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So you want to know if it is alright to drink after entering Alc-A? Sure. Go for it. No one here is going to judge you. Just keep in mind that if you are here, you are here for a reason. This means that you have alcoholism, and if you put the alcohol in your mouth, it will always end up the same. All of us have toyed with this and never made it out on top. Sometimes, we can go a few days, drinking somewhat normally, but it only progresses right back into the evil we wish to avoid.
Your brain will play tricks on you. Acceptance is the key. Until science can offer an alternative, you just have to accept you cannot drink today. Go ahead and drink tomorrow instead but always remember that you can’t drink today.
In Alcoholism Anonymous (Alc-A), we have a one-step program. The first step to this program is acceptance.
Accept everyone for who they are and everything for what it is, and you’ll have no more problems.
When you put ethanol in your blood, you go into withdrawal. Just because you had a couple of drinks late at night or mixed alcohol with marijuana, or were very tired when you drank, so you fell asleep doesn’t mean you are not in withdrawal. You may go to work the following day and hold off until the evening, but all day, the only thing on your mind will be that drink. Then, it will progress into madness. If you do this, don’t you wake up the next day, and the first thing you think about is drinking? Even if you plan to hold off until after work or later in the day, you still think about it. This is a symptom of withdrawal. Your body is in pain and desires the drink. It signals your brain to get the glass and fix the pain.
We simply cannot drink no matter what our brain tries to tell us. Yes, we want to feel that buzz just like animals want to breed. Maybe remind yourself, “Every time I drink, I am going to have a child to take care of for 18+ years.”
Really though, it is all about acceptance. Think of it this way: World-renowned Dr. Drink Master Flex Flow draws some blood from you. The Doctor then runs it through a series of tests. Later, the Doctor comes back with the results and shows you the breakdown of your genetics. They tell you: See these indicators right here.” To which you reply, “Yes.” “This one here says you could die if you eat shrimp, and this one says you are allergic to cats and codeine, and this one says you will go into withdrawal if you drink—the same way someone who does heroin does.”
If you are given this information, is there even any need to accept anything? If you have never tasted alcohol before, probably not. Same for shrimp or maybe a lobster or some type of food you love. Probably, you would easily accept the results and move on with your life. You wouldn’t go eat shrimp until you puke and need steroid shots, would you?
To sum up: every one of us relapses. You have alcoholism, and you were born with this. You are wired differently. It’s not going to change, and you live in a society laced with liquor, so you’ll have to begin accepting your situation and give up that unique and euphoric feeling you get when you drink; less, you want to suffer some more.
It is not your choice to drink when you get the urge but talking and supporting others with the same problem will help give you the strength to prevent an episode. And over time, these desires will dissipate just as all unpleasant things do. Like a breakup, you thought you’d never get over. Then, one day, you are thinking: Thank God it didn’t work out! Hang in there; it always gets better with time. Remember, your mind and body are wounded, and it takes a long time for scars to heal, especially ones inside the body.
The desire to drink usually hits us without notice. M