Don’t Give Yourself Permission To Drink!
I sat in a meeting tonight and listened to three folks “give themselves permission” to drink…
Please, don’t give yourself permission to drink. These folks all have a few years of sobriety. Two of them have been out and back a few times and have thankfully been able to put sober time together. See if you can identify with them.
“My job is driving me crazy and if I don’t say/do something about it I’m going to lose my sobriety!”
No! You’re not!!!
I understand it is “prescribed” that we “rat” on our disease which isn’t why I’m talking about it. The first person did exactly that and was doing the right thing. The other folks who spoke about “if they did/didn’t do this or that, if something like this happens in my life, if a loved one…, I’ll drink,” that’s what I’m getting at.
Creating and allowing a condition to exist whereby I have given myself permission to drink is not acceptable behavior, for me. I would suggest it isn’t for you either.
Tags: 12-Steps, aa, alcoholics-anonymous, positive-attitude, RecoveryRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Experience, Strength and Hope
8 opinions for Don’t Give Yourself Permission To Drink!
dAAve
Mar 18, 2008 at 4:36 am
No matter what.
Anything else is just an excuse.
Mark
Mar 18, 2008 at 5:41 am
Exactly dAAve! Thanks :)
Lisa C.
Mar 18, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Sobriety, serenity, self, family, job.
Mark
Mar 18, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Hey Lisa :)
Don M. (and whomever taught him that) was right… Of course, the strange thing is that one of those folks actually quoted what you just said in the same share along with their self-permission!
Boiselass
Mar 20, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I am new to recovery and this story and comments hit the nail on the head. I have been going over relapse/triggers/etc. and I had given myself permission to drink. I have been saying that “I know one day I will drink again. I know it. I know myself. I know how I roll.”
I didn’t see it as giving myself permission to drink until today.
holy mutha of pearl. what was i thinking? or not thinking rationally about.
Mark
Mar 20, 2008 at 9:01 pm
This is one of those times when I love how “this thing” works… :) Thanks Boiselass.
christy r
Aug 9, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Here is the long and the short of it. The universe is a strangely stupid, intelligent force (oxymoron I know lol=) What I mean by that is saying things like “if this…than slip” only manifest to the universe as “slip”. The universe is here to answer your wish. Therefore, you just put in a tall order for a slip in sobriety!!! So cut the s-word out of your vocabulary. I just had that awakening and my new motto is ”no matter what!” There is an unimaginable freedom to that that gives HP a confirmation of your commitment and belief that he/she/it will keep you sober NO MATTER WHAT. You did not do the 3rd step and say “I turn my will over to God, unless I slip occasionally” Take ownership of your sobriety.
formula 4 sobriety= Hp>selfwill+alcohol
Mark
Aug 9, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Thanks Christy :)
(I took your last name out as you asked)
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