I’ll be seeing your around again, I’m sure.

Sigal

I appreciate the offer for the E-book, but I have so many others sitting on my desk top and hard drive that I’ve not gotten to, I’m certain that yours would sit there indefinately as well. I just don’t have much extra time to do any other reading. Having dealt with serious drug addiction as a young person, I am very acquainted with addicition and how it works. I was steeped in it and it nearly killed me. Believe me when I tell you, my alcohol consumption is not anywhere NEAR that point.

I can go days and days and days and not even THINK about having a drink. Then, when it crosses my mind, I am very able to dismiss it without much of a fight.

I’ve determined that what I’m doing is avoiding some very, very painful issues in my life right now. I am very clear about that and also realize that if I ‘continue’ to use alcohol (which I’m not actively doing) to avoid these matters that I could find myself with TWO very serious problems – unresolved personal issues and a drinking problem to boot.

I agree, that in order to deal with these issues I must abstain from alcohol. You are absolutely correct that drinking will only make it more difficult to deal with them and face them.

My adult life has been one of self-awareness and a drive to keep my emotional/mental house clean. I believe that this tendency of mine is what has kept me from alcohol & drug abuse. That is, I’m not a denier and avoider when it comes to facing up to emotional issues.

I have seen most, if not all, alcoholics and drug addicts being masters at denial and blame shifting. I am not that kind of a person. Most alcoholics I have known never engaged in any kind of discussion with themselves about their substance abuse. They did not believe they had a problem with it. Everybody else had problems, but they didn’t.

I am just not that person.

Anyway. Thanks for subscribing to my blog. I am very happy to have met Patrick and been able to interact with some new people because of it. I will definately keep up with your blog. You are doing a very good job.

Thanks again for dropping by this morning.

I am 100% in agreement with you on not wearing a shoe that does not fit. Absolutely, you should always be true to yourself, always! I cannot think of a more important attribute.

If you would like, I have a booklet in PDF that I can email to you regarding the mechanics of addiction. It may or may not help you resolve the question of “Am I or am I not”. Personally, I would suggest that you see how you might resolve the issues that are actually bothering you. But in order to successfully do that, I would recommend you don’t drink alcohol while you are trying to resolve those issues because the alcohol would distort your perceptions which would make it more difficult to find the true answers.

I really appreciate your comment about my blog. Coming from you, I consider it a very hight complement. My husband really pushed me to start it and when I told him what you said, he had that smug, I told you so, look on his face.

I subscribed to your blog so I hope to hear more about your adventures!

My best,
Sigal

Yes, the blogging community is a great one to be a part of. I was sharing with my son yesterday that the Internet and the blogging world in particular is an interesting place. Like everything, there is the potential for ill-will and sometimes evil intent. For a fact, there are some blogs out there and a network of bloggers that I want nothing to do with. They are harsh, mean-spirited and unkind. Though I can sling plenty of sarcastic and caustic attitudes myself, to make it a standard operating procedure just isn’t me. I prefer comaraderie and friendship over building a readership by seeing how hateful you can be.

I stopped over to your blog yesterday. I was surprised that you said you had just begun blogging because your blog looks very, very nice. Very well put together. Not to mention, Like Patrick and others, you are serving a much needed market.

I’m still baffled with my own issues to be honest. That I can’t say…”I’m an alcoholic” may to some, seem like a cop-out and that I’m not being honest with myself. But, after living nearly 53 years, I’ve learned that I can’t let what others think I ought to be doing or how they evaluate my life become my own standard and measure of what is right or wrong in my life.

So, for now, the question of whether I really am alcoholic or not remains unanswered for me. I am very bothered that I would turn to alcohol to keep from feeling or thinking something I don’t want to feel or think. But, when I consider my life in it’s totality, the label alcoholic just doesn’t fit. I guess you could say that for now, I’m on heightened alert and I’m paying serious attention to this issue and what it might signal in my life.

Thanks again for coming by my blog and welcome to the blogging world. At the very least, it’s a great hobby to have. And you might be able pick up a few dollars along the way. That’s pretty cool.