First Post!

---

"Let's talk".... About what ever you want to talk about as long as it has to do with your addiction, relapse, treatment, or recovery from - "YOU NAME IT" -  Or we can just "Sound Off" about  "YOU NAME IT"- that's OK too, as long as we stay within the guidelines of  our blogging policies and agreements - We can agree to disagree and still work on a solution together. To kick things off; How about "NO ONE CAN HELP YOU RECOVER"?

I know; it sounds like a play on words and I agree, however its one of my building blocks to learning how to cope with any treatment and recovery process. Until I accept that no one can help me recovery but me I am at a constant push and pull with the choices I make for me and my recovery. Let's accept that it is your recovery - not mine - not theirs - not my support system. We can support you - motivate you - encourage you - even influence you - but only you can help you actually do the work, the internalization, the rethinking, the re-behaving; you get the picture.  Here is a scenario I was confronted with during my first five years of recovery and still re-confirm today that goes something like this:

I've got no problem with alcohol or those who choose to drink. For me drinking is not an option. I just don't have that luxury. Social drinking use to be a concern of mine. I would get too far ahead of myself in terms of how I would react to those that are drinking around me and in front of me, talking to me and actually understanding what we are saying to each other. For a period of time I would abstain from putting myself in social situations were I knew or thought drinking would be allowed or accepted. After a period of time (about two years or so) I realized that drinking is a personal choice and how I react and socialize around those who choose to drink is also a personal choice. Tolerance for others is a two way street so to speak. After identifying and learning how to manage my own fears (acceptance, peer pressure, performance anxiety, perceived isolation in a group or social setting) as it relates to drinking and those who choose to drink I've realize how much I've benefited from understanding how to apply what it means to be in recovery and managing those fears in a way that does not create situations for me to become dependent on drinking in social situations. Our relationship with others is directly related to the relationship we have with ourselves.

QUESTION OR TOPIC:

WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD WITH TOLERENCE AND YOUR RECOVERY PROCESS?

thank you for participating and thank you for your comments and support: