One of the strange things about alcoholism is that the way alcoholics go about treating it is to drink. They self medicate. Alcohol is the “medicine” for the alcoholic. When the medicine no longer works and lives start falling apart many of us attempt to abstain. In these usually short periods of abstinence we then suffer from untreated alcoholism and it's symptoms. Symptoms like depression, anxiety, anger, feelings of impending doom, restlessness and discontent to name a few. Myself, I couldn't hold on for more than a couple of months, usually less. All the feelings would mount up and inevitably the time would come when it was all to much too take and I would again seek relief in the bottle. Sometimes it was months, sometimes just weeks, but I'd always go back to the relief I knew - alcohol. So, I'd drink in an attempt to feel better but again I'd get myself into some kind of unwanted trouble. At that point after every binge was regret. I would do something or be unable to do something that would cause me problems. Almost every drunk ended badly. I had torn my life up. Alcohol no longer worked. Every drink would lead to a drunk and every drunk meant trouble. I couldn't even safely have one drink. I knew I couldn't drink anymore but at the same time couldn't quit. So, the question became what to do to treat my alcoholism now that I couldn't use alcohol to treat it. I didn't want to drink again because it caused me nothing but problems. What could I do to stop? How could I recover?
The answer myself and many have found is the 12 step program of AA. Alcoholics Anonymous is a spiritual program which has successfully treated alcoholism for over 75 years. Practicing the 12 step program of AA with support from good solid program based meetings starts the alcoholic on a wonderful journey to a brand new way of life. AA's not only get freedom from alcohol but spirituality, peace and serenity - a new way to live. A way of life without alcohol.
In my early attempts to stay sober I abstained from alcoholism many times, once for as long as 6 months. During those times I never tried the steps, in other words, I didn't treat my problem with the program of AA. If I was lucky and did not drink for awhile, I'd begin to suffer from untreated alcoholism. Symptoms like irritability, depression, anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness always surfaced. So, when it came to the point where things were unbearable I inevitably drank. It was only until, in desperation, I asked for help and found a wonderful sponsor who did not sugar coat the program or tell me to take it easy and work a step a month. He instructed me to get into action immediately and work the steps as soon as possible. With real alcoholics like me to drink is to die. I have never found any where in the literature that gives instruction to "take your time" with the steps. I have found quite the opposite in fact. For example between the 3rd and 4th step in the book they use the phrase, " next we launched out on a vigorous course of action". Through reading AA history I found that most early AA's did all the steps within weeks. I suspect that's why in those days AA had a 75% success rate; because new members where urged to take the steps soon if they wanted relief, abstinence and recovery.
Here is a quote from one of my favorite AA speakers:
I have never seen anyone get into trouble from working the steps too soon but I have seen many people suffer, drink or die from working them too late or not at all.
Paul M. Illinois
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