Hi, I'm Doc, an alcoholic.

I pass this along for whatever it is worth. Maybe it will help someone having a long day. Two days ago was the absolute, longest day I've had in a little over two years of sobriety. Not to bore you with details, but I was dealing with business/financial issues and felt the walls closing in, panicky, real panicky. I not only thought about having a drink, I obsessed about it all day. I was ready to simply say "screw it." It caught me completely off guard and frustrated me for even thinking it, but I could not shake it. I had already figured which store I would go to (so no one would see me), what I was going to buy, and where I was going to "just have a couple of drinks and sort things out." I can't tell you why I didn't, except that my Higher Power stepped in and took over, and I didn't even realize it until the storm passed later that night. It was a three-meeting day for me, something I have not done since early on. It was not until the final meeting at 7:00 PM that I shared about what was going on with me that day. What an incredible meeting it turned out to be. One that I will never forget. The sharing, care, concern, love and suggestions were overwhelming. It continued yesterday with phone calls, emails, and "visits" to my office. I'm not a "phone caller," but I did that night. My sponsor left his dinner table and we talked for about 20 minutes. He told me that I was having an "alcoholic attack" and that it would pass, which it did. He was worth his weight in gold. I tell you this just because I want to. The program does indeed work, but only if we do what we have been told to do when our backs are against the wall ... go to meetings, get around other alcoholics, share it with someone else, call your sponsor or somebody, and above all don't take that first drink. It was a wonderful lesson for me.

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