hi guys
i've just passed my first major milestone in my recovery.

as of last thursday i am offically finished with the councling sessions.
and t feels great,

its like i am ready to take on whatever comes my way....i feel strong and scared at the same time.

my counsellor told me she runs an after care group for ppl who have been in councling, so i might just join that.....it cant do any harm!

it'll feel odd not going to councling every thursday, cause i've been going every week for the last five months...i was supposed to only have 7 sessions in seven weeks, but after the seven sessions my counsellor said she wouldnt feel comfortable just leaving it at that, so i ended up with five months therapy, instead of seven weeks....but its done me a power of good.

I CANT BELIEVE I STUCK WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!
just that alone is huge!
i never finish anything, i start something and within weeks i stop whatever i've started doing....tipical acoa behaviour.

anyway, how are you guys?

hope all is well with you all.

love in recovery
irish

Hi Irish,
Congratulations!!!
I am relatively new to this online forum, but I have read and enjoyed many of your posts. I am a child, sister & parent of alcoholics. Currently, my dad & sister have 10 & 6 years clean respectively. My son has 3 months, but he's in an in-house rehab at the moment. My husband & I go to meetings at the rehab (about 1 hour from our home in good traffic) twice per week.
Anyways, keep up the good work.
Kathy

hi kathy,

welcome to the board,
gald to have you here.

like you i too have many A's in my family....some sober, some active.

and until i came into recovery i was still looking after and fixing everything for all of them....kinda like the big mamma of the family lol.

since coming into recovery i have changed how i think...and its like i'm someone else.

i actually have time to do things for myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cause i now have the freedom to do this, cause i'm no longer fixing everyone in my family.
my motto is,
never do for others what they could and should do for themselves.

thanks for the encouraging words,
its great when you do well and someone actually recognoises it.
thats a totally new feeling to me, cause no matter what i did i was always told that i did nothing.....thats why i was always so busy lol

all the best,
love in recovery,
irish

Hi Irish,
Another great post. It sounds like you are doing great. I'm not where you are yet, but am working on it.
It was easier to detach from my dad & sister. You know, be supportive without trying to "rescue or fix them". Its much harder with my son. I guess its a mom thing, wanting to do anything to help him get sober. I am learning to be consistent and stick to my boundries, but its hard. He's on a month by month basis at his rehab, we just paid for another month on Sunday. He was really upset with us. He thinks he's ready to come home, but we told him that we are going to wait until the counselors at the rehab, his sponsor and his own attitude indicate that he is ready to come home.
Anyway, I have found a good in-person alanon meeting. It meets Tuesday nights. I think I need to get a sponsor and work the steps, but I don't know how to go about finding one.
Thanks again for the great post. You are an encouragement.
Kathy

hi kathy,

i understand what you mean about your son, i have a seven year old son who i would give my life for...i'm praying that he doesnt take up the family traits for drinking+drugging.
but at least if he does hopefully he'll have two parents in recovery,who will not be blind to addiction.

my husband was dignosed a cronic alcoholic at 16, his mam went through hell with him.

but thankfully he got sober at 20.

his mum always let him know that she was there for him, but point blank refused to let him step over the boundries she set down for herself.

i know from what she told me that this was extreamly hard for her, so i can only imagine how hard this must be for you.
but your doing all the right things, your there for him, supporting him in his efforts, he knows hes not alone with this.

after that you can do no more, its up to him...as a mother myself, resisting the need to go protect your child must be something else.
its just instint to want to protect them, but sometimes we have to let them go and make their own mistakes, how else will they learn to pick themselves up.

i'll keep you and your family in my prayers,
love in recovery,
irish