Susan Lynn - The Optimistic Drunks Recovery Guide: A Grateful Alcoholics Tips for Getting-and Staying-Sober

The Optimistic Drunks Recovery Guide

A Grateful Alcoholics Tips for Gettingand StayingSober

Susan Lynn

The Optimistic Drunks Recovery Guide @ 2020
by Susan Lynn. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Published by Author Academy Elite
PO Box 43, Powell, OH 43035
www.AuthorAcademyElite.com

All rights reserved. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission from the author.

Available in paperback, hardback, e-book, and audiobook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019921225
Paperback: 978-1-64746-098-3
Hardback: 978-1-64746-099-0
Ebook: 978-1-64746-100-3

Contents

• The Start of the Process Known as Recovery

• Remember Why Youre Here

• What Pink Clouds Are and Why to Be Wary of Them

• Addicts Dont Get Cured: We Manage the Disease

• The Reality of Relapse

• The Road of Alcoholism and Addiction

• Common Traits of Addicts and Alcoholics

• Why Its Imperative to Simplify in Recovery

• The Importance of Schedules

• The Reality of Rehab

• Admitting Theres a Problem

• Surrendering Is Vital

• What It Means to Be Ugly Honest

• Being 100% Accountable for the Wreckage

• The Financial and Emotional Consequences of Addiction

• This Is a Disease, and It Kills

• What Is the Most Important Thing to Do in Recovery?

• The Necessity of Complete Surrender to the Disease

• The Importance of a Connection to Something Greater Than You (a Higher Power)

• When Will It Get Better?

• There Must Be Something Bigger Than You

• Stay in the MomentBe Present

• Let the Feelings Come

• Surround Yourself with Fully Supportive People

• Get Negative or Controlling People Out of Your Life. For Good.

• Creating Your Own New Normal

• Living Life on Lifes Terms, and What That Means

• Navigating the Ups and Downs

Introduction

My name is Susan, and Im an alcoholic.

I am also an optimist. An undying optimist. My glass is ever half-full, my skies blue, and my head and heart continually open to new and wondrous possibilities.

This little guide is my partial thank you to my Higher Power. (Who happens to be the God of my understanding, though I understand very little about God. I only know Hes got my back.) My ongoing and ever-present gratitude to God, my family (both by birth and through my recovery program), and my friends far and wide is expressed by me daily. Its through the choices I make (or dont make), chances I take, and joy I feel at having another opportunity to live today to the best of my ability with some help, of course.

My hope is one person will come across this little tome and find something in it that inspires him or her to wait five more minutes before using or continue searching for that one little scrap of sunlight that can help make today a day to celebrate. There is a saying that is popular in some twelve-step programs: Dont give up five minutes before your miracle. If you can hang in there (whether its five minutes, a few hours, or a few days), it will be worth it. I promise you.

Is it worth it? Oh, is it ever.

Are you worth it? Absolutely, and yes, and again: yes.

1
The End. And the Beginning.

Recovery. Whether youve recently found yourself drinking, using too much, or woke up in a jail cell, youre here now. Good on you. Now get ready for the hardest thing youve ever had to do.

I know this journey is tougher than hell. Recovery is not for the faint of heart. It is a struggle; at times, it feels as though it will never be worth it. It would be so much easier to say, Fuck it! and pick up again. Remember this little bit of wisdom I carry close to my heart each and every day: before you pour that drink or take that pill, play the tape all the way through. Think of what that one will lead to. And what that will lead to. And what that will lead to. Do I need to remind you of the shakes, so terrifically powerful you couldnt bring a cup (or spoon, fork, or straw) to your mouth without spilling the contents everywhere, except where intended?

What about being so sick to your stomach all you can do is dry heave at the sink, vision marred by the endless tears pouring from your eyes, sink stained with the blood youre bringing up? Sitting up in bed because to lie down hurts too much (and the shivers wont allow you to lie down anyway)? How about trying to walk, feeling as if youll step wrong and fall over your own feet? Trying to speak and having your breath catch in your throat, heart hammering roughly 1,000 beats a minute, surely readying itself to burst out of your chest? Hands shaking so much you cant even write your name? Tossing and turning in your bed, sheets soaked with sweat, yet so cold you feel as if youll never be warm again?

Remember that time you woke up in the middle of the night, not knowing if it was dark or light, not knowing what day of the week it was, not knowing if youd ever be able to wake up normal again? (You wont, by the way. Youre an addict. There is nothing normal about us except the fact that were abnormal.) Remember the fear that struck you as cold and hard as a wet towel, right in your face, right in your chest? Remember the worry about what you did, said, didnt say, thought youd thought but realized youd said out loud? Remember talking to someone the next day, fishing with generalized questions to see if theyd spill the beans about your latest drunken tirade on your social media outlet of choice? The one you hoped youd only dreamed about, but youre pretty sure you actually did? Remember heading out to your car (if you could find where you parked it) to see if there were any dents, scratches, or worse? Remember being twelve sheets to the wind, crying, praying, pleading for help?

Do you remember?

If you do, good. Dont ever forget that feeling. Dont ever lose that memory. Keep it close to you, like a lucky penny. You know its there. You know you can pull it out and touch it if you need to, but most of the time, you dont need to. Knowing its there is enough.

Thats what it means to play the tape through. Everything has a beginning, middle, and end. As a drunk (or if you prefer, an alcoholic, pill popper, junkie, or simply a lost and hurting soul), your beginnings always start out fine, but as soon as you enter any mind-altering substance into the equation, boom! The middle and the end dont play as youd planned. The kicker is its not your fault. Its what were hard-wired to do because were addicts. It isnt our natural state to be clean and sober, and thats why recovery, especially before all of the blessings start to pour in, is so ridiculously hard.

I can already hear the voices being raised. She said its not my fault! Whoopee! That means I cant control it, and I dont have to take any responsibility for it! Shit the bed, lets go get a drink! Hold up, bud. I