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ReCATery (aka Sober Cats,800BETSOFF Cats,Like Chocoholics but for BoozeCats,etc)

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Pete:
This thread is for questions and discussion about recovery (from anything). My name is Pete and I am a grateful recovering alcoholic, and I haven't a had drink since March 8, 2015.  My personal flavor of recovery is a 12 step program about alcohol. Drugs, gambling, sex, porn, etc. weren't/aren't part of my story or struggle, just alcohol.

There were two things that I THOUGHT that I knew to be fact, which I was dead wrong about, and kept me "out there" drinking a lot longer than I had to. 

First, I thought that I had to hit a "bottom" like they talked about on the after school specials, where you lose absolutely everything and all your family and friends, before you could attempt to get better.  Everyone's "bottom" is different.  Mine was living with suicidal thoughts (obsession really) for several years (absolute living hell) with soul crushing anxiety and depression.  I still had a job, had a 401K, had kids getting good grades, etc...but I was headed for a bullet to the brain.

That brings me to the Second thing I thought was a fact, which I was wrong about.  That was that I believed to the core of my soul that I would never experience pleasure or have fun again if I quit drinking.  Every single moment in my life where I could recall being at ease or having a sense of comfort, included alcohol, since probably puberty.  Drinking seemed like the "normal" life, and not drinking seemed like something that just had to be endured.  So, the idea of letting go of my medicine for life seemed like a last resort....I basically decided to give it a shot before I killed myself.  I figured, "I owe it to my kids to try this before I kill myself."  I'm happy to report that I no longer want to kill myself, and even better than that, I actually enjoy my life.  Here's the thing though...you don't get to know HOW/WHAT/WHY of how you will come to have a meaningful and fulfilling life in recovery, but if you work a program, it will materialize.  For me, and for every person in recovery I have ever spoken with (thousands of people), it was/is impossible to predict how you will feel and what your life will be like. 

go cats, ftb

steve dave:
Great stuff Pete

420seriouscat69:

--- Quote from: steve dave on November 30, 2021, 02:06:29 PM ---Great stuff Pete

--- End quote ---
Yup, STUD!

michigancat:
love you, Pete. Proud to know you and see you share this.

Pete:
Thanks fellas!  Hopefully we can use this thread to educate folks about this topic.  Maybe mental health as well.  I'm a big fan of making sure folks are taking care of their mental health via educated doctors/meds and psychologists, in addition to traditional forms of recovery methods.

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