what exactly is alcoholic behavior. i have been sober 16 months but have stopped going to meetings because of medical problem. i worry constantly, i have no sense of peace, i try to control things and can't, is this alcoholic behavior? i think so. i want to change so badly and be connected to my higher power but i am rejecting the program. any thoughts? thanks a lot. katherine.
Hi Katherine,
You are right. I can relate because I have been going through some of the same things recently myself. Biggest thing for me is forgetting gratitude. I have noticed with my behavior lately ...my anger...etc, I have been in relapse mode and had I not changed it, I just may have picked up. Thank God I did not. Check out this list....I know for me....like i said...#14 forgetting gratitude...my good friend Teresa reminded me of that one!!lol...when I forget that my old behaviors come out...my anger, frustration..I become very argumenative and depressed...and very impatient...#3...another big one for me....why cant people just do things my way!!!! lolol.....I'm doing alot better now that I have been ....the other night was kind of a wake up call for me....I was acting and talking in a way that I dont want to be....so I had to change it and just let go and let God. OK guess I have rambled on enough here.....lol take care and if you ever want to talk my email is at the bottom...feel free anytime....
God bless
Gina :)
hey all where it says alcohol you can replace pills,drugs, whatever.....
Checklist of Relapse Symptoms
1. Exhaustion - Allowing oneself to become overly tired; usually associated with work addiction as an excuse for not facing personal frustrations.
2. Dishonesty - Begins with pattern of little lies; escalated to
self-delusion and making excuses for not doing what's called for.
3. Impatience - I want what I want NOW. Others aren't doing what I think they should or living the way I know is right.
4. Argumentative - No point is too small or insignificant not to be debated to the point of anger and submission.
5. Depression - All unreasonable, unaccountable despair should be exposed and discussed, not repressed: what is the "exact nature" of those feelings?
6. Frustration - Controlled anger/resentment when things don't go according to our plans. Lack of acceptance. See #3.
7. Self-pity - Feeling victimized, put-upon, used unappreciated: convinced we are being singled out for bad luck.
8. Cockiness - Got it made. Know all there is to know. Can go anywhere, including bars, carry out's, boozy parties.
9. Complacency - Like #8, no longer sees value of daily program, meetings, contact with other alcoholics, (especially sponsor!), feels healthy, on top of the world, things are going well. Heck may even be cured!
10. Expecting too much of others - Why can't they read my mind? I've changed, what's holding them up? If they just do what I know is best for them? Leads to feeling misunderstood, unappreciated. See #6.
11. Letting up on disciplines - Allowing established habits of recovery - meditations, prayer, spiritual reading, AA contact, daily inventory, meetings - to slip out of our routines; allowing recovery to get boring and no longer stimulating for growth. Why bother?!
12. Using mood-altering chemicals - May have a valid medical reason, but misused to help avoid the real problems of impending alcoholic relapse.
13. Wanting too much - Setting unrealistic goals: not providing for short-term successes; placing too much value on material success, not enough on value of spiritual growth.
14. Forgetting gratitude - Because of several listed above, may lose sight of the abundant blessings in our everyday lives: too focused on # 13.
15. "It can't happen to me." - Feeling immune; forgetting what we know about the disease of alcoholism and its progressive nature.
16. Omnipotence - A combination of several attitudes listed above; leads to ignoring danger signs, disregarding warnings and advice from fellow members.
- Excerpted from Akron Intergroup News, December
You are right. I can relate because I have been going through some of the same things recently myself. Biggest thing for me is forgetting gratitude. I have noticed with my behavior lately ...my anger...etc, I have been in relapse mode and had I not changed it, I just may have picked up. Thank God I did not. Check out this list....I know for me....like i said...#14 forgetting gratitude...my good friend Teresa reminded me of that one!!lol...when I forget that my old behaviors come out...my anger, frustration..I become very argumenative and depressed...and very impatient...#3...another big one for me....why cant people just do things my way!!!! lolol.....I'm doing alot better now that I have been ....the other night was kind of a wake up call for me....I was acting and talking in a way that I dont want to be....so I had to change it and just let go and let God. OK guess I have rambled on enough here.....lol take care and if you ever want to talk my email is at the bottom...feel free anytime....
God bless
Gina :)
hey all where it says alcohol you can replace pills,drugs, whatever.....
Checklist of Relapse Symptoms
1. Exhaustion - Allowing oneself to become overly tired; usually associated with work addiction as an excuse for not facing personal frustrations.
2. Dishonesty - Begins with pattern of little lies; escalated to
self-delusion and making excuses for not doing what's called for.
3. Impatience - I want what I want NOW. Others aren't doing what I think they should or living the way I know is right.
4. Argumentative - No point is too small or insignificant not to be debated to the point of anger and submission.
5. Depression - All unreasonable, unaccountable despair should be exposed and discussed, not repressed: what is the "exact nature" of those feelings?
6. Frustration - Controlled anger/resentment when things don't go according to our plans. Lack of acceptance. See #3.
7. Self-pity - Feeling victimized, put-upon, used unappreciated: convinced we are being singled out for bad luck.
8. Cockiness - Got it made. Know all there is to know. Can go anywhere, including bars, carry out's, boozy parties.
9. Complacency - Like #8, no longer sees value of daily program, meetings, contact with other alcoholics, (especially sponsor!), feels healthy, on top of the world, things are going well. Heck may even be cured!
10. Expecting too much of others - Why can't they read my mind? I've changed, what's holding them up? If they just do what I know is best for them? Leads to feeling misunderstood, unappreciated. See #6.
11. Letting up on disciplines - Allowing established habits of recovery - meditations, prayer, spiritual reading, AA contact, daily inventory, meetings - to slip out of our routines; allowing recovery to get boring and no longer stimulating for growth. Why bother?!
12. Using mood-altering chemicals - May have a valid medical reason, but misused to help avoid the real problems of impending alcoholic relapse.
13. Wanting too much - Setting unrealistic goals: not providing for short-term successes; placing too much value on material success, not enough on value of spiritual growth.
14. Forgetting gratitude - Because of several listed above, may lose sight of the abundant blessings in our everyday lives: too focused on # 13.
15. "It can't happen to me." - Feeling immune; forgetting what we know about the disease of alcoholism and its progressive nature.
16. Omnipotence - A combination of several attitudes listed above; leads to ignoring danger signs, disregarding warnings and advice from fellow members.
- Excerpted from Akron Intergroup News, December
thanks for all that. wow that's a big list and i definitely can strongly relate to several. i'm actually going to my first meeting in months in about an hour. and right now i feel like i want to go to another one right after. thanks. katherine.
gina..
lol...... I wont tell you which numbers I am right now....lol....
Teresa
lol...... I wont tell you which numbers I am right now....lol....
Teresa
That is a great list of examples of alcoholic behavior. It is important to remember that one can still behave in these manners when they are clean and sober. Recovery is when we change our lives so that we do not act out in such negative ways. One thing I do is check my motive. Am I adding something positive if I say or do a certain thing? Am I out to hurt someone? Am I more interested in revenge than helping? Is there something else going on in my life that is causing me to react negatively to others? If I am not giving my very best and contributing to the solution, I will not say or do anything until I can.
It is easier said than done but the ability to do those things is a sure sign of recovery for anyone, alcoholic, addict or not.
It is easier said than done but the ability to do those things is a sure sign of recovery for anyone, alcoholic, addict or not.
