Comments on: Picking up the tools

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:02:31 +0000

You’ve prompted a new post, Mary, about sharing. Thank you for your comment.

By: Mary (MPJ)

Mary (MPJ) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:50:54 +0000

You are helping! I wanted to thank you so much for posting about DA. It’s given me the courage to finally start posting about our debting issues. And that has been good for me. Not only that, but other people have been reaching out to me around their own debting issues. So, you’ve started a cascade of betterness, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.

Starting change is always so freaking hard. Once I’m willing to change and have a tool in hand I want everything to get better YESTERDAY, damn it! I’m keeping you in my thoughts.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:31:02 +0000

I’d ask, “Why don’t you go try to help someone?”

Amazing how much that helps, isn’t it? I’m still freaked out, but the desire to drink passed. I mean, Godiva martinis still sound better than they’ve ever sounded before, but they don’t sound like a solution.

By: Marc

Marc — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:41:02 +0000

Of course you want to do all those things. That’s what we DO, we alkies and addicts, we drink, drug, spend numb, always want to choose what feels good now, convinced on some level we can prolong that relief into infinity. There’s no reason you should feel terrible writing that.
My unasked for advice is that you try to imagine what you would say to yourself if you heard yourself share. I would bet you try to gently remind yourself what you feel is not as important as what you do. And what you are doing is taking contrary action, and not picking up, and though the progress feels infinitesimal, it is progress.

By: Java

Java — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:41:46 +0000

You feeling better yet? Sounds generally shitty, kinda like my life. I blame my rebellion. I could blame my father, but that rarely works.

I want to hop on a motorcycle and get the hell out of here, too. I want to use my credit cards for anything and everything. I want to drive and drive and drive until I can’t figure out how to get home.

Maybe you’ll find some hope in there somewhere. I’ve heard that program works for others. It probably will work for you. You know the drill…

Hang in there, Chris.

By: Heidi Renee

Heidi Renee — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:53:24 +0000

this is one of the first things that has helped me today chris - i said “no” to a big, tempting addiction today and i’m still pissed that i’m missing out on all of the drama that could have gone along with it. damn that drama.

and our mutual friend m2 im’d me today:
b….r….e….a….t….h….e….

damn drama. i think that is my core addiction. wanting the damn drama in my utterly drama-less life…

d….a….m….n

By: indistinct

indistinct — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:08:56 +0000

In all areas of my life, including drinking, I have found that I am unwilling to change until it becomes unbearable. It’s like I need to have my own way, no matter how much pain it causes others or myself.

Honesty, being able to see myself for what I really am, was the beginning of change in my journey.

I see the same as I read here. Keep working, the changes will come.