AA question

[Dodgerguy22]

I have been going to meetings to help me not drink at all which is working. My question is it ok to go to meetings if I still smoke pot at night to relax ( not before a meting).this is a short term solution but two cold turkey might be too much. At some point I will cut the pot, but the Booz has been the struggle.

[MajestyJo]

Dear Dodgerguy, only you can make that decision. For me, it was all mind altering substances. I saw many people relapse as a result as a result of substitution, me included. They called it pill and pot maintenance. Do you have a sponsor and a home group? If not, I would suggest you get one. Find someone you can identify with, preferably someone with some time in the program and ask for their help. It may be a short term solution, but I don't suggest it long-term.

I suffered from migraines for 7 years. My doctor put me on inhalers so I could continue smoking because I was one of the really sick one when I came into recovery. He felt that it would kill me if I quit cigarettes, pills, and alcohol. It took me 7 years to get to a place where I was ready to quit the cigarettes. When I quit the cigarettes, I found out that I was allergic to smoke of ALL kinds, not just cigarette smoke. I had no more migraines, no more migraines that put me in the hospital, in dark rooms, not even in my bed since then and that was 16 years ago.

I also found that I food gave me migraines, but even they didn't give me ones as bad as the ones that smoke gave me. I find it difficult to go to meetings because of the smokers standing outside of meeting places. Even when my son and friends who smoke and visit for any length of time, affects my breathing. I was diagnosed with C.O.P.D. and I was misdiagnosed because of the affects of my breathing as a result of being around second hand smoke.

We are all individuals and we have to find out what is right for us and our own recovery. I know I am allergic to pot. The first time I tried it, I was down on all fours with my head in the porcelain upchucking, with a major resentment because I had lost all the alcohol I had drank from noon to 10 p.m. along with a steak dinner.

Welcome to the site. Hope you will continue to come and share your journey with us.

[Dodgerguy22]

Short term solution due to how long I have been smoking. No sponsor nor home group. I have meetings I requent. Thanks for the reply!!

[MajestyJo]

You are welcome. I had to pray for the willingness to be willing to quit. When you are ready, you will know when the time is right.

I was told that sobriety meant soundness of mind. I felt that I couldn't have that and continue to use mind altering substances. Recovery is a process. I had to deal with each issue as it came up. We didn't get this way overnight, we don't get better overnight.

I wish you well on your journey. Just for today, I choose not to use, no matter what. It isn't forever, it is just for today.