“There are more AA groups going on than Lindsey Lohan sightings”

Cindi: After reading about Georgina’s struggle with alcoholism. I wondered how she was going with it these days. So  I dared to ask her how she was doing with her drinking and what advice she could give to others. Here’s what she said ( so brilliantly as always)

Georgina Answers- Got a drinking problem? Or, as we anonymous recovering alcoholics like to quip, a “stopping problem?” And if you have the sense God promised a jackass on a windy day, you DO want to stop. So, OK. Here are my considered words of encouragement from the lofty perch of my 28 years of sobriety – presented in the traditional 10 points format.

1. You can’t do it alone.

2. No one else can do it for you. Sound like a paradox? It’s not.

3. You can’t drink alcohol. Alcoholics cannot – physically CAN NOT – metabolize alcohol, therefore, alcoholics cannot – CAN NOT – consume alcohol. (If eating strawberries made you break out in a rash and have trouble breathing, would you continue to eat them?) OK. One of the side effects of alcohol – and one of it’s more endearing characteristics – is it’s ability to make your brain believe that you are intelligent enough to “have just one” and stop. Now, there’s your paradox.

4. If you’ve tried to stop before, and it didn’t work, that’s no excuse for not trying again. I, myself, am the (not so) proud holder of matching sets of one-month and three-month chips – the tokens awarded by AA groups for designated stretches of sobriety. Oh – a quick definition of sobriety – having NOT consumed any alcohol.

5. The good news is: Alcoholics Anonymous works, but it’s not a pill you can drop and have everything clear up overnight. They call it a program for a reason. Not every group meeting is going to suit you any more than everyone is going to like the same movies, music, books, etc. Shop around. There are more AA groups going on than Lindsey Lohan sightings. AND…

6. Don’t be shy. It’s called Alcoholics ANONYMOUS for another good reason. What happens in meetings – stays in meetings. You can even go to them if you’re “not really an alcoholic, you just have had a few incidents where drinking made you act somewhat irrationally and your wife, husband, kids, employer, pastor, pal, or whomever, STRONGLY suggested you try a meeting.”

7. You’re NOT alone. See power point 1. Your story is as valid as the next drunk’s. (We affectionately refer to ourselves as drunks, which we are, even when not drinking.) Tell it out loud to the crowd. Even the ones nodding off waiting for their turn, need to hear it, just as you need to listen to the stories that “have nothing to do with your particular case.”

8. Enjoy the camaraderie of the “coffee klatch” that usually precedes and/or follows meetings. But, a cautionary note, it’s NOT a good place to pick up dates. It’s amazing how a couple of drunks can convince each other that they’re cured and it’s ok to split a beer.

9. Go to meetings. When you think you don’t need them any more to stay sober, remember that others need you.

10. Don’t let the preachments regarding “a higher power” put you off. Take it or leave it. I find it impossible to believe man is responsible for the glory of the Universe, so I have no problem with giving a nod to the unknowable power or powers that be, no matter how any one person or conclave chooses to paint it. Us drunks are more aware than most, that… well, back to item 1.

I don’t usually preach on the subject, but since you asked, I’m glad to have had this opportunity to organize my thoughts about this remarkable non-organization called Alcoholics Anonymous. I’ve not had any experience with the offshoots, but I’ll bet they’re as effective as the original. So, thanks, Bill, for your friendship which has given me a life.
Georgina

You can visit Georgina at her personal blog GeorginasWorld.com

Georgina’s book The Devil Made Me Do It is available on her site

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