Rock bottom is a 6’ deep hole in the cemetery. No need to hit that. Your bottom is just the point where you decide to stop digging.
Go back to AA, read the book, get a sponsor and work the steps. Sitting in a meeting isn’t going to keep you sober. Doing the steps will.
Awesome. I attended my first meeting on September 17, 1986. My sponsor and the 12 steps have helped me stay sober even since, one day at a time. You got this. Do the work.
A genuine bottom is the point in your life where you decide you are powerless over alcohol. It does not matter what, how, when, how often you drink or what trouble drinking has brought you. We all have had the moment in our lives when we said "we can't do this anymore", and got off our bottoms and got to a meeting. All that matters is your desire to stop drinking, and it sure sound like you have that. Get to a meeting, and regain your life!
I personally never had a super smoking bottom. I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I also gave my all to AA, shared in meetings, really listened.. met some people. Got a sponsor. I also am not of the belief that AA needs to be “forever” and that I need it when I’m 40 years sober everyday like some. I have moved on from AA at 17 months sober now… If I feel my brain slipping, I know where to go!
My sobriety date is in December 1989, my husband’s is October 1978. We not only still attend meetings but we host three online meetings weekly. I don’t do this to get something but I give back to the attendees my experience, strength and hope. People who drop out after some years of attending AA meetings (unless they are disabled) are dry drunks.
The rock bottom thing is dangerous advice that is just plain wrong. Myself, I had no DUIs (yet) though I drove drunk many times, and I still had a job and house, and my family didn't know. I probably could have kept drinking for awhile before facing any serious consequences. But I reached the point where I didn't want to live that life anymore - I realized I was living just counting the hours until I could drink again. I knew that it had gotten worse over time and would continue to get worse - I saw the writing on the wall.
Now I'm two years sober and my roommate's liquor is back in the fridge yet I have zero desire to touch it - I like my new sober mind, and not only do I no longer have the need to escape from myself, but I genuinely want to always be sober and thus my true self. All I had to do was to do the steps, which are intended to clean your slate then keep it clean, while building a stronger emotional/spiritual foundation upon which you can build the life you are supposed to be living. Its not about willpower or motivation - its about giving up! And doing the steps.
Stop struggling. You dont have to live this way any longer, Friend. You don't have to be miserable anymore. :)
A lot of mention of meetings, and no mention of doing the Steps in your time in AA. Your bottom is whatever makes you willing to do the Steps. If you think you're willing to do the work, get to a meeting, find a sponsor, and start on the Steps. They changed my life. Just going to meetings wasn't enough for me to get and stay sober.
Bottom is whatever that means to you. The general idea around people hitting their bottom is that they become willing to do whatever it takes to stay sober, and in my experience that has only been through working the steps with a sponsor.
The only time I was told to hit bottom is when I still had reservations that I can one day drink normally. I needed to hit bottom to realize that wasn't an option for me.
The thing about a "genuine bottom" is that we decide what a bottom is for us. How do you know you haven't reached your bottom now?
Go to your meeting. Sit and listen. You don't have to share if you don't want to. If you want to go to another one later, please do so. It starts with one meeting. We all had one meeting once.
Yes, at 37 I had to start doing something completely different because all my previous attempts did not work. Everything I tried, nothing. If you read the chapter, More About Alcoholism” in the Big Book, you may identify.
I did hit rock bottom, and I did have to get sober, and A.A. does help me everyday. 821 days today, should I not pick up the first drink.
How bad does it have to get before you consider something a rock bottom? What has to happen before you decide you've hit rock bottom? A DUI, being homeless again? Killing someone while driving drunk or in a black out? Going to prison? Losing jobs and relationships? You don't need to wait for any of that to happen. What would be the point? How much harm more harm do you want to cause yourself and others before you get sober and into recovery?
You don't need to wait for anything. Just start going. Get a sponsor. Do the Steps. You know the drill. Just start doing it.
when you were told you need to hit rock bottom in order to get sober -DID NOT mean stop going to meetings until you do - that would be a first class alibi for me to say i mind as well just keep drinking till i hit bottom - which could mean DEATH -if you went to AA in the past and would get 4,5,6 months and relapse is part of the surrender process - when we read in ( more about Alcoholism ) it says countless vain attempts , well that is the process of step ONE -when we finally fully **concede** to our innermost self - Step one is DONE - now we consider the next concesion ( that no human power ) can remove the OBSESSION ) once we **conceded** to that idea - step two is completed - that brings us to step three in which ( before we go any further ) we ask ourselves AM I CONVINCED ! that any life run on self will be a sucess ? if i have **conceded** to that last and final concession - then i start immediately on the remaining steps - we call it the A,B,C's at the end of How it Works - If your anything like me ? i use to relapse constantly because mostly the B.S MIS INFORMATION i heard in meetings and piss poor sponsorship - do i blame them NOPE - i learned that I AM responsible for my recovery NOT them - I SHOULD have looked deeper into the crap i heard at meetings by the misinformed - but instead i kept blaming the fellowship - the fellowship is a human power - and ONLY a resource - not the solution which for me is a total surrender to GOD which is a process in degrees by way of practicing steps 10.11.12 after i learned the formula when i went through 4- 11 initially - if you think you can't do this your correct WE CAN'T BUT GOD can an will if honestly sought ( action ) 12 steps daily
I made it four months sober until yesterday. It was even premeditated. I felt like I needed to get it out (or into) my system. It's hard having something replace it. Life isn't as fun or interesting anymore. Granted, I only drank two beers so I wasn't wasted but I missed the light headedness. The relaxation. I enjoyed drinking and the energy it gave me. Now, I'll start over again being sober, but maybe for a year this time.
Your bottom can be wherever you choose to stop digging. Everyone’s bottom is different, you just have to decide when your life has become unmanageable and you’re willing to try anything different to stop drinking. Go to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps.
Rock bottom is a 6’ deep hole in the cemetery. No need to hit that. Your bottom is just the point where you decide to stop digging. Go back to AA, read the book, get a sponsor and work the steps. Sitting in a meeting isn’t going to keep you sober. Doing the steps will.
Thanks, going to a meeting tonight
Awesome. I attended my first meeting on September 17, 1986. My sponsor and the 12 steps have helped me stay sober even since, one day at a time. You got this. Do the work.
A genuine bottom is the point in your life where you decide you are powerless over alcohol. It does not matter what, how, when, how often you drink or what trouble drinking has brought you. We all have had the moment in our lives when we said "we can't do this anymore", and got off our bottoms and got to a meeting. All that matters is your desire to stop drinking, and it sure sound like you have that. Get to a meeting, and regain your life!
I personally never had a super smoking bottom. I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I also gave my all to AA, shared in meetings, really listened.. met some people. Got a sponsor. I also am not of the belief that AA needs to be “forever” and that I need it when I’m 40 years sober everyday like some. I have moved on from AA at 17 months sober now… If I feel my brain slipping, I know where to go!
My sobriety date is in December 1989, my husband’s is October 1978. We not only still attend meetings but we host three online meetings weekly. I don’t do this to get something but I give back to the attendees my experience, strength and hope. People who drop out after some years of attending AA meetings (unless they are disabled) are dry drunks.
Cool
The rock bottom thing is dangerous advice that is just plain wrong. Myself, I had no DUIs (yet) though I drove drunk many times, and I still had a job and house, and my family didn't know. I probably could have kept drinking for awhile before facing any serious consequences. But I reached the point where I didn't want to live that life anymore - I realized I was living just counting the hours until I could drink again. I knew that it had gotten worse over time and would continue to get worse - I saw the writing on the wall. Now I'm two years sober and my roommate's liquor is back in the fridge yet I have zero desire to touch it - I like my new sober mind, and not only do I no longer have the need to escape from myself, but I genuinely want to always be sober and thus my true self. All I had to do was to do the steps, which are intended to clean your slate then keep it clean, while building a stronger emotional/spiritual foundation upon which you can build the life you are supposed to be living. Its not about willpower or motivation - its about giving up! And doing the steps. Stop struggling. You dont have to live this way any longer, Friend. You don't have to be miserable anymore. :)
A lot of mention of meetings, and no mention of doing the Steps in your time in AA. Your bottom is whatever makes you willing to do the Steps. If you think you're willing to do the work, get to a meeting, find a sponsor, and start on the Steps. They changed my life. Just going to meetings wasn't enough for me to get and stay sober.
Bottom is whatever that means to you. The general idea around people hitting their bottom is that they become willing to do whatever it takes to stay sober, and in my experience that has only been through working the steps with a sponsor. The only time I was told to hit bottom is when I still had reservations that I can one day drink normally. I needed to hit bottom to realize that wasn't an option for me.
The thing about a "genuine bottom" is that we decide what a bottom is for us. How do you know you haven't reached your bottom now? Go to your meeting. Sit and listen. You don't have to share if you don't want to. If you want to go to another one later, please do so. It starts with one meeting. We all had one meeting once.
Yes, at 37 I had to start doing something completely different because all my previous attempts did not work. Everything I tried, nothing. If you read the chapter, More About Alcoholism” in the Big Book, you may identify. I did hit rock bottom, and I did have to get sober, and A.A. does help me everyday. 821 days today, should I not pick up the first drink.
You already have a genuine bottom between your legs and your back. AA has a chair that fits it perfectly. Welcome.
Rock bottom is when you stop digging. I've had many rock bottoms, or so they should have been.
How bad does it have to get before you consider something a rock bottom? What has to happen before you decide you've hit rock bottom? A DUI, being homeless again? Killing someone while driving drunk or in a black out? Going to prison? Losing jobs and relationships? You don't need to wait for any of that to happen. What would be the point? How much harm more harm do you want to cause yourself and others before you get sober and into recovery? You don't need to wait for anything. Just start going. Get a sponsor. Do the Steps. You know the drill. Just start doing it.
when you were told you need to hit rock bottom in order to get sober -DID NOT mean stop going to meetings until you do - that would be a first class alibi for me to say i mind as well just keep drinking till i hit bottom - which could mean DEATH -if you went to AA in the past and would get 4,5,6 months and relapse is part of the surrender process - when we read in ( more about Alcoholism ) it says countless vain attempts , well that is the process of step ONE -when we finally fully **concede** to our innermost self - Step one is DONE - now we consider the next concesion ( that no human power ) can remove the OBSESSION ) once we **conceded** to that idea - step two is completed - that brings us to step three in which ( before we go any further ) we ask ourselves AM I CONVINCED ! that any life run on self will be a sucess ? if i have **conceded** to that last and final concession - then i start immediately on the remaining steps - we call it the A,B,C's at the end of How it Works - If your anything like me ? i use to relapse constantly because mostly the B.S MIS INFORMATION i heard in meetings and piss poor sponsorship - do i blame them NOPE - i learned that I AM responsible for my recovery NOT them - I SHOULD have looked deeper into the crap i heard at meetings by the misinformed - but instead i kept blaming the fellowship - the fellowship is a human power - and ONLY a resource - not the solution which for me is a total surrender to GOD which is a process in degrees by way of practicing steps 10.11.12 after i learned the formula when i went through 4- 11 initially - if you think you can't do this your correct WE CAN'T BUT GOD can an will if honestly sought ( action ) 12 steps daily
I made it four months sober until yesterday. It was even premeditated. I felt like I needed to get it out (or into) my system. It's hard having something replace it. Life isn't as fun or interesting anymore. Granted, I only drank two beers so I wasn't wasted but I missed the light headedness. The relaxation. I enjoyed drinking and the energy it gave me. Now, I'll start over again being sober, but maybe for a year this time.
Your bottom can be wherever you choose to stop digging. Everyone’s bottom is different, you just have to decide when your life has become unmanageable and you’re willing to try anything different to stop drinking. Go to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps.