I didn't realise it until i got sober how fearful a person I really was. Once the dust began to settle and I began to work the program I found that some fears went automatically while others needed work on. Even today I still have some small fears that I am slowly opvercoming. In 2000 I got my drivers license at the ripe old age of 36, and the only reason I had not got it before hand was because I was fearful. Getting a licnese has given me more freedoms. Only two weeks ago I again overcame another small fear of getting on a train. Sounds weird I know but given the fact that when I was drunk I very nearly ended up under one, it wasn't until I got sober that i found that some fears had actually increased. Getting on a train goind to a suburb that I don't know and finding my way around normally would overwhelm me but I found this time it was actually quite an adventure. I had to go to a tafe college for an information day and I managed to get on the train for an hours journey, arrived at my destination, caught the bus to the college and found my way around quite okay. God was with me every step of the way. When I had a gutful of alcohol I never had a problem doing these things because alcohol had supressed a lot of fears and made me ten foot tall and bullt proof. Newsflash I am five foot tall and fallible just like the next person (he he). These small fears I am slowly overcoming to become an adequately confident person.
Fi
xxx
Good for you. That gives me hope I have been in treatment and everyone thinks I am doing great and I am not. Fear is stopping me from being who I am. I hate fear!!!! I was told to treat it as a call to action, like all emotions are just a call to action dependant on the emotion.
I start my withdraws today I have only been using smack for 8 weeks so I hope it wont be too bad.
Sparky.
I start my withdraws today I have only been using smack for 8 weeks so I hope it wont be too bad.
Sparky.
I feel paranoid & fearful most the time. One of the reasons I like Alcohol to suppress those feelings. Yet, I must pull the courage to get out there in the world & be a part of it. Fi, thanks for leting me know I'm not alone about being fearful. I'm glad you overcame your fears. Obtained a Drivers License & rode the train.
I too, walk in and out of fear...I'm sure some of you know the two acronyms the Program has taught me:
FEAR - F Everything and Run
OR
FEAR - Face Everything and Recover.
Although, I know which one is the solution, sometimes I just go to what is familiar to me and that is the first one....it is so hard sometimes to face all the wreckage I've created in the past while drinking and also from some current wreckage I've created while sober. Thank goodness I've been told most recovering alcoholics don't do this thing gracefully....
FEAR - F Everything and Run
OR
FEAR - Face Everything and Recover.
Although, I know which one is the solution, sometimes I just go to what is familiar to me and that is the first one....it is so hard sometimes to face all the wreckage I've created in the past while drinking and also from some current wreckage I've created while sober. Thank goodness I've been told most recovering alcoholics don't do this thing gracefully....
The one I latched on to is:
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real.
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real.
Fear not fear itself but the time it spends in our minds.....
I grew up hearing the negative of everything and everyone from my Dad and also every situation i entered the negative was my first thought.
Start positive affirming every time a negative thought enters your head and learn to laugh at yourself when these negative spins happen, small steps with gigantic results.
Look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of the person staring back.
Light and love Zac
I grew up hearing the negative of everything and everyone from my Dad and also every situation i entered the negative was my first thought.
Start positive affirming every time a negative thought enters your head and learn to laugh at yourself when these negative spins happen, small steps with gigantic results.
Look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of the person staring back.
Light and love Zac
Wow thanks everyone for posting, it has been powerful. Often when I am coming from a place of fear, I am actually choosing to remain a victim of the dominant thoughts that have either been manipulated from my past, or of my own creation. I tend to think that all emotions and defects actually serve a purpose. Fear can be used in a positive light to prompt one to take action or make a decision, and for self preservation purposes. As an alcoholic I have found that through my sickness rather than have it serve it's purpose I become a slave to it as the fear becomes overwhelming due to the fact that i have limited communication and living skills. For me the program has taught me how to turn a negative into a positive. It was once said to me that if you are feeling fear then this is a sign to take action and once I have taken that action then I often look back and wonder what all the fuss was about. As it is written in the big book of aa that fear almost always a reaction to not getting something that want, or losing something that I already have. god bless
Fi
xxx
Fi
xxx
