Is drug and alcohol addiction just a bad habit? Or is it a disease?

@heyjoe415 - yup … we all have interesting trips through life and life requires challenging changes sometimes hard to do. I’m proud of you changing your life so you can enjoy freedom for yourself. Millions , not thousands of humans get trapped in alcohol or bad drugs and never get out. Recent medical research shows that drinking takes away 10-15years of your life. My friends drink , but only limit like 1 drink a week. I had to drink every day and always multiple times a day. It controlled my life. I’m free. I’m glad you are also. Spread the good news to others that you believe drink too much. They will appreciate their future.

@heyjoe415
How do you get a sponsor?

@gailmalloy it's easy to get a sponsor...find when the meeting is attend and ask.
Good luck
Joseph

Thanks for your kind words BoneHead.

I believe that a) the majority of people who need AA never go to a meeting and b) the majority of people who do make it to a meeting and even get sober for a bit don't die sober.

That's a grim but honest look at addiction. That's why I've always been skeptical of "wars on drugs" that don't deal with the end point, the user. It's simple econ. Demand will get supplied and the market will set the price.

Thanks again BH!

Joe

I will add to what Joey posted.

First, he's spot on, you'll find a sponsor at a meeting. I don't know any other way.

To take Joey's point one-step further, attend meetings and listen to what potential sponsors are saying. Take your time, but stay oriented on finding someone. That is a priority. Try to find someone who is living a life you'd like to live.

A sponsor doesn't have to become a close friend, although this usually happens. But at crunch time, a good sponsor will tell you stuff you won't want to hear.

Finally, if you pick someone and it just isn't helping you, just kindly tell the person you're going to find a new sponsor. I've had this happen to me. It's not personal. It IS about what is best for you, and what gives you the greatest chance to get and stay sober.

Best of luck!

Joe

@heyjoe415 I went to AA and even started a church AA but it didn’t work for me. I kept sober during the 30 years but I was suffering mentally with my GAD that needed to be worked on. I had some angry and suicidal issues that needed help. They got medically fixed because I went in to my doctors and they fixed. I needed to work on my issues first and then I could help and be there for others.

Thanks BH. We have somewhat similar stories.

When I was 19 (1972) I had my first panic attack, accompanies by chronic depression and OCD (a little different than GAD, which I did suffer and overcame later in my life and career). In 1972 there were no meds to treat chronic depression, OCD, GAD. I finally got some medical help in 2002, but the prior 30 years were mostly spent in shame because of my "mental problems", as my parents originally put it. Those types of behaviors just weren't acceptable in the early 70s.

Getting sober doesn't fix everything that ails us. We still need medical science and psychotherapy to help with the conditions we've both mentioned.

I am glad you stayed sober for 30 years! That is an achievement. The road of recovery isn't straight and, again, doesn't solve our problems as much as it helps deal with and accept them.

I wish you all the best.

Joe

@joeyjensen1959

@gailmalloy
Where do you get the meeting information from?

@gailmalloy try calling 877.479.6262
Let me know if this works?
Joseph