Post RNY & Alcoholism HELP
Thanks
I write this even though I'll have two glasses of wine two times/week. I have to stop at two or I get crazy drunk. And I was a bartender for 14 years. So most of my friends are drunks. I had to find some new friends. They're not as fun as the drunks, but I'm not either.
Figure out what you want with your life and then chase it.
Good luck.
I live in the Raleigh area and am having my RNY a week from Thursday with Dr. Bruce (who's also with the same practice your surgeon is in). I'm a recovering alcoholic (for several years now) and the BEST place I have found is a wonderful group in Cary. It's an AA meeting and Friday nights they have New Commers meeting. They are warm, welcoming and great fun and there's tons of people there so you will make SO many friends. Here's the AA schedule for our area...the place that I love the most is in Cary and it's called the Triangle Alano Club. The beginners meeting I was referring to is Friday night at 6:00...you'll love it and it will help you SO much. Step 0 is acknowledging you have a problem and that can be the hardest so I'm so glad you reached out. Hang in there and good luck.
http://www.raleighaa.com/intergroup/current_schedule.pdf
Lisa
Always keep your goals in mind. You are stronger than you think!
1. AA - you can meet other's that have the same problem.
2. Counseling. There is a reason that you feel you "cant" not drink. It would probably benefit you to talk to someone.
With that being said sometimes you have to change your lifestyle to suit your new lifestyle. ;)
I concur on the counseling. The reason many of us transfer our addiction to something else, is becase, well, we have an addiction. Take away the food without dealing with the true cause of the emotional issues, and many people will end up drinking, gambling, whatever. I was completely in denial about my food addiction - "I just love food, and I eat too much" - until after I had surgery. Once I had to actually face my problems insteaqd of medicating them with food, I had an epiphany.
And if you are not ready to stop drinking altogether because you hate to lose those good times with your friends, here is a poem that I picked up from a friend who is a recovering alcoholic:
There Is a Hole in My Sidewalk
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
By Portia Nelson
Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter Two
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep whole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit…but,
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately,
Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

Jen 10+ yrs post op RNY