Recovering with Alcoholics Anonymous

By: GED Student

I think the best way to better myself is to quit drinking alcohol. My life was absolutely miserable before I stopped drinking. My drinking got to a point when I can’t live life with alcohol or without it. The life of drinking was the only one I knew. So, how can I possibly think that I can ever live a happy sober life? What do I have to do?

Well, I started out going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The meetings are places I could go to meet people who have problems with drinking and maybe make new sober friends. I picked up a little booklet called the “Where and When.” It shows over 750 meetings in the St. Louis area that I could go to. If I don’t like a meeting, I can always search for meetings until I find the ones that I do like. I try to go to as many meetings I can. I have been averaging 8 to 9 meetings a week.

I don’t want to approach recovery with the assistance of my alcoholic mind. It’s not user friendly. It’s my alcoholic mind that got me here in the first place. So, people suggested that I get a sponsor. A sponsor is somebody that will help me work the 12 steps of recovery and would give me advice or suggestions to help me make better decisions, therefore learning how to live sober on life’s terms.

The next thing I need to do is stay busy during the day when I’m not at a meeting. I don’t want to give myself any time to think about drinking. I need to be doing something. I go to school in the morning, try to do some online GED assignments in the afternoon, do whatever chores that need to be done around the house, or whatever else I could do to occupy my time.

Right now, my life is slowly getting better. I am feeling a sense of peace and serenity. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for Alcoholics Anonymous. I will always have the ups and downs of life, but I don’t have to drink over the problems that life gives me. I am happy to be alive and sober.