At all AA meetings in Houston, Texas, you will be told time, and again that recovery is indeed possible. A 1980’s famous slogan declared – Just Say No! It was believed that abstinence and recovery would result if one would just say no.
Sadly, that is not the case. It is not enough. Any recovering alcoholic needs lots of support and guidance to be able to bid goodbye to this habit, and that is where Alcoholics Anonymous comes to mind.
Commitment to the cause
The reason why someone attends an AA Meeting in Texas, is because they feel unable to tackle alcoholism alone. They seek the company of like-minded people, those who have faced the same problems and are willing to help others reach sobriety, just as they are.
Numerous studies have shown that members who show the spirit and commitment to recovery and sobriety have indeed attained their goal and gone ahead to lead substance abuse-free, enriched lives.
Alcohol abuse
Drinking, whether socially or in private, is fine as long as the individual is able to control their drinking amount. What starts as a recreational activity spirals out of control and renders the drinker incapable of managing their intake – and that is alcoholism.
It is a severe form of abuse and sometimes called alcohol use disorder. Categorized into mild, moderate, and severe, this disorder leads to many side effects and must be controlled as soon as possible to save the person from personal, social, and financial ruin.
You will find help at a local AA meeting to be able to function normally without drinking.
Spiritual help
Many alcoholics feel depressed and melancholic all through the day. They complain of feelings of emptiness and despondency. It has been seen that alcoholism and depression walk hand in hand and leave the alcoholic feeling like life is not worth living.
Like all addictions and their recovery processes, it takes time for the former addict to get these negative feelings out of their system. Many of them praise the 12 traditions of AA for their spiritual guidance and methods of self-discovery. They follow these to mend their habits and find themselves gaining strength and fortitude to say no to relapse and temptations.
Warning Signs
Many people find it difficult to ascertain if they are indeed alcoholics. If you have been wondering about that yourself, just ask yourself these questions:
- Are you unable to control your drinking?
- Do you crave alcohol round the clock?
- Are you ignoring family and work because you want to drink?
- Have you been spending a lot on buying liquor?
- Are you indulging in risky behavior? Doing things you never did before?
Get Help
If you are in Houston, Texas, and feel your drinking is taking a toll on your life, seek help today! You will find many former alcoholics at AA meetings willing to hold your hand throughout this arduous journey.
You can also use a Sobriety Calculator to keep a check on the number of days that have passed since you last held a glass to your lips!