[Original Subject: embarrassed to admit it, but need help… where how?]
I have not joined AA yet, but slowly am getting ready to admit i have a problem here. Anybody know where to go for help in Taiwan? Runs in my family, too. Scared, though. My GF says get help. What should i do? Resources here? Is it genetic or is it Taiwan and the flowing booze?
You may check Alcoholics Anonymous to see if it helps. I happen to find this group on internet for you.
http://www.community.com.tw/
The Community Services Center
No. 25, Lane 290
Chung Shan North Rd., Sec. 6
Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
Telephones: (02) 2836-8134
When someone decides to turn his life around, this event is wholly beyond words. I am dead serious. The ancient term for this was “conversion.” Today we think this means changing your religion, but originally it literally meant “turning one’s life around.”
No matter what you’ve done in the past, or how far you have to go, the fact that you have decided to clean up your life is highly commendable. Now, of course, comes the next temptation–the temptation to let these resolutions slide, to keep on living the same way. These are the voices of demons, however ordinary they may appear to us at first. Cling to your initial resolve as if your life depended on it.
Keep listening to your ideals, and keep on climbing towards them–no matter how often you may stumble. After “conversion” comes “purgation” and the “dark night of the soul.” I say this not to frighten you, but to warn you to be prepared for the coming struggle. Know that there are two kinds of darkness–the darkness of death, which is what our lives become when we refuse to look up; and the luminous darkness which is lit by the “midnight sun.” (And I’m not referring to Alaska.)
I believe that God spoke through your girlfriend. Think about it–if you were God, what would you tell yourself? Probably something just like that, right? See, deep inside you know what you have to do, no matter how hard it is. Strength will be given you, and allies on the path. Good luck.
yeah formosa, just blame the genetics. Works for fat people. they can better justify shoveling greasy fast food crap into their faces all day long when there’s a “genetic” factor to blame.
Same for alcoholics, smokers, child molesters … whatever it takes to find a way around confronting your own inadequacies.
What I’m trying to say is pull yourself together for god’s sake and stop listening to all this US talkshow wank. If the booze is disrupting your life so much … do something about it … and meeting a bunch of alcoholics who also blame their genetics for their problems is probably the last thing you want to do.
If things are that bad, consider a major change of lifestyle (like leaving Taiwan and settling down elsewhere) where the temptation isn’t so great.
Tut tut. Bad monkey. Baaaad monkey! 
The truth doesn’t hurt THAT much sandman …
Whatever happened to “measured” responses or whatever Bush calls them …
Vincent,thanks,
yes,my GF is a christian now, i think she saved me, too.
thanks yr advise.
FORMOSA
dreading
what comes next
are there any other alcoholics out there? Here? guide me…
You can find ads for AA in The China Post. In the meantime, just stop going to bars. Read a book or something on Saturday night. Or if you must, order a club soda, for God’s sake.
AA has its limitations and requires taking on a heavy mind flip as inferred by many of the replies. Still, if ya legs broken then maybe a crutch till you get onto your own feet’s not a bad idea - family related eperience tells me to watch switching dependence to it. Therefore, keep the brain box open, read widely and depending on how seriously you’ve been hooking into it maybe get medical help - withdrawal from alcohol can be fatal, no shit. Shakes may be an indication of an alcoholic fit in the waiting. Last thing ya need when you’re on your scoot with green lights lit up all the way up Fuxing in peak hour.
Take it easy, slowly.
GC
Imagine life without beer.
No Monkey, maybe it’s not in my genes, but my father was an alcoholic and most of his life he was in denial. I have tried to get off a few times but always come back, the denial is always too strong for me. If it’s not the genes, then what is it? Just that I like to drink and screw up my life and friendships royally this way? Ever happen to you?
I can’t believe all the misplaced quips and smugness on this thread! Formosa has evidentally hit a stage where he/she accepts the fact that there’s a problem with alcohol, and is looking for help. I’m pretty open about a lot of things, but I do think that our regular members/moderators here ought to try to be a little more supportive. I have therefore split the posting about the Oriented happy hour from this thread and tucked it into the Restaurants forum where it belongs.
Formosa, I’ve known lots of alcoholics in Taiwan and elsewhere, and the ones who’ve tried to battle this illness have all had to change their lives drastically. Many having to form new healthier ‘addictions’, relationships, and lifestyles, in order to overcome the problem.
If you cannot find organized help here, which I believe you can if you follow the Community Center site, you will need to reevaluate your life and make a plan on how to proceed alcohol-free.
If you are now surrounded by friends/colleagues who go out drinking as the only entertainment, disassociate yourself from their world. It sometimes seems that the only way many expats know how to have fun in Taiwan is going out to clubs, doesn’t it? But this isn’t necessarily the case.
You can get involved in other activities if your heart is really into making a change.
Do you like sports such as hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, etc? If so, try engaging in these at the weekend. Taiwan has some fantastic trails to explore. Do you enjoy learning? Take classes in Chinese, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, tai chi, yoga, do a distance learning programme and get a higher degree, etc.
Move out of the city if you can. Downtown, it’s much easier to find yourself slung up at a pub every night of the week for lack of anything else to do.
I wouldn’t call myself alcoholic, more of a social drinkier, although when I go out sometimes, I do tend to overdo it. Now that I live a half hour away from my favourite ‘haunts’, I’m much less susceptable to the temptation. Now, I’ll go out once every two weeks, and I think my body appreciates that.
An anonymous forum such as segue is a good start to admitting your problem, but until you actually make some real changes in the way you live, it’s only talk.
I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. lori@segue.com.tw
Lori