My name is Greg and I'm an alcoholic.
Since 1990, I have said these words in more 12-step meetings than I can count. Since I stopped drinking, I have accomplished a great deal — more than many people achieve in a lifetime. I had developed an award-winning sales career with the world's largest real estate company; returned to college where I fulfilled my dream of playing college football at the age of 38; and became an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker.
Through all of these triumphs, though, I still had the mind of an alcoholic. With every success, I had a strong, almost physical sense that disaster was looming. Rather than being able to concentrate on activities with clarity, I was constantly in motion and felt entirely out of control. Some days, the anxiety was just overwhelming. Eventually, I had to admit to myself that although I wasn't drinking, I was still suffering.
Many people find it odd that I was treated for alcoholism after having been sober for sixteen years. Today, I understand that alcoholism is a brain disease; and despite being sober, I had never addressed the medical side of the disease. While I had maintained sobriety, I was still "white knuckling" it through life, trying to hold on through periods of intense emotional pain as I suffered with a sense of impending doom, feeling that my life was unmanageable at best.
Finding PROMETA
When I learned about the PROMETA® treatment, I was intrigued at first, but thought it probably wouldn't help me because I wasn't drinking at the time. As I learned more, I realized that without my active participation in a 12-step program, my life would be a disaster — but my well-being was impacted by the fact that my mind was still functioning in the mode of someone who was actively suffering from the disease of alcoholism. The more I learned about my disease, the more PROMETA made sense.
When I received the PROMETA treatment, I didn't have to check into a hospital. It was very convenient, as I was able to keep working and attending meetings. I experienced dramatic changes in myself. First and foremost, my sense of dread disappeared. I no longer had a sick feeling that something — anything — was about to go horribly wrong. I also experienced an astonishing sense of mental and emotional clarity. It sounds like a small thing, but I was able to sit down and read a book from start to finish — just for fun. Before, I couldn't get more than 10 pages into a book without becoming distracted by the worry that plagued me.
I experienced many other changes as well. I'm still as busy as ever, but am able to get through my days with a sense of clarity and achievement. I still attend 12-step meetings, but now I get much more out of them. I feel that finally having addressed the medical side of my disease after all of these years, I have the hope that I can have a full and fruitful life. I was a person who suffered in silence — even after being sober for a long time — but PROMETA was the answer for me. I want my story to speak to those who can relate to my struggles, and give them the hope that they can take their lives back, too.
Despite the fact that I was a card carrying member of the 12-step approach, who was already in recovery for 16 years, it is with gratitude that I say that the PROMETA treatment has still made a world of difference in my life, and I am truly thankful.
Greg
