Sobriety

It is nice to know there are a lot of people there for me, and others. It is tough, but it is getting easier. Going through this, I have a better understanding of the sickness. Last GS, I gave my son a beer, and said he could proudly drink it around the fire, with the men. I figured it was a right of passage, and at the time, it not only felt right, I was proud to do it, just as my father and uncles had done with me. I have since had very profound talks in the duck blind with him, and appologized for it. I explained what my parents never explained to me about altering the perception of reality with booze or pot/other drugs. I cannot guarantee he will not be an alcoholic, but at least he is armed with the knowledge that it is hereditary, and has seen first hand what it did to me. He has even asked out of the blue about my drinking and why I drank all the time, and has told me about times when I was wasted, how he felt. I feel really good that we have that line of communication open, and I hope it ends with me, and he learns from my mistakes, and lives a richer, fuller, and more productive life for it. That really helps to keep me sober.

Sounds good Rich. Now I spend more time talking to the drunks at the railroad tracks. I never talk about bring sober until they offer me a drink. Then I give the pitch. 

Funny How That Works! Pun intended!

It is nice to know there are a lot of people there for me, and others. It is tough, but it is getting easier. Going through this, I have a better understanding of the sickness. Last GS, I gave my son a beer, and said he could proudly drink it around the fire, with the men. I figured it was a right of passage, and at the time, it not only felt right, I was proud to do it, just as my father and uncles had done with me. I have since had very profound talks in the duck blind with him, and appologized for it. I explained what my parents never explained to me about altering the perception of reality with booze or pot/other drugs. I cannot guarantee he will not be an alcoholic, but at least he is armed with the knowledge that it is hereditary, and has seen first hand what it did to me. He has even asked out of the blue about my drinking and why I drank all the time, and has told me about times when I was wasted, how he felt. I feel really good that we have that line of communication open, and I hope it ends with me, and he learns from my mistakes, and lives a richer, fuller, and more productive life for it. That really helps to keep me sober.

That great stuff being able to talk with your boy like that,   strong stuff there…  Addiction is powerful…  it basically replaces your instances for survival…  Food, sleep, sex, social life is all superseded by the the brain "Thinking" it needs the drug or booze more than the other needs for survival or even happiness…

  There is a great video done by an Ex-Navy Seal Dr. called " Pleasure Unwoven…" Hard to find and I actually bought it.  Basically, this Dr. was sober as the day is long and at the top of his game with an elite Seal team till he had a shoulder surgery and was introduce to pain pills….

Total Addiction to the point of losing his career/court-martial and a year in Levenworth…  He came and out and really wanted to explore the question of addiction being a choice or is it a disease…

He makes a very compelling argument that it is a disease and it's good to know just how strong and how ingrained addiction is to an addicts way of thinking to help battle that " Stinking Thinking…"

hate those sayings but God Damnit,  they work and they are right….

  Good for you Bro, and just want you to know that I find strength in this thread…

  Thanks...

I was using Norco( vicodin ) for my sciatic pain. Off of them for two weeks now. They did the job and let me get some sleep. The best recovery happens then. I told my doc, "gee those really take the edge of any anxiety", she looked at me and said," Craig, we don't relieve our anxiety through narcotics". hahahahaha 25 years sober on the 29th here. I looked her in the eye and said you are right. They were nice though. Real nice.

Best thing I did was to tell my son if he ever decided to drink. I would come get him no questions asked. If he didn't call And I found out there would be questions and a talk. The kids hated my talks. So he did call me, and I did pick him up. I also told him I was happy and proud.That had the since to call. Now days he is usually the DD, in his group. He was driving when my van was totaled. When a drunk on a motorcycle hit the van. He was doing 70 mph, on main street in ventura. My son saw the guys face plant on windshield. Good thing my son was stopped to make a left turn. And an E.R. doctor was right there and went to work.