Is it me or have all the meetings in my area gone south?

[Adam D.]

Hi Adam, Alcoholic,
I'm having a bit of a time with becoming increasingly irritated with others sharings at meetings. Ive been sober for 23 days now, after a period of being "out there" for over a year. I can't tell whether its me or the meetings, but I set a rule for myself the other day that if I didn't hear anything about alcoholism within 15 minutes of being there, I'd leave. So far ive walked out of 3 meetings in two days. I really am glad to be back, I just am not sure what to do. Ive heard about people's cats dying and lease problems and I'm starting to think my recovery community aren't even alcoholic and just need a place to hang and people to talk to. I know Ive got a crappy attitude here. I don't want it, I used to enjoy meetings. Has anyone gone through this before after being out? Anyone have any words of wisdom on how I can change my perspective?

[Dallas]

Hey Adam. Welcome to the site. I understand. My suggestion is to hang in there and try to relax. I would guess to say, that you probably know all you need to know about alcoholism -- if you are an alcoholic. For you to drink is to die -- and to be sober is to be miserable -- unless you find the recovery that will treat your alcoholism. I would also suggest to think about recovery instead of thinking about alcoholism. We will attract and manifest what we think about. Think about what you have to do to stay sober... meaning, the actions that you must take, to stay sober and to get comfortable while sober. When we get nerved up -- the only thing we'll see is more of what gets us nerved up. If the other people that are doing it "wrong" are getting us nerved up -- then, we'll just see more people doing more stuff that ticks us off. The sober-living solutions, is to find out what it is inside of you -- that's getting you upset, and do something about changing that... because there is no way you'll be able to change those other people in the rooms!

Hang in there -- and keep coming back here, too. We'll do what we can to help, if you want it, and we've got lots already written about alcoholism right here. However, if you do want to share about alcoholism here -- this is the right place to do it! We will listen and we'll share about it with you.

Perhaps, their talking about their cats and cars and stuff -- because that is their major problems today while sober. It's possible, that they are like I was when I was new... I was ripping out my hair trying to figure out how not to pick up a chair and throw it at some sob that had cat problems!

Now, as a result of taking the recovery actions that I had to take -- to get comfortable while sober -- I don't have many problems to speak about. My life has gotten pretty good. Don't get me wrong... I've still got lots of room for progress, I'm not a saint, and probably the least spiritual among all -- but, I am relatively happy and sober, too!

Keep coming back!

Dallas

[Rain]

Did you ever find a meeting that you liked?

Have you considered starting one?

[ccs]

HI Adam nice to meet you WELCOME

I dont know about anyone else but at 23 days sober EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE p***D me OFF I was like Dallas trying to just not throw a chair at someone

But then I Met a woman that told me to keep comin back she said you may need someones help so why dont you call me and we can talk you see she understood that I didnt care about anyone elses stupid problems I only cared about my own anger and trying soooo hard not to go out and get a bottle she said I could call her my sponsor if I wanted to and that she would show me HOW SHE DID it one day at a time and she gave me suggestions

we got a book and she suggested that I READ IT!! she said that I would find the solution to my Alcoholic problems in there

she suggested I read it over and over and over and then call her and we could talk about what I read
then she suggested that it might be a good IDEA for me too actually start doing some of the things that the BOOK suggested I do to recover from my Dilemma

and when I told her that the poeple in the meetings where making me mad and they where not following the rules that I didnt need to hear thier stipid SH*T she smiled and said Just Keep on coming back after awhile thier STUPID SH**T wont make you SO mad anymore

she did make a suggestion that I find and GO TO aleast one BIg Book meeting a week ( you know one where we just read and discuss what we read in the book ( the first 164 pgs that is ) and I did I went to more than one a week cause that was where the solution was AT in the BOOK

she also suggested a 12&12 meeting and maybe a as bill sees it meeting you get the point
for me going to these kind of meetings kept me in the solution I`m not saying that some dont go off track but if they do

maybe just maybe if that person that p#*D me off with their STUpid SH#*T Didnt get a chance to uload thier STuff then maybe they would leave that meeting and drink or worse DIE

so maybe just maybe by me sitting in that room and listening with a symphathetic ear I may have just helped someone else and gotten out of MYSELF to do it after all isnt that what our program is about to help the alcoholic that still suffers that was what was suggested to ME when I was whear you are at today

ADAM Iam sooo Glad that you are here and thanks for helping me today I need you Keep coming Back

Your - Sister-in-Sobriety CESS