Do you or someone you know struggle with alcohol?
Australians have a propensity to love a drink, and it forms part of the fabric of our lives. For some, though, things change, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly when we have a drink. Gradually alcohol, once enjoyed, starts to be a problem and affects our lives in ways we did not expect or even realise.
“Once we were confident people who worked hard and loved switching off at night with a drink,” an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) spokesperson said.
“Over time we found ourselves drinking more and then the issues started to happen. People in our lives started to notice a behavioural change and not a good one. We were no longer that responsible person, the good husband or wife, the son or daughter or the dad or mum.
“Our lives started to change. We became selfish and at times verbally or physically abusive. We were now not able to control when or how much we drank, and the kids became scared of what we would be like tonight.
“You say that’s not me, but sometimes we are only fooling ourselves. We may be only 18 and too young to realise or older and drank for many years. We have crossed the line from occasional drinking in moderation to actively thinking about when we can get the next drink. We keep telling ourselves we are heavy drinkers, but the definition of becoming an alcoholic is in the nature of our drinking, our life becomes unmanageable and we lose control. Alcohol has taken away our choices.
“For some of us we hit rock bottom with depression, our partners leave or our kids do not want to know us. We blame the world that it is unfair, but some of us, the lucky ones decide we have had enough. Family might convince us to stop drinking, but until we make that decision for ourselves, we have no chance.
“Some of us go to rehab and get forced sobriety but come out and drink once more, but this time the problems get worse. Some of us get encouraged to go to AA, but ‘I am not an alcoholic’ they say. But when the question is asked “Has alcohol ever cost you more than money?” Our answer is ‘yes. It cost me ‘me’. We became something we never thought we would be, and our lives lost all purpose. But we still have a job and work hard every day, but that does not matter when the rest of your life is falling apart.
“Members of AA don’t walk around telling everyone we are alcoholics, but we come together regularly and talk about our life with alcohol. Some say it’s a religious cult to which the answer is it is spiritual by nature. We believe in a higher power of our own choice and the basic concept is that something controls life and that maybe something can help us to recover from the impact of alcohol.
“We stopped drinking and with the support of our AA mates turned our life around. We still have the same issues as everyone else, but now instead of drinking to sort our problems we talk to others like us. It takes time and a bit of guts to start our recovery but with each day we slowly get better.
“If your life or that of a family member or friend is being affected by alcohol it’s never too late to seek help. AA members are here to help the newcomer and after a while you just no longer have the urge or desire to drink. Many a man and woman has been on this path and at meetings we welcome you with a handshake and a cuppa. We don’t tell you what to do, what we have learnt has been from listening to others’ experiences. If you have had enough seek our meeting times, never be embarrassed as alcoholism is not a choice but just something that happens in some of us over which we have lost control.
“Choose to change your life forever. We cannot do the work for you but will walk holding your hand until you can walk by yourself.”
AA meetings are held Friday evenings at 7pm at the Gippsland Lakes Complete Health, Jemmeson Street, Lakes Entrance.
