Keepers

Well, it doesn't "work"...people work.
by Rick B.

Jimmy,



I know that embarrassment and frustration very well.  I know the 

hopeless feeling of continuing to drink after I'd sworn I had to stop, 

and the fear that my drinking was something beyond my ability to 

arrest.



Now I know that there was nothing to fear, that sobriety really is 

achievable, that I don't have to drink.  You will know these things 

too.



LSR is not a pill, or a magic spell, or a secret formula.  LSR is 

simply an organization of people who share a common goal - sobriety, 

and who share some common basic beliefs about how sobriety may be 

achieved and maintained.  We come together any way we can to talk 

about how our lives are going, what successes or failures we've 

experienced, what works and what doesn't for us.  We care about each 

other.  We care about you, Jimmy, you're here, you're one of us.



One of the things we believe is that sobriety is completely the 

responsibility of the individual who wants it.  No Higher Power, no 

other person, no group or book or slogan can "confer" sobriety on 

anyone.  Breaking an addiction to booze is hard work, particularly at 

the beginning.  Nobody can do that hard work for you.  What a group of 

people can do is share suggestions, moral support, encouragement, and 

ideas.  What a group of people can't do is put the bottle down for 

you.



There's nothing mysterious about stopping addictive drinking.  People 

have been doing it for centuries.  Countless books are available which 

detail what you can expect in terms of physical withdrawal symptoms, 

the effects of alcohol on your body and your mind, the healing 

process, and the roles of nutrition, exercise and other life issues in 

recovery.  LSR has available a terrific workbook, "Recovery by 

Choice", which many of us have found very useful.  I find reading to 

be central to my recovery.



So, how can you stop drinking?  My opinion, there are just a few 

necessary conditions: You must be willing;  You must believe it's 

possible;  You must believe it's what's you must do for yourself; You 

must learn what to expect to feel and experience when you quit, or 

else you'll likely be discouraged by the discomfort and get drunk;  

You must stop choosing to drink...no matter what.



Others will prescribe a different formula.  None of us knows the 

answer for anyone other than ourselves.  I can tell you what works for 

me, there's no guarantee it'll work for you.  It's up to you to get 

started finding out what works for you.  It starts with doing 

something, anything, other than picking up a drink.  Your head will 

clear, your thinking will become rational, your body will begin to 

heal.  If you drink, you start over.



Sobriety can be difficult to achieve.  It gets easier to maintain with 

practice.  It becomes a way of life, a habit, an attitude.  It's worth 

whatever effort is required to get it and keep it.  Sobriety is not 

likely to result from simply trying to not drink and waiting to see 

what happens.  Success comes from action an effort, from intentionally 

taking responsibility and directing your own life.



So, how does LSR work?  Well, it doesn't "work"...people work.  LSR is 

a community of people bound by a common belief in the free will of 

every human being.  We are not powerless...quite the contrary.  The 

only thing in the universe that can get Jimmy sober and keep him that 

way is Jimmy.  LSR is a place to find folks who've done it, folks 

who're trying to do it, folks who want to do it.



Tell us about you, Jimmy...your life, your work, your family, 

yourself.  Let us get to know you a bit.  And take it easy, you can do 

this if you want to, but it'll take some time and maybe a few tries to 

get a good solid start...you'll figure it out.  We'll do all we can to 

help you find your way.



Rick

Posted 01/07/03

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