
drinking until I am no longer able to - for whatever reason, usually 
running out of supply - and then I can't keep it out of my head. 
.
It was hard as hell to not drink no matter what at first; however, I 
found out that what they told me was true - I didn't even have to drink
if my butt fell off. (GRIN) I also didn't have to drink no matter what 
happened to me - good or bad.  What a surprise THAT was!  But so far, 
in spite of a lot of challenges I've been facing in my life, it's been 
worth it.  The challenges are a part of everyone's life, in one way or 
another - that's living life on life's terms.  I don't like some of 
what I've been going through; however, I know that if I drink that 
obsession and compulsion - not to mention the shakes coming off the 
drunk, to whatever degree I'd have them, would just make everything a 
whole lot worse in the long run.  And the good parts of my life are 
even better today without booze.  Most of all, when I do face 
challenges, most of the time I can DO something beneficial about them 
in some way because I am sober enough to do so - just as normal folks 
do when facing their problems.
.
By the way, another thing I've found about this is that I can't stay 
away from the first drink alone - that's where AA comes in for me.
I need help.  I need to get humble enough to ask for help.  Some people
even need medical help and a detox/rehab hospital or "going into 
treatment" to get started.  But if you have a desire to stay sober and 
want sobriety enough to become willing to go to any lengths to get it 
and keep it, that's the only requirement for AA membership.  In fact 
the cofounders were once asked to change that to a SINCERE desiere; 
however, they decided against it as they recognized that most newcomers
- including themselves - had not been all that sincere, just desperate.
Take it from me, desperation really helps. (Grin)
.
I hope this helps you.  Thanks for letting me share it.  We in AA help 
other Alcoholics or folks with drinking problems for ourselves - it 
helps us to stay sober for another day.  So I really appreciate the 
oppurtunity to share with you today.  Have a good one!
--- TriToss (tm) Professional 11.0 - #66
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