I am affected by the disease of alcoholism and I've accepted that. The first step is to come out of denial. After years of acting like I have control over alcoholism and I can make it stop, I finally allowed myself to admit that I am powerless over it. So I started to change..not the alcoholic, but me!!
Now that I understand that, I am open to getting help and being with people who also have this experience. I've attended Al Anon meetings twice a week now for five weeks. They are so helpful. I've come to appreciate my fellow sisters and brothers at these meetings. They are young, old, rich, poor, male, female, black, white, brown, yellow, and red. And they all are there for the same reason..to come to sanity and to find serenity. I get it now. I have a lot of work to do...on myself!!
Why? Because I don't have to control the alcoholic. I just have to work on me. I have to set boundaries. I have to detach. I have to live and let live, let go and let God. Be open to accepting my own disease of codependency and work on correcting my own defects in character.
I have been the "perfect child" all my life. Now I am the "wisdom woman". I asked myself, "How can I be so wise, and yet be so "dumb" if I can't see how the disease of alcoholism has affected me?" That is why I resisted getting help. For years. But after realized I've had enough of the crazyness that alcoholism produces, I quit being so "proud" and "self righteous". I surrendered to the fact that I am really powerless. Wowl!!
Al Anon has helped me understand this. I encourage any of you who have alcoholics in your life to quit being in denial and seek out the support of Al Anon. You will find it a great source of help for you.
My new book, called "Saved, Sanctified..And Still Need A Drink"..addresses many of the issues that we face when we have grown up in the church and haven't been able to really talk about the "sinful" behaviors that we think will "send us straight to hell"...like alcoholism. But if we don't acknowledge the addictions that affect us, our loved ones and our families, and use the resources available to us, such as Al Anon... we suffer in silence and all alone. That's not necessary!! Let's be real. Let's be open. Let's support each other. And let's get the help we need for ourselves!!
Take advantage of the resources out there, and most of all, come out of denial and get help for yourself!! As they say in Al Anon.."Keep Coming Back..It Works If You Work It.. And You're Worth It!!"
Now that I understand that, I am open to getting help and being with people who also have this experience. I've attended Al Anon meetings twice a week now for five weeks. They are so helpful. I've come to appreciate my fellow sisters and brothers at these meetings. They are young, old, rich, poor, male, female, black, white, brown, yellow, and red. And they all are there for the same reason..to come to sanity and to find serenity. I get it now. I have a lot of work to do...on myself!!
Why? Because I don't have to control the alcoholic. I just have to work on me. I have to set boundaries. I have to detach. I have to live and let live, let go and let God. Be open to accepting my own disease of codependency and work on correcting my own defects in character.
I have been the "perfect child" all my life. Now I am the "wisdom woman". I asked myself, "How can I be so wise, and yet be so "dumb" if I can't see how the disease of alcoholism has affected me?" That is why I resisted getting help. For years. But after realized I've had enough of the crazyness that alcoholism produces, I quit being so "proud" and "self righteous". I surrendered to the fact that I am really powerless. Wowl!!
Al Anon has helped me understand this. I encourage any of you who have alcoholics in your life to quit being in denial and seek out the support of Al Anon. You will find it a great source of help for you.
My new book, called "Saved, Sanctified..And Still Need A Drink"..addresses many of the issues that we face when we have grown up in the church and haven't been able to really talk about the "sinful" behaviors that we think will "send us straight to hell"...like alcoholism. But if we don't acknowledge the addictions that affect us, our loved ones and our families, and use the resources available to us, such as Al Anon... we suffer in silence and all alone. That's not necessary!! Let's be real. Let's be open. Let's support each other. And let's get the help we need for ourselves!!
Take advantage of the resources out there, and most of all, come out of denial and get help for yourself!! As they say in Al Anon.."Keep Coming Back..It Works If You Work It.. And You're Worth It!!"