What are your thoughts on interventions?

Last edited Mon Apr 26, 2021, 10:08 AM - Edit history (1)

Here's my experience:
About 2 1/2 years ago my family did an intervention on me. It was the usual, reading me a letter, packing me up, and driving me to a rehab facility. I was in shock for a few days. And I've been clean since.

A little background. I was an evening drinker. I never drank before 6. Every evening I would chug a couple bottles of beer, then sip wine while cooking and with dinner. I'd end up getting tipsy, slur my words, get tired and then go to bed around 10 or 10:30. I was what some people call a functioning alcoholic. So the decision to quit drinking was taken out of my hands. It's probably a good thing since it would have taken me a while to do it on my own. My wife and grown kids are a lot happier around me.

On the other hand, since I didn't make the commitment to change on my own, I'm probably not as committed as I could be. I never really bottomed out. And while many people drink because they have other problems they're covering up, my drinking WAS the problem. I just enjoyed the warm glow of an alcohol buzz. So I often tell myself that I could have a couple glasses of wine and feel the buzz, and control my drinking. I'm doing it more for my wife and kids than for myself. It's this nagging feeling that has never really gone away. And while I'm committed to not drinking, who knows what I'd do if my wife left me, or I was on my own for an extended period of time. I go out for walks by myself some evenings to clear y head and I tell myself, they decided I couldn't drink anymore. Not me.

So I do SMART Recovery meetings which is a good thing. But it seems like 1/2 the folks have huge issues, which they used to cover up. And the other half are there for legal reasons. Only a few of us are there, like me, who just had/have drinking and using issues. But overall, it's a good thing.

Anyway, I just needed to write this down and get it off my chest. It's been therapeutic. Thanks for listening.