All of us in AA have asked this question. We found that many people had felt like us. With help from AA we tried to understand what alcohol had done to us. We were not alone. We could get help. Answer the below questions with a yes or no.
Have I tried to stop drinking for a week or so but could not do it?
Most of us in AA made promises to our families or ourselves. We could not keep them then we came to Alcoholics Anonymous. AA said, “Try not to drink today. If we do not drink today, we cannot get drunk today.”
Have I wished people would stop talking about my drinking?
In AA we do not tell anyone what to do. We talk about what we did. We talk about our drinking. We talk about how we stopped. We will help you if you want help.
Have I changed drinks to try not to get drunk?
We tried not to get drunk. We made our drinks weak. We just drank beer or wine, or we just drank on weekends. But if we just drank anything with alcohol in it, we got drunk.
Do you ever need a drink to get going in the morning?
We found that if we needed a drink when we woke up, then we needed alcohol too much. If we need a drink to start the day, drinking is a problem.
Do I envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?
Other people seemed to able to take it or leave it. We were different. We did not know why.
Does my drinking cause problems at home?
Before AA we thought people or problems at home caused our drinking and made things worse at home.
Does my drinking cause problems with other people?
People treated us in a different way when we drank. They asked how much we had. We found that we lost friends when we drank.
Do I try to get extra drinks?
Sometimes we had a “few” drinks before we went out. There never seemed to be enough. Drinks never came as fast as we wanted them.
Have I tried to stop drinking but still got drunk?
We fooled ourselves that we could stop anytime. We learned that once we started to drink, we could not stop.
Have I missed work or cut school because of drinking?
We called in sick or told lies to get out of work or school. We were really hungover or drunk.
Do I have blackouts-times I cannot remember?
In AA we learned that blackouts are a sign that we have a drinking problem.
Would my life be better if I quit drinking?
Many of us drank to make things better. But when we got to AA, alcohol had taken over our lives.
A.A cannot take care of all your problems. But we can show you how to live one day at a time without alcohol Many people have beat their drinking problem. Only you can decide if AA is for you. If you answered the above questions with a yes, then Alcoholics Anonymous is for you. The AA Estcourt branch hosts meetings every Tuesday at Forderville Primary School from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Desigan on 082 849 3014.
