I have never posted anything online, and I am quite surprised at the great amount of discomfort I feel.  First about having just admitted to myself that I have a serious alcohol abuse problem, and secondly about where I go from here.   I have spent the past couple of years completely isolating myself, and reaching out is very difficult.  Denial is a dangerous thing when you are living in it every day.  I haven't wanted to admit the fact that I am a 32 year old alcoholic.  I am so ashamed of the direction my life has taken, and I desperately want to begin down the road of recovery.  

i hope that I can learn from all of you.  While I am saddened by the things my alcohol abuse has taken from me, I am hopeful that life can be better than this. 

Day 1 starts right now.

Congratulations, Amy, on taking the first step on the path to sobriety!

I felt ashamed, too -- then I started attending AA meetings and found a whole bunch of other people who had felt the same way, but now had a new perspective on life.

Please find an AA meeting near you.  You are not alone.  We will be here to support you, as well.

I look forward to getting to know you better.

Welcome, Amy, and congratulations on taking an important first step in your journey to recovery.  We can't seek a solution until we admit we have a problem, and you've now done that part.

Find out where the AA meetings are, go, listen, talk to other women, and come back and tell us how you're doing.  There's no shame in falling down; the shame is in not getting back up again.

Blessings,

Anne

My pleasure, Amy.  Keep us posted.

No one is a stranger in AA for long. 

Please let us know how you are doing.

Love and hugs,

Carol

Welcome Amy. Glad you are here and congrats on taking the first step in recovery. Look forward to seeing you in the chat room and in our meetings. As was mentioned in the other post, find yourself an AA meeting close to you. You will find a lot of other people just like you. We at the Realm will be here to support you in any way we can.

carol, anne and larry

i just wanted you to know that i just attended my first meeting.  it was incredible.  i verbalized the fact that i am an alcoholic for the first time in my life; after a very heated meeting (it was on step 11) a couple of the members came up and even hugged me.  a great woman gave me her number and told me to call her anytime.  she was kind and sincere the way i imagine the three of you are.

i wouldn't have had the strength to even consider going to that today if it hadn't been for the support you had given me via this website.  attending meetings is the constant that the three of you impressed upon me, and thanks to you i am on my way.

you all are true gems!

Hi Amy,

I'm so glad to hear that your first meeting was a good experience for you.  My first meeting was similar; I was surrounded by women afterwards and hugged by some and given phone numbers.  I was stunned by the kindness.  I came to learn that in general, alcoholics are pretty wonderful people.

Picking up the phone and actually calling any of the women who gave me their numbers was frightening, but I had so many thoughts and feelings and questions that I think I would have burst if I didn't call people and talk about them.  Once those floodgates opened, I couldn't slam them shut again (nor, really, did I want to). 

So, I suggest that you do use the phone number you got, and that you get others.  You don't need to wait until you are on the verge of drinking to call them.  They'll be glad to hear from you; we in AA truly care about the sobriety and success of other members and will do what we can to help.  It's a natural tendency to feel that we are bothering others by calling them, but really we are not.

Keep us posted...when's your next meeting?

YAY AMY!!!!

It takes a lot of courage to walk through that door the first time, but you did it!  Good for you!!

My first meeting experience was much like yours -- I felt welcome there, and I felt as though I had "come home", thanks to the warm reception I received.

Use those phone numbers, keep going to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps -- it works if you work it.

Way to go Amy. The first meeting is always the hardest. I'm glad you found some other people that you liked and even got a phone number. Don't hesitate to use that number. If it was given to you they really want to help you.

Amy! Welcome Home!

((((Amy)))) big hugs for you!!

Welcome to the rest of your life!!  I am so glad you are here!!  You will find that life is so much better without the bottle.  Keep coming back!!

hugs and lotsa love,

 chelle

Welcome Amy glad you found us and that you were able to get to a meeting. Thats a big step. i hope to see ya around here more and in chat also.

hugs and welcome!