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I love this quote!
(Preview)
Self-importance is our greatest enemy. Think about it - what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellowmen. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.
--Carlos Castaneda
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Jean4444
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1
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426
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Focusing on another person as a way not to deal with yourself.
(Preview)
I live in a house with people who are pretty enmeshed and codependent with each other. Now two of the most dysfunctional people are leaving and I find one of my housemates still totally obsessed. I know she is up to her eyes in stuff that she is not dealing with. i think one of the reasons I find it very unc...
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maresie
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3
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513
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How to break the cycle?
(Preview)
Hello I'm new to this site and I'm not sure how it works but I need some advise. I'm an adult child. It started with my father and I have very little contact with him currently and this has been the case for a very long time. Not my choice. I would love to have a father. I'm 42 years old and my entire life I have be...
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Jena
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6
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745
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Please send a prayer or a thought or two
(Preview)
I cannot get ahold of Kim65. Am very very concerned. Have emailed and called for two months now. We were emailing about every day. I leave messages.She has many animals to care for.Plus lives way up in the boonies. Her A is not a safe man. I don't believe I ever got her address.Am about to do a major search...
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debilyn
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7
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699
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Advice Very Much Needed
(Preview)
Okay, this is my first time on this site because this past month has been my first run in with an alcoholic. My father in law, Frank, moved in with us at the beginning of September. The reason we invited him to live with us is because he was suffering from falls, he told us his knees were bad, and we could te...
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Rigby
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10
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634
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here we go...
(Preview)
This is my first time visiting the site. I'm the brother of an alcoholic who has been struggling for the past 8 years (since age 16). Without telling his life story, there have been very troubling times. When he drinks, he gets violent, sees no point in living, etc. It's literally been a rollercoaster t...
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blb
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12
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699
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Forgiving Ourselves
(Preview)
Many people posted a while back for me to stop being so hard on myself, but it seems that I keep doing and saying things that make me feel guilty.. Isn't that guilty earned when one continues to repeatedly do things they know are "wrong" or that are going to make them feel bad about themselves...
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Codependent
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5
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581
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What a life!
(Preview)
Hey! I am so grateful and humbled by this site! I can see so much growth--even in myself! I have a better life than I have ever had before! So, on I go and help others find what I have found in Al-anon for 22 years! Finally, I am getting it! And, it is all because of people like you in Al-anon. My marriage has su...
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Hoot Nanny
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7
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703
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Abandonment as a tool?
(Preview)
Again, new to the program so please bear with me. Is there a "program" way of dealing with the way my AH (and his whole family) use abandonment/ leaving as a tool. Quick examples: If I push my AH for emotional closeness he either leaves or starts acting like he will-bags by the door, in truck et...
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glad
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6
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562
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how to discuss this (boundaries.. child involved)
(Preview)
My husband has been sober for 4 years until today. We have a 2 year old son and he was home with him for 5 hours today while I worked out of town. I got a call on my way home from my husband who was crying and obviously very drunk. Issue number one is drinking around our son, issue two is his drinking. My react...
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flgirl925
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4
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519
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the dreaded weekend
(Preview)
On Friday nights I start getting anxious. By early Saturday morning I am a wreck. I sit waiting for interactions from son or EXDIL. Today I tried to get ahead of the game. I called to set up a Sunday with grandbaby. She said fine. I am now taking the child to his dad's apartment rather than waiting for hi...
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omajoy
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10
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577
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What Would We Say If We Couldn't Be Sarcastic?
(Preview)
.... about our A, about our life, about our job, about our situation, about ourselves? I am great at being sarcastic. It can be funny, but I think it's deep down a form of denial. I see sarcasm to some degree in most of what I say. Especially when I talk about alcoholic behavior. It's a putdown of cours...
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barisax
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8
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745
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oops!
(Preview)
accidentally posted a pm here. Can't figure out how to delete completely. Oops, live and learn, huh? Lou -- Edited by Loupiness at 21:20, 2008-02-03
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Loupiness
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3
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481
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Uncomfortable experiences
(Preview)
Hi, this is sort of a vent. Over the years here I have gotten many pm's about this subject. When one has a sponsor, or sponsors from our MIP family, this is a common problem. The sponsor all of a sudden stops corresponding to the person they sponsor. Many times with no explanation. Sometimes just staying...
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debilyn
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1
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603
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The sound of silence
(Preview)
Do I really want to live with someone who doesn't talk and says they have nothing to say but then goes to a friends house gets on the booze and flaps his mouth off until he's off his face?? NO I DON'T!!! I have had two weeks of silent treatment for no reason, I am sick of this and alcoholic behavours for 13 ye...
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silverbrumby
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3
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1164
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Happy Groundhog's Day!
(Preview)
((((((((Family)))))))), Just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a HAPPY GROUNDHOG'S DAY! I'm hoping Pauxatawney Piper sees her shadow and we have 6 more weeks of winter. Yes, I'm one of those wierdos who loves the winter. It's been a pretty mild one and I haven't been able to go out snowshoeing o...
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Karilynn
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5
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506
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Suggestions for fun?
(Preview)
I have come to realize I need a life outside of trying to "fix" the one I have so at 41 living near a big city (Dallas) I need some good clean suggestions of ways to have fun and meet people, mostly women since I am in a committed relationship but just have no social life of my own. Like most here my...
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glad
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11
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458
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Feeling frustrated irritated and confused!
(Preview)
My A got out of jail about 2 weeks ago and went into a recovery house. Now he's in an apartment with a guy he is working for. He has a job, a home and says he is going to meetings, etc. My agenda was to file for divorce while he was in jail so I can have it go cheaply and smoothly without a custody/visitation fig...
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carolinagirl
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14
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676
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Laughter and fun
(Preview)
It's been nearly two months since my A cut off our (long distance) relationship to get his head in the program. At about the same time, I broke off ties with my (long distance) father (and he with me)....... but that's another story. In these past two months, I've spent a lot of time in introspection an...
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round3
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9
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530
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Three views of alanon
(Preview)
Does anybody have a copy of the "Three views of alanon" pamphlet handy? I'm looking for the bit in "Letter from the alcoholic" that talks about love not being able to exist without justice. Just need to those few sentences.
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lin0606
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9
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5773
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Inferiority
(Preview)
I know in my case my A seems to think I am inferior to him because I still care about him so much when he illustrates so clearly how little he is able to care for me. I've read other posts where this is talked about. Do you think this is true just for A's or do you think all people see others who unconditionall...
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Codependent
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5
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441
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Please share...recovering alcoholic and distrust
(Preview)
Would you be willing to share your experiences with a recovering alcoholic and distrust? To say I am feeling cautious, might be understating my feelings. I'm not sure he is ready to hear the full truth of my feelings. Now that he has chosen to turn back to his HP for assistance and turn back to our marr...
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Alicia
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5
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1383
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Insanity versus Irrationality
(Preview)
...in the chaos and ashes of despair a Pheonix has risen, and this in itself has caused me to stop and celebrate a new day, a new dawn, and a new understanding of ME as I am TODAY. Whilst sitting in my study preparing for my time of daily contemplation and prayer, I wrote three words down on my note pad: Insan...
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Heartbroken
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1
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308
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February Business Meeting
(Preview)
(((((Family))))) This Sunday was to have been the day for our next monthly business meeting in the chat room. However! This also happens to be Superbowl Sunday..!! I will be unavailable to chair the business meeting because of this and so I am rescheduling the Feb Business meeting for the following...
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david62
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1
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313
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New and Confused
(Preview)
This is my first time visiting this forum. I have been concerned about my husband's drinking for quite some time now. My husband and I have had many discussions about his drinking and he promises me that he doesn't have a problem. However, this afternoon I found an empy bottle of vodka in his closet a...
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Antigua
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6
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573
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A HUGE BIG THANK YOU...
(Preview)
Thank you to everyone who set me on my feet again and supported me through my fear. ((((((((((((xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)))))))))))) I have been looking for something to say that would absolutely express the gratitude I have felt and the love that has been wrapped around me and the prayers that have been offe...
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Heartbroken
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2
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284
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"too" detatched
(Preview)
Hi all, I've been away for too long, funny how you get so busy living your life and caring for others you forget about yourself. I have a question with regard to detatchment. I have become so "detatched" that I feel I have closed myself off not only to my A hubby, but to the rest of my family and fr...
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bcanuck
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4
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436
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Detachment
(Preview)
I am so new to even trying to figure lots of things out. When I read about how some people had detached from their spouse I really thought it was wrong. Till death do us part, love unconditionally etc. Well I almost lost my mind this week. I have really bad migraines... like almost deadly feeling. Doctor...
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glad
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5
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414
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irritated
(Preview)
I am not sure but I am more angry with myself for not being able to move on and do anything. I fight so hard against feeling crazy and sometimes it almost feels easier to just ride the slide into the darkness. I don't have much fight left in me anymore and a lot of my problem is me probably. Everything about...
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ddub
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6
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611
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Letting Go
(Preview)
My ex A begged for me to take him back. I told him I thought he had a drinking problem and he disagreed. I knew he would, but that is really not the point. It wasn't so much the drinking that bothered me. It was the name calling, put downs, expecting me to do all the work, blaming me, ignoring me. I have friends...
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kissers
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4
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312
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What is it like for you?
(Preview)
For me I don't battle the "partying". I battle emotional distance during drinking and when he's not, more when he is. When I try to talk to him he sometimes makes jokes about women vs. men and emotional connection but it's so much more than the normal issues like that. How much of my wants are...
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glad
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5
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490
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Does he not love his family??
(Preview)
I am struggling today....AH had made a new years resolution to slow down on his drinking (his choice)...OK...so that was a month ago and Yeah, he has slowed way down...but there has still been the nights (at least 1-2 a week) where he is annoyingly drunk. Not fall down drunk, but enough to annoy me (usu...
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tma0413
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10
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697
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Does the recovered A always know best?....
(Preview)
hello all. i am relatively new here and i haven't really posted much. i am married to a recoverd A for seven years. we are in the process of getting a divorce. still living together, still doing some things together and still care for each other. the issue is him. he has been sober for 19 years. but h...
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donnarock
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7
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605
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This may be a question for NA...
(Preview)
I think I have mentioned before that I have used with my A. I never had before prior to our relationship. However, I have also used some periodically without him- alot of my feelings involving my guilt with using I believe is also associated with my anxiety over using with him. Anyway, when we had our...
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Codependent
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7
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619
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victim super martyr
(Preview)
One reason I find myself so stressed out is that I can now see fully in technicolor how easiy I fall into the role of victim super martyr. I found myself wanting to go into work early and rescue everyone and be "liked" because I feel like a fish out of water being assertive and focused on my job se...
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maresie
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5
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601
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I AM IN SHOCK
(Preview)
Dear Family, I feel that my job may be in jeopardy. This is scaring me to death. I work in a chain drug store as a pharmacist. Each store has 2 pharmacists. My former partner was promoted, and has now become my supervisor. When she was my partner, we had some disagreements and she ended up being transferr...
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cookie1971
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10
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727
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compassion
(Preview)
What is the oppisite of being compassionate? I believe I am being Un-compassionate as a coping mechanism. I feel like I am trying to stay frozen all the time so that I don't have to feel the pain or anymore pain than I have already felt. I feel like I am turning into a loveless person. I don't want to be this...
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serendipity
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4
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602
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What others think of me is none of my business....Oh really????
(Preview)
I see it stated time and time again..."What others think of me is none of my business." I don't have to care what others think of me, but it IS my business, and here's why: If I don't know what others think, don't listen to what others think, and otherwise consider it "none of my business,...
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Diva
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20
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4340
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new here
(Preview)
Hello, I am new here. I am not sure what I am even doing. I know my drinking habits are far from normal and I feel they have gotten much worse in the past few months. I went from going out occassionally after I had my daughter, to going out every weekend, sometimes more than once. We don't even have the money f...
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justonemore
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5
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358
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The last 24 hours...would welcome your feedback...
(Preview)
...however before I say anything further, I want to thank all of you who responded to me, one way or another, on my last post. I have appreciated every word that you have communicated to me. I have spent hours reading and rereading and contemplating each word, the hard facts, the questions, the truth...
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Heartbroken
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12
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594
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more on stress overload
(Preview)
Just a big big big thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. I went to bed last night at 8:00 p.m. I slept straight through till 4:00 a.m. I felt rested and the stress attack was over. I am back on track with a phone interview this afternoon. I have a in person interview tomorrow. I am just going to k...
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maresie
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2
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357
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22 years
(Preview)
An Al-Anon friend of mine just got a coin for 22 years in this program today. She is so excited. Her sponsor sent it to her in the mail because our tiny small town groups don't even have coins yet. She has shown and amazing amount of growth esp in the last year in spite of odds stacked against her. She is an ins...
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Jen
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6
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470
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Confession-Hoping you all won't be disappointed in me
(Preview)
So, don't read this if you won't to be inspired because unfortunately I seem to have back slid and may still be in the slide. I called the A for my birthday and took him out. We went to dinner and to hotel with hot tub. Spent a fortune. We talked about a lot of things and I "fell" in again- saw hi...
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Codependent
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18
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693
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Logged in tonight to quit
(Preview)
...feel I HAVE taken one step forward and ended up ten steps backward. ...feeling that the last four months have been a too much too fast. ...thinking that I no longer know what I believe. ...hoping that I have been able to give something back for the love and concern and support that I have received. ......
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Heartbroken
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16
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725
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Help me to SHUT UP!
(Preview)
I just got news that my 18 year old niece is getting married in August. UGH, I feel flabbergasted!!
She is really young and immature and has barely one year of community college past high school. She just found out she did not get into the nursing program at the community college she is attending becau...
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Jean4444
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12
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749
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place for me?
(Preview)
I have been struggling for so long and I still am not sure this is the place for me. My husband is an alcoholic that is true. His father was one, his brothers are alcoholics and so on. His drinking has slowly corroded our marriage. The reason why I don't know if this is the place for me is that there is so mu...
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twain91
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3
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536
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stressed to the max
(Preview)
For a number of reasons, my health, my income, my home, my lack of support, my job, my commute, my health my stress level is now completely off the charts. I would ask for prayers from you all. I am so absolutely totally wiped out. Maresie
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maresie
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2
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293
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Health issues
(Preview)
As you all know I live in a place where I am constantly intruded up on by other people who live in the house. Last night this one person knocked on my door twice to ask me some stupid question about the laundry. I have put notes on my door to say do not knock and she rips them off. This other person who is a tota...
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maresie
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4
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506
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Is it possible to communicate while detached?
(Preview)
I am working really hard on keeping my emotions level - not falling to putty when AH is husband of the week and not blowing smoke out of my ears when he pulls the latest stunt. Detachment has been essential. For someone, like my AH, who is used to being the focus of attention, this is killing him. He's an...
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optimistundone
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7
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450
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HP working in my life !
(Preview)
So I heard today my last day at this present job is February 13th. But guess what I may have another job lined up as soon as this week. I just put it out there that I needed work and I may be able to go over to another department which is actually a lot nicer than the one I am in. I don't know I will get the same pa...
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maresie
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8
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654
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prisoner
(Preview)
Hi roommates. I read the messageboards with fear in my heart for the future, and sadness for those suffering like me all because we love someone who drinks? I feel Like a dumb animal looking down the barrell of a gun. I can't get the guts to leave him, don't know if I want to or should, if I'm just in a bad mood...
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silverbrumby
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5
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523
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Update
(Preview)
The A has moved into a halfway house. I wish he would go back to jail so I can file for divorce without having to pay extra or fight about custody/visitation. Then I feel guilty for wishing ill things on him just to benefit myself. He has been ringing my phone off the hook the past few days despite the res...
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carolinagirl
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3
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484
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detachment and manipulation
(Preview)
Detachment is an effective tool to step back from the chaos and decide what is the best action for ourselves. It disables manipulation from A spouses/A children over time and makes the partners even more aware sometimes of the manipulation that has happened in the past and present. Alanoners st...
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ddub
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5
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2310
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The Pollyanna effect
(Preview)
I wonder about this at times. I have felt that sometimes maybe I am too positive, too upbeat, seeing the glass WAY too full. Mostly because I was raised by the most negative woman on the planet. So, my optimism, my idea that there really is a silver lining was always laughed at and put down and I was made to f...
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serendipity
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4
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524
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Smiling more and more
(Preview)
I have not posted in a long time. I have been checking on those I am familiar with but not felt compelled to post about me in some time. Well, I thought it was about time to post something upbeat!!! I am smiling more and more these days. And laughing too. Oh how good it feels to have something to smile abou...
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QOD
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2
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444
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AAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
(Preview)
Sick of being sick. I spend days coming here, reading and feeling and praying, and trying to support and give encouragement for I know how hard it is to keep putting one step in front of the other when life is hard; and then I come to the point of being utterly drained and tettering on the edge of a cliff of un...
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Heartbroken
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9
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683
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True Self
(Preview)
I came here to this chat room and exposed my "true self". Risky, but upon doing so, I opened a (new door) to the future. I came here seeking serenity, seeking a feeling of "I belong".."I do matter".. and in the few days I have been coming to this room to share, I find the re...
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Deb57
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5
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425
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A Letter to My AH (and my HP)
(Preview)
Dear AH, It's been almost 5 years since this horrible disease took you from me and our son. I miss you terribly. I used to think that we would be together forever and grow old together in happiness. Now I wonder when you will die. It sounds so extreme to even type such a thing, but it is real. You've accumula...
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Rocky38
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2
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653
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Was I wrong?
(Preview)
Really need some validation and opinions. AH and I had a terrible argument just a bit ago, now he has left to go to work. I need to know if what I said was wrong because he wrote me a letter before he left and said he did not think he needed to apologise. This is how it started; He asked me if I would check out a h...
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verenda
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7
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440
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Let Go, Let God
(Preview)
I am struggling with this as I await responses from the 22 job applications that I sent out. It truly is out of my hands, but I should be hearing about interviews within the next 2 weeks. Let go, let God. Let go, let God.
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optimistundone
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3
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586
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