I don’t know if you got the reference, but it’s from the classic Rick James sketch on the lost-too-soon Chappelle’s Show. That and the “Moment in the life of L’il Jon” have had me laughing all week. Troy and I keep going back and forth with “Whut?” “Yeee-euah” and “Okee-hey” all week.
So my point is, as they say in AA, “We are not a glum lot”. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling kind of down, maybe thinking of my aunt and “auntie” Carol dying and just feeling the winter cabin fever and depression for no good reason. And when you’re Bipolar and an alcoholic and you feel that way, there’s only one cure: get back to AA.
I went to a meeting where someone said, “If AA is a cult, sign me up. I feel better doing this than I ever did drinking.” So if you’re on the fence debating if you need AA or not, give it a try. Because my fog has lifted going back there recently, and meeting old and new friends there.
It’s funny I could be in a bad mood all day or have back pain or not feel like doing anything, even something fun. But when I get home from AA I have no problem cooking dinner or laughing at TV or wiping down the stove. AA is a state of mind, and it’s called sobriety and friendship and fellowship. And that alone is an amazing high.
However if you’re reading this and you have someone in mind to send to AA, don’t do it. Let them read this, and maybe get them a Big Book (the basic text of AA) and have them read the first 164 pages. For you, if there’s an alcoholic in your life and you don’t know what to do, try Al-Anon. Because it has to come from the alcoholic to change. You can only work on yourself.
Here’s how you find a meeting in Chicago for AA
Here’s the main service office for AA
Here’s a link for Al-Anon World services find a meeting. Al-Anon also has phone and online meetings which are good if you’re homebound.
Addiction doesn’t have to control you. In the words of the beautiful Judy Garland who also struggled with addiction, “C’mon get happy.” Good luck.