Alcohol Abstinence

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dsully

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Dear Friends,

I went through a substance abuse rehab program over ten years ago. After relapsing again, I finally made a complete break with alcohol and drugs about five years ago. All in all, I would say I am a healthier and happier person as a result of being off drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Occasionally, though, there is a social event where I will feel like having a drink. In other words, I wonder if my sobriety is keeping me from enjoying times with family and friends. (Do they think I am judging them for drinking? Do they think I have a sense of superiority simply because I don’t drink)?

Other times I will want to drink because I want to prove to myself that I have self-control: that I can have a beer and not want another.

What prompted this prayer request is that earlier this week I had two beers while out to diner with my family. This may not seem like much alcohol, but for someone who doesn’t drink much, it did give me a minor buzz. Furthermore, I felt like drinking again for the next several days following (which I did not).

My conscience tells me that I should have stopped at just one beer. But then I think that I should just be completely abstinent because one beer might lead to another.

Please pray that my conscience would be properly formed on this issue, and that I would seek to do what God wants, and not to please myself or others.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!

Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen…
 
Dan, having lost grandfather, aunt, cousin and only brother to alcohol, I decided to quit when I was 20, and have never had a legal drink. Neither have I missed it. Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking that you are judging others by not drinking. He is leading you to judgment by enticing you to drink. He wants you to drink and keep drinking. Then, just as he did, he will have you again. Try to think of it, not as a liquid, but as fire. I was able, by the grace of God, to put it down and never look back. The blood of Christ is all I need now, and it is more than I ever could have imagined.

**Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.**
 
po18guy said:
He is leading you to judgment by enticing you to drink. He wants you to drink and keep drinking. Then, just as he did, he will have you again. Try to think of it, not as a liquid, but as fire. I was able, by the grace of God, to put it down and never look back. The blood of Christ is all I need now, and it is more than I ever could have imagined.
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Amen. I’ve been sober for 13 years and still wonder sometimes if I can just have 1 beer, but I know (and you do, too) that 1 is too many and 100 is not enough.
 
I will pray for you. If you get a chance to pray for me, that would be great.

Pax Christi.
 
Praying for you and that you will be strong in the face of temptation and not discouraged by fears of how others might perceive you. Know that anyone with any sense of respect would honor you and your decision not to drink (it is nobody else’s business why you would choose not to). If somebody takes offense or thinks that you are thinking yourself superior because you choose a lifestyle that will save you from being controlled by a substance is either immature, lacks compassion, or subconsciously afraid that they may have a problem that they do not wish to confront yet.

Be strong and be well. Also, I’m sure that a priest/spiritual director/ or trained substance abuse counselor would best be able to offer guidance and discerning your limits (whether they be cutting off entirely or limiting yourself to 1 drink once a week, etc.). My prayers are with you!
 
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help or sought your intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence,
I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.
 
dsully said:
Occasionally, though, there is a social event where I will feel like having a drink. In other words, I wonder if my sobriety is keeping me from enjoying times with family and friends. (Do they think I am judging them for drinking? Do they think I have a sense of superiority simply because I don’t drink)?
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You are the one thinking these thoughts, not your family or friends. You need to keep the focus on yourself & your recovery, not what others might be thinking. I’m sure most of them are busy focusing on themselves & not the fact that you ordered a Coke instead of beer.

I don’t drink alcohol because I’m diabetic - booze has way too many carbs. My daughter, tho, got sober with the help of AA. She met her boyfriend (soon to be husband) there. They socialize with their friends at bars & nobody cares that they don’t drink alcohol.

My son decided he doesn’t like alcohol, but he still goes to bars to be with his friends & listen to music. None of his friends care that he doesn’t drink. If they think anything at all about it, they’re probably glad to have a sober person to drive them home if necessary.

Sobriety will keep you from having fun only if YOU think it will.
 
Praying for you.

I would think that most of your family and friends know that you have had substance abuse issues in the past. Nobody thinks that a recovered alcoholic is being “holier than thou” because they refuse a drink. It is a wise move to abstain from alcohol entirely if one is an alcoholic.
 
Armor_of_Light said:
Amen. I’ve been sober for 13 years and still wonder sometimes if I can just have 1 beer, but I know (and you do, too) that 1 is too many and 100 is not enough.
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Amen and well said.

I haven’t had a drink since the second week of November 2012 after years of up and down functioning alcoholism. So I am at the beginning of the journey. It is great see others on here and is yet another providential thing God has given me in my life.

St. Maximillian Kolbe patron saint of addicts, pray for us.
 
dsully said:
Dear Friends,

I went through a substance abuse rehab program over ten years ago. After relapsing again, I finally made a complete break with alcohol and drugs about five years ago. All in all, I would say I am a healthier and happier person as a result of being off drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Occasionally, though, there is a social event where I will feel like having a drink. In other words, I wonder if my sobriety is keeping me from enjoying times with family and friends. (Do they think I am judging them for drinking? Do they think I have a sense of superiority simply because I don’t drink)?

Other times I will want to drink because I want to prove to myself that I have self-control: that I can have a beer and not want another.

What prompted this prayer request is that earlier this week I had two beers while out to diner with my family. This may not seem like much alcohol, but for someone who doesn’t drink much, it did give me a minor buzz. Furthermore, I felt like drinking again for the next several days following (which I did not).

My conscience tells me that I should have stopped at just one beer. But then I think that I should just be completely abstinent because one beer might lead to another.

Please pray that my conscience would be properly formed on this issue, and that I would seek to do what God wants, and not to please myself or others.

Thanks,

Dan
Click to expand...
 
I am a little confused…if you went through treatment surely you were introduced to some program…12 step…more than likely…so, I am little confused how you can say you have been sober/clean for five yrs if you had a beer…that’s technically ‘relapse’ my friend…no wonder you’re thinkng it was nice and you are entertaining thoughts of drinking… a buzz…well…I speak from experience…call your sponsor…go to a meeting…do a first step…recovery, as I am certain you heard in treatment …requires abstainance from ALL mood alteraing substances…you are playing with fire…by the way…I am in no way down playing prayer…I maintain a prayer life…regularly receive the sacraments…and go to meetings…you might be interested to know that the 12 steps of AA parallel St. Ignatius’ spiritual excercises…of course this is not something to bring up at just any AA meeting as it freaks some hard core Big Book thumpers (and God Bless them). completely out…Spritual…ironically, God is mentioned throughout the literature, albeit, ‘the God of your understanding’…yet they stress the spritual aspects of recovery…I believe we have an advantage being Catholic, the Sacraments, I will remember you in my prayers…but…please get to a meeting…
 
I will be praying daily for you. May God give you the grace and courage needed and open your understanding. Lord, hear our prayers.:signofcross: Amen.
 
***Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

:crossrc:***
 
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Although I did go through rehab approx. 10 years ago, I never got involved in A.A. My therapist thought I was probably too young to join one of those groups.

Now that I’m older, it’s possible that I should join one. Thanks for the encouragement and stern words of warning.

Dan
 
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