| You have reached a time in your life when Alcohol | | | | smashed or broken, I had done this and I had no |
| is costing you more than money and you are | | | | recollection of doing it. |
| thinking I need to quit drinking. Maybe you have | | | | When I wrote these things down on paper I could |
| tried to stop before, but after a period of time | | | | clearly see that Alcohol was causing me serious |
| you always went back to it. | | | | problems and I had to stop. My wife and children |
| Do not despair I have been where you are right | | | | were saying I need to quit drinking but every |
| now, there have been many times when I have | | | | time I tried I failed, it was just too hard for me. |
| said to myself I need to quit drinking and believe | | | | Eventually I sort help from counselling and read as |
| me I have tried and failed on numerous occasions. | | | | much literature about Alcoholism and Recovery as |
| No matter how many times I said to myself I | | | | I could get my hands on. There are some great |
| need to quit drinking I eventually fell off the | | | | books on recovery and they helped me a great |
| wagon and ended up in a drunken stupor. | | | | deal. The first 12 months of my recovery was |
| I knew I had a serious problem with Alcohol, I | | | | hard, the obsession for Alcohol stayed with me |
| was drinking every day, mostly in the evenings | | | | but so did the thought that I need to quit drinking |
| after work and justifying it with thoughts like "I | | | | and with the help of others and counselling I |
| have been to work all day I deserve a drink', "if | | | | managed to get my first year of Sobriety. |
| you had a day like mine you would drink to". I | | | | I was told to stay away from wet places and I |
| know today this was the denial of my Alcoholism | | | | did, I never went to a pub for the first 12 |
| and whilst I was in this thought pattern I could | | | | months of my recovery and even to this day I |
| say to myself all day long I need to quit drinking | | | | will only venture in to a pub for a meal. I in the |
| but I would never do it. | | | | early days I found that I had to keep busy, stay |
| What helped me to see the truth was to be | | | | focused on the fact that I need to quit drinking. |
| honest about my drinking and write down all the | | | | By keeping busy I never had time to just sit and |
| bad things that were happening to me as a result | | | | think, if I did this I would usually end up thinking |
| of my Alcohol consumption. When I wrote these | | | | about a drink and I had to avoid that. |
| down I could really see that Alcohol was ruining | | | | I can say today that Alcohol plays no part on my |
| my life and I need to quit drinking. | | | | life and the obsession for Alcohol has left me, this |
| These are some of the things I wrote down | | | | was the first miracle of my recovery and it all |
| - I had lost my driving license | | | | started with the thought I need to quit drinking, I |
| - I was becoming aggressive and arguing with my | | | | took action and put a lot of work into staying |
| wife and children | | | | sober. It has been many years since I took or |
| - I had lost interest in my hobbies, I was simply | | | | wanted to take a drink and my life today is |
| going to work coming home and drinking | | | | contented and happy. If you have reached a time |
| - I was hiding drink around the house | | | | in your life where you are thinking I need to quit |
| - I was drinking secretly | | | | drinking then get some help, read recovery |
| - I was starting to lose time from work | | | | books, try a 12 step program, there is a wealth |
| - I would wake in the morning and my wife would | | | | of help and support for you, just reach out and |
| not be speaking to me. There were times when I | | | | ask for it. |
| would look around the house and something was | | | | |