Alcoholics and Addicts Discussion/Support Thread

[angelgirl777]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. But not to sobriety!! And not new to God's forgiveness and love..

Just wanted to say hi ....

Prayers all,..
In jesus name,
Becky

 

[justanobserver]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. But not to sobriety!! And not new to God's forgiveness and love..

Just wanted to say hi ....

Prayers all,..
In jesus name,
Becky

hey angelgirl777 - welcome to the Recovery forum. plenty of threads to post in.

 

[SOTK]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. But not to sobriety!! And not new to God's forgiveness and love..

Just wanted to say hi ....

Prayers all,..
In jesus name,
Becky

Howdy! Welcome!

 

[cajunlady]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. But not to sobriety!! And not new to God's forgiveness and love..

Just wanted to say hi ....

Prayers all,..
In jesus name,
Becky

Hi angelgirl777, Welcome.........May God bless you..

 

[Tenebrae]

Great idea to start this SOTK...by the way...what does "SOTK" mean?

I am struggling with drugs....as much as people tell me that they are gonna leave me in bad shape....I still think that I can do better than they did and not fall so deep into addiction like they did....I claim to know myself well...but I'm not sure. The good thing is...I haven't done any drugs as of yet....(yay?)....but I've got stashes of stuff (nothing illegal...nothing prescription....just some stuff that few people know about but is very similiar to pot in its effects and such)....I've researched everything on how to make bongs and how to prepare the drugs....At least I'm doing it right...right? Ugh....I'm so messed up.

I thought I had my addiction under control, but I realised in the end, it had me on a choke chain


Praying you can make the first step

 

[SOTK]

I thought I had my addiction under control, but I realised in the end, it had me on a choke chain


Praying you can make the first step

Do we really need steps?

 

[childof1trueGod]

Hello,
Ever heard of Celebrate Recovery? It is a faith based addiction recovery(12 step) based on the Beattitudes....it is an awesome program

 

[Tenebrae]

Do we really need steps?

I think use what ever works for you.....

Just regualrly attending a meeting for me at the moment is helping, I havent started steps

 

[gmadison]

i've had mixed thoughts to. of course, i believe that AA philosophy has it's benefits, but i have learned to appreciate a slightly different approach. i was just reading an article earlier of a site which challenged some of the present ideas (christian included) concerning sobriety. i've been back and forth with my crack use for 15 years. now with 6 months sobriety i'm preparing to start a support group at my church based on some ideas that i began to adopt about 8 years ago. it has alot to do with how addicts have turned to an intimate relationship with idols and that Christ is able to lead tham into an intimate reverential relationship with the
God of the universe who we have the priviledge of calling Father.

 

[justanobserver]

Hello,
Ever heard of Celebrate Recovery? It is a faith based addiction recovery(12 step) based on the Beattitudes....it is an awesome program

I use to attend their meetings when I was stationed in central CA years ago - I still reflect back with a smile at how warmly I was welcomed to the services/meetings. I am not a christian (then or now) but there was no doubt in my recovering mind that the program is bible based. The friday night meetings would began with a pizza meal then have basically a church service with songs and testimonies and then would split up to the various rooms for the meetings. I still got their books/12 Step series on my book shelf.

One thing about that meeting in Arroyo Grande, they also had Al ANON meetings at the same time and my kdis came a couple times as well.

I remember I would be looking foward to getting off base and making the hour drive to the meeting back then.

 

[JaneFW]

Do we really need steps?

Yes, the steps are very good and very thorough. It's not like "step one, think about giving up" and you have to wait until step 12 before you are encouraged to stop. It's more that step one deals with denial (from what I can remember), and the rest of the steps deal with all the other issues around an addiction. So, it's about totally recovering that person - and it's all entirely biblical.

I have HUGE praise for CR. I did CR through my last church and got absolutely sober through that program. It's incredibly uplifting - it's like doing a bible study as much as anything else, but it's directed towards people with issues. In the other CR program I took part in, they had widened it and had a program for women (and men) who had suffered sexual abuse. I thought that was awesome too.

Yes, we are all hurting people, all sinful, and taking things a step at a time is helpful and positive ... imo.

 

[SOTK]

Hello,
Ever heard of Celebrate Recovery? It is a faith based addiction recovery(12 step) based on the Beattitudes....it is an awesome program

I have heard of Celebrate Recovery, and I personally do not care for it. The Beattitudes have nothing to do with Sin Identity issues. I have no idea whatsoever where they came up with that. I think Warren et al had good intentions when coming up with CR, but I think the "program" does more harm than good.

 

[SOTK]

I think use what ever works for you.....

Just regualrly attending a meeting for me at the moment is helping, I havent started steps

Shouldn't we turn to Jesus for everything? Where in the Bible does Jesus talk about working steps when dealing with sin?

 

[SOTK]

Yes, the steps are very good and very thorough. It's not like "step one, think about giving up" and you have to wait until step 12 before you are encouraged to stop. It's more that step one deals with denial (from what I can remember), and the rest of the steps deal with all the other issues around an addiction. So, it's about totally recovering that person - and it's all entirely biblical.

I have HUGE praise for CR. I did CR through my last church and got absolutely sober through that program. It's incredibly uplifting - it's like doing a bible study as much as anything else, but it's directed towards people with issues. In the other CR program I took part in, they had widened it and had a program for women (and men) who had suffered sexual abuse. I thought that was awesome too.

Yes, we are all hurting people, all sinful, and taking things a step at a time is helpful and positive ... imo.

Personally, I feel the Bible is very thorough and has everything I need to deal with in this life. I wonder how the brethren dealt with "alcoholism" in the early church when it came up? In other words, why the need for steps?

As far as CR being biblical, I beg to differ. Jesus is mentioned in CR, sure. Scripture is even used. That doesn't make it biblical. Mormons use scripture as well. Does that make their religion Biblical? From what I have seen in CR, it is highly legalistic and a works-based theology.

I am not against groups or getting together as brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, I think it's helpful and Biblical to do so. I am against the supposed theology and principles of CR or groups like them.

 

[Tenebrae]

Shouldn't we turn to Jesus for everything? Where in the Bible does Jesus talk about working steps when dealing with sin?

I think God gives us different ways of dealing with things

Are you an addict or an acoholic? If so perhaps you could share how you dealt with things

 

[ph34rshylock]

Hey, I'm new here
I wouldn't say I'm an addict, but I'm a regular recreational user of coke, pot, etc. But I can't stop, so I guess that might make me an addict... what would really section this off as an addiction?
Other wise hey

 

[LoG]

But I can't stop, so I guess that might make me an addict... what would really section this off as an addiction?
Other wise hey

Only you can determine whether you are an alcoholic or addict. If you feel that you are addicted now and can't have any fun unless you are using some mood altering substance then that will become progressively worse. You may survive to do something about it or you may not. Depends on how long you wait to really admit it being a problem and taking some action.

 

[stelow]

Only you can determine whether you are an alcoholic or addict. If you feel that you are addicted now and can't have any fun unless you are using some mood altering substance then that will become progressively worse. You may survive to do something about it or you may not. Depends on how long you wait to really admit it being a problem and taking some action.

I like your reply; what would be a good first action after one admits he or she has a problem?

 

[LoG]

I like your reply; what would be a good first action after one admits he or she has a problem?

After realizing that I could not stay quit on my own willpower I came to the conclusion that I was "up the creek without a paddle". I knew my various addictions to drugs and alcohol were killing me quickly. I also realized that any mood altering substance was not good for me because under the influence of one, I had even less willpower to abstain from another.

Around that time, I ran into a guy who looked like a typical drug dealer but instead of selling me an ounce or a few hits sold me on the 12 Step program of NA/AA. He described how he had gone from being close to death through the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs, as I was, to being clean and sober for 8 years. Not only was he clean and sober, but even happy and content with it like he had never been while stoned.

After a few more weeks of trying to still do it on my own I finally admitted total defeat on Christmas day 1993 and made the decision that I needed help in learning how to stay off the drugs and booze. In the beginning of the new year I started to attend meetings and haven't looked back since. Through those meetings and the 12 Steps I learned how to stay off of everything and be happy doing so. I have more peace and contentment on a bad day today then I ever did on a good day when I was using. I have learned how to have relationships with people, places and things. As a christian I learned more about the bible through the 12 Steps than 20 years of listening to the preacher.

When I tried to stay clean and sober on my own power, it was a "white knuckeling" event. When I humbled myself by going to seek help through NA/AA, God relieved me of the obsession to use fairly quickly.
I apologize for being somewhat long-winded but if you are anything like I was back then you have some idea of how great it is to not be triggered when someone walks by with your favourite beer in one hand and a fat doob" in the other.

There may be others here who know of different actions to take but for me this the path I took and after 12 years of following it, still wouldn't have done it any different.

 

[stelow]

No apology needed thank you for sharing, I am not able to go to many places. I have no vehicle or income. I pretty much am a social cripple.