Me(blah-blah-blah):Hi- I'm a recovering 50yr old alcoholic..not a practicing one like before...I never heard the term EX-alcoholic because once you are an alcoholic you are an alcoholic for life....doesn't that make sense? I'm not sure if it was a typo. You are all right though....you have to kick the booze #1..then the benzos. I basically stopped being controlled by alcohol and stopped the relationship I had with it. You can't have a relationship w/anyone else if you have one w/alcohol..that's for darn sure. SuzyQ/VT
This stimulated the topic for discussion:
Denise said:
I don't buy the "always an alcoholic" stuff at all. What does overcoming addiction mean anyway if not becoming an "ex" to the problem. AA fed my father that line of BS...he stopped drinking and never went back to it...he was an ex-alcoholic. Does this mean that if you stop being a heroin addict you are always a heroin addict? Or, if you are addicted to smoking that you are still a smoker after you quit? People need to feel victory over an addiction and this line of thinking keeps people weak. Just my opinion. Denise
Vince had erred as far as I was concerned in saying he was an EX-alkie which I called him nicely on..his polite and very cool astute reply:
Hi suzy,
Symantics, you are right. Its been so long I consider an it ex problem. I had too many relationships with alchohol unfortunatly. I was a daily drinker, not a drunk in the traditional sense of the word. As a Hazelden grad I am surprised I made that lapse in terminology. Funny on Klon I never thought of drinking. I have a bunch of pain pillls in my attic from surgurgy and I feel the dark force calling. Not worried, I liked alchohol and never understood the pain pill turn on...still consider it peculiar that it is lingering in the back of my mind. That little devil on my shoulders voice is getting lounder. Need to kick the crap out of him. Went to the Mississipi River at 5AM to take my dogs swimming. Mist coming off the river and peace. The little guys voice is silent for now. Too much down time gives him power. Not afraid of him yet. AA meeetings an option. Like throwing holy water on a vampire.
Vince
My personal opine:
Hi-I don't know...everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course...but unless you "are one" you can't understand that even if you quit....you still think about it....that "one drink"...and if you take that "one drink" your tolerance will be at the same level as when you stopped and you will be right where you were before...so it is dangerous to "think" that you are all better and recovered because "recovery" is a lifetime process from addiction...the substance of choice is always out there and available. I like to keep it in my head that I AM an alcoholic that is "allergic to alcohol" because that keeps me from permitting myself "just one drink"....I would say you are an ex-smoker or ex-heroin user instead of smoker-holic or heroin-holic but as those are not known terms 9that I know of?)..but to me I am always going to BE and alcoholic. That knowledge is POWER...that power keeps me sober.
Love,
I don't buy the "always an alcoholic" stuff at all. What does overcoming addiction mean anyway if not becoming an "ex" to the problem. AA fed my father that line of BS...he stopped drinking and never went back to it...he was an ex-alcoholic. Does this mean that if you stop being a heroin addict you are always a heroin addict? Or, if you are addicted to smoking that you are still a smoker after you quit? People need to feel victory over an addiction and this line of thinking keeps people weak. Just my opinion. Denise
Vince had erred as far as I was concerned in saying he was an EX-alkie which I called him nicely on..his polite and very cool astute reply:
Hi suzy,
Symantics, you are right. Its been so long I consider an it ex problem. I had too many relationships with alchohol unfortunatly. I was a daily drinker, not a drunk in the traditional sense of the word. As a Hazelden grad I am surprised I made that lapse in terminology. Funny on Klon I never thought of drinking. I have a bunch of pain pillls in my attic from surgurgy and I feel the dark force calling. Not worried, I liked alchohol and never understood the pain pill turn on...still consider it peculiar that it is lingering in the back of my mind. That little devil on my shoulders voice is getting lounder. Need to kick the crap out of him. Went to the Mississipi River at 5AM to take my dogs swimming. Mist coming off the river and peace. The little guys voice is silent for now. Too much down time gives him power. Not afraid of him yet. AA meeetings an option. Like throwing holy water on a vampire.
Vince
My personal opine:
Hi-I don't know...everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course...but unless you "are one" you can't understand that even if you quit....you still think about it....that "one drink"...and if you take that "one drink" your tolerance will be at the same level as when you stopped and you will be right where you were before...so it is dangerous to "think" that you are all better and recovered because "recovery" is a lifetime process from addiction...the substance of choice is always out there and available. I like to keep it in my head that I AM an alcoholic that is "allergic to alcohol" because that keeps me from permitting myself "just one drink"....I would say you are an ex-smoker or ex-heroin user instead of smoker-holic or heroin-holic but as those are not known terms 9that I know of?)..but to me I am always going to BE and alcoholic. That knowledge is POWER...that power keeps me sober.
Love,
Suzy
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