Dear corse123:

I don’t know of books on Buddhism for alcoholics. I know of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) big book, of course. AA is the first 12 step program after which all other 12 step programs were formed, from Narcotics Anonymous to Codependent Anonymous. So joining AA if you are in the US is one option. Do you have any experience with AA?

Addiction is very powerful, it is a very strong habit, with or without certain physical withdrawal symptoms, it’s powerful nonetheless: the compulsion or impulse to do a certain thing, again and again, even though it’s bad for you and even though you want to stop and decide to stop and then before you know it, here you are doing it again.

Buddhist principles that can help you are meditation, mindfulness, insight into the real, bare nature of reality. Buddhism and Booze are both B words, I just noticed. Anyway, you drink and do drugs to feel good. Isn’t it so?

Isn’t your motivation when drinking and taking drugs to feel good? Because you feel so badly otherwise, and you are sick and tired of feeling bad?

If this is your motivation, to feel good, then let’s keep this motivation: to feel good, respect this understandable motivation and see to it that you do achieve it.

Drinking/ drugging don’t achieve feeling good for long, so let’s find another way that will last and will not bring about the misery: the consequences.

Your mother, saying she is ashamed of you and wishes she didn’t have you: tell me more about her… love for you?

anita

corse123 – I feel your pain. Literally. I’m a recovered alcoholic and there is nothing more devastating than having a debilitating disease with such a shameful stigma. I’m very sorry your family doesn’t understand. You’re not alone. It took me quite some time, in the program of AA, before I was proud of who I was and no longer ashamed.

The great news is that’s part of what AA helps you with. When you start going to meetings it can be a bit intimidating, but it’s worth it. Once you start working a program you may start to realize how much of your anxiety was because of your addiction. For me I used all my problems as a crutch to keep drinking (including anxiety disorder) when, in actuality, my addiction was causing all my problems…

That being said my spiritual journey started when I entered the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Buddhism, meditation and following my spiritual journey was only part of the equation for me. A beautiful part I now get to attribute to my rock bottom. Today I’m grateful to be an alcoholic. I’ve gained so much inner strength and it definitely got me started on the beautiful spiritual path I’m on today. I cannot quit drinking and using on spirituality alone. The addiction comes from a spiritual malady, however the fellowship of AA is a huge part of what keeps me sober. If I didn’t have people who shared the same struggles as me and who I could talk to about anything, I wouldn’t be sober today. I’d be hiding in my room shamefully drinking alone…because that’s how I feel when I’m in my active alcoholism. Only people who have been in our shoes can joke about the things we’ve done and seen. Normie’s would think we’re crazy if we talk about the delusional way of thinking most alcoholics live with everyday.

The beauty is there is a solution! It sounds like you already have a spiritual foundation to grow from. Best of luck to you and let me know if there’s anything I can do!

I also discovered Buddism when I quit drinking. I’m reading Everything Mind by Chris Grosso he also experienced addiction in his past. Next I’d like to read his first book Indie Spiritualist. Also Noah Levine has written some books you might find helpful. Let me know what you think.

keep strong young man

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by gold.

You are welcome, corse123. I sure hope your life gets better! Post again anytime.
anita