|
|
|
AJAY'S STORY 4-5-09
Ajay is a very jolly fellow. On this DVD he tells us that when he was growing up his father was a drinker. Ajay couldn't wait until he was old enough to drink like his father. He began drinking at age 13. It seemed like the normal thing to do and he was not having any consequences. A couple of years later though, the drinking caused a lot of fighting within his family. Ajay got married but it was a very abusive relationship. At his wife's suggestion he began going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings but really didn't relate to what was going on. After a while, alcohol stopped working for him and he was only drinking to feel normal. Drinking became like Russian Roulette for him. He never knew what effect it would have on him. Ajay finally realized that people were getting well at these meetings and he himself surrendered. He got a sponsor who gave him some really good suggestions. It's pretty clear by watching this DVD that Ajay is very happy living the sober life.
Length - 29 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANDREW W'S STORY
On this DVD, Andrew tells us that as a child he was abused. He picked up his first drink at age 18 and alcohol immediately became his best friend. He never associated his legal problems with his drinking. Andrew got married, had three kids but then his wife left him because of the booze. He drank for 30 years altogether. He attempted suicide seven times. At times he was homeless. When Andrew was finally broken down, he decided to go to Alcoholics Anonymous. He originally struggled with the God concept. He talks about some difficulties he had working the steps. He relapsed at five months but now believes that his recovery is paramount to everything else. To the newcomer Andrew suggests that they "Remember the phone. When you're struggling there will be someone there to help you." Andrew sums up his talk by quoting Dr Bob's last words to Bill Wilson, "Keep it Simple."
Length - 37 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANGIE'S STORY 4-19-08
On this DVD, Angie says that growing up she was always full of fear and never felt quite right. Her mind was always racing. As she got older, Angie had some major resentments against her parents because of the way she was raised. Her parents would frequently come home drunk from the pubs and she swore she'd never be that way. Angie left home at age 16 and moved in with her boyfriend who had a bad reputation. They both drank like crazy. Angie became very paranoid and had very low self-esteem. She finally came into Alcoholics Anonymous when she wanted to quit drinking. AA didn't work for her and she continued drinking. The drink became more important than her daughter and she began neglecting her. She eventually lost custody of her daughter. Angie tells of a moment of clarity and she returned to AA. This time was different. Her attitude had changed and she had a lot of hope. Angie says, "I will be forever in debt to AA for turning my life around." Good story.
Length - 35 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANJ'S STORY 8-9-09
This is one of the best DVDs we have in the AA STORIES FROM THE UK category. Anj tells a really hardcore story of her alcoholism and then her eventual recovery. As a child, she suffered mental, physical and sexual abuse. Anj began drinking at a fairly young age but her alcoholism really took hold when she was in college. She earned her law degree but still had very low self esteem issues. Her drinking caused her to loose friends which led to isolation problems for her. Anj's life became based on fear. She was in and out of hospitals six times and was told that she would die if she drank again. She continued drinking, her skin turned yellow, her teeth began to loosen, she tried suicide three times, she went through some hellacious DTs, and ended up in a psychiatric hospital where she smuggled in vodka. Anj's family disowned her. She eventually went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and drank two bottles of wine during the meeting. After receiving advice from some AA members, she thought that maybe she'd give the program a try. Anj goes on to relate her story of recovery and honesty.
Length - 50 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANN'S STORY 11-11-06
Ann grew up in both England and Ireland. Early on, she was raised by her grandparents. Later on she was turned back over to her real parents, but was very unhappy about it. Living in London with her birth parents, Ann was abused by her father and her mother did nothing about it. At age 18, Ann decided to become a nurse. Whenever Ann would go back home for a visit, her father's abuse would continue. Ann fell into yet another abusive situation after she was married. She began drinking after discovering her husband's affair. The booze dulled all of her bad childhood memories. Ann left her family, disappeared into Ireland and drank and drank and drank and drank. She gave up on the pubs and began drinking at home. Ann had no success when she tried AA because she was comparing herself to others. She was drinking 24 hours a day and had constant blackouts. She went to a doctor after a moment of clarity. The doctor told her that she has to go to back to AA. This time around she approached it with a different attitude and her life got better, not perfect but better. Ann gave herself completely to her higher power. Ann is a big advocate of attending as many meetings as you can. The unconditional love that she’s found in the AA rooms was great. Good story on this DVD.
Length - 35 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANN'S STORY 7-20-05
On this particular DVD, recorded on July 20th 2005, you'll see and hear Ann tell her story. Ann was placed in a boarding school until the age of 16. She returned home afterward but was very uncomfortable there. She got involved with drugs and began shoplifting. Ann says her children frequently went hungry because of her need to get high. She became an alcoholic but her drug of choice was actually crack cocaine. Ann finally sobered up and went to college. She says life is good for her now although it's not easy. Her advice to the newcomer is, "Stay with it. There is light at the end of the tunnel."
Length - 29 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE'S STORY 8-12-05
On this DVD, Charlie shares his Alcoholics Anonymous story of hardcore alcoholism. He recorded this message on August 12th, 2005 and had 13 years of sobriety. Charlie had his first drink at age 15 and he immediately came alive - he came out of his shell. He spent a lot of time in the pubs, never meaning to get drunk but always did. His drinking eventually got way out of control. He had all kind of marital problems as well as problems with the law. Charlie’s wife divorced him and he became a "very lonely drunk with a constant yearning to be normal." His drinking took him to the point of living on the streets. He had problems with his liver and kidneys and began having delirium tremens. When Charlie finally came into AA, he knew he did not want to drink anymore; he felt like he had come home. In the course of his drinking he had spent 11 years in jail. Now that he's in AA, he is no longer lonely or suicidal. Very interesting story.
Length - 42 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
CYNTHIA'S STORY 5-12-06
Cynthia made this DVD on May 12th, 2006. Her date of sobriety is August 29th, 1997. She was the fourth out of five children. Her introduction to booze was at age four. This was given to her by her mother. At age 12, Cynthia was a fairly regular drinker. She got married and had a child. Cynthia was very promiscuous when she drank and her marriage broke up. She pulled herself together long enough to get a law degree. However, drinking took control again and Cynthia had to live on the streets with her 13 year old daughter. She was pressured to check into an alcohol rehab clinic. The remorse of putting her daughter through hell finally got her into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. After a few slips, Cynthia finally got a firm grasp on the AA program and today is a sober member of the fellowship.
Length - 44 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
DAVE WIGGINS' STORY 5-17-08
Dave has been sober since 2002. His father was a drinker. He was an uncontrollable child. Dave feels he was very mixed up even before taking his first drink. By age ten, he was placed in children's homes and lock-up units. He eventually tried alcohol and he liked it. Dave's drinking progressed and it affected all of his relationships. When he wasn't drinking he was thinking about drinking. His mornings were filled with guilt, shame and remorse and alcohol was his only relief. A friend of his who was in Alcoholics Anonymous told Dave about the program. He joined AA but didn't want to change himself. This pattern continued for twelve years. He got involved in service work but was only doing it for show. He describes a moment of clarity which was the same day as his last drunk. Now Dave feels that the rooms of AA are a power greater than alcohol. Today he still loves to do service work because he likes being involved. Dave knows that today, if it wasn't for AA he'd be drinking again.
Length - 48 Minutes.
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEBBY'S STORY - JULY 2007
Debby, a woman of about 40 years of age, shares her story on this DVD. She had been sober for 14 years at the time this was recorded in July of 2007. Debby had her first drink at around age 13 and blacked out that very first time. Over the next several years, her drinking progressed to the point where she needed alcohol just to get through the day. Drinking caused her consequences; a lot of car crashes, a lot of family fights, and a lot of bad relationships. Debby lived in constant fear and had alcohol hidden all over her house. When her husband threatened to leave her, she called Alcoholics Anonymous. However, her attendance at AA meetings did not stop her drinking. She eventually went to a treatment center but stopped drinking only when she decided to throw herself entirely into the AA program. "Not only did AA SAVE my life, but AA GAVE me a life."
Length - 25 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
DENNIS - 46 YEARS OF SOBRIETY
Dennis has been sober since 1962. On this DVD he tells us that he was raised in poverty. His older brother died of alcoholism. Dennis grew up with jealousy and fear. He describes going through delirium tremens and suffering from panic attacks. He joined Alcoholics Anonymous eventually but understanding the program took him a long time. Dennis says that today, the AA promises have come true for him. He likes to stay involved in service work. "The best thing that's happened to me in AA is now I can look people straight in the eye."
Length - 55 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
DICK FITZGERALD: THE GOVERNOR 9-7-05
On this DVD, recorded on September 7th, 2005, Dick Fitzgerald - The Governor tells his story. Dick was born in Ireland and moved to Birmingham England at age 17. He goes on to tell his story of drinking and recovery, eventually joining AA in 1966. Dick says, "I've got a lot of sobriety now but I've always got to watch myself - the sniper is still on the roof." "Alcoholism is like a three-headed dragon - you have to deal with it Physically, Mentally and Spiritually - you have to chop off all three heads at the same time."
Length - 49 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
DR MAVIS KLEIN 6-16-88
This is a very unique DVD, not a typical AA talk. Dr Klein, a psychotherapist interviews John Keegan, an alcoholic. Way back in 1988 when John was still struggling with alcohol cravings, he agreed to be interviewed by Dr Klein. John tells her that his childhood was tough and he still carries anger and resentment towards his mother for never allowing him to meet his father. The psychotherapist gives John some very interesting advice about letting go of the past. Dr Klein strongly urges John to get back to his AA meetings because that's where the real therapy happens. This DVD would also be beneficial to members of Adult Children of Alcoholics.
Length - 25 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
EDDIE'S STORY - 2006
On this DVD, Eddie says that his father used to physically abuse his mother, but the family never let their secrets out of the home. His father ended up dying of alcoholism. Eddie felt like he never fit in and couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. When Eddie experimented with alcohol, it quickly turned into binge drinking. He went to college, but was eventually kicked out. He always felt like he was an undiscovered genius. Eddie got married but after a while things began to fall apart. He tried to fix himself by getting into physical exercise and reading self-help books. Eddie's wife kicked him out of the house and he ended up in jail. He attempted suicide. He was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous and he liked it. He dove into the program, got a sponsor and attended a lot of meetings. Eddie did his fifth step with his wife but it was a complete disaster. After a period of sobriety, Eddie realized that he needed to be more honest with himself and others. Once he began doing tht,.........he had it made.
Length - 27 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
EDDY FLANAGAN'S STORY - AUGUST 2009
On this DVD, Eddy says he was born in Ireland and moved to England at age 17. At the time of this filming, Eddy, age 73, had 37 Years of sobriety. He began drinking at age 16. Eddy had a wife, five children and a business and lost everything due to his drinking. He also lost many jobs and girlfriends because of his alcoholism. He drank for twenty years. When Eddy joined Alcoholics Anonymous, his sponsor told him to get into service because action is the magic word. After attaining some sobriety, he began carrying the AA message into prisons and hospitals. Eddy says to the newcomer, "No matter how confused you may be at the beginning, it's very important that you KEEP COMING BACK."
Length - 20 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
FRANK O'SULLIVAN 9-6-05
On this DVD, Frank O'Sullivan, age 68 tells his story of drinking and eventual recovery. He recorded this message on September 6th, 2005. Frank had a very difficult childhood growing up in Ireland. He talks about an incident that happened to him at age nine that would change his life forever. He tells about a lot of childhood abuse suffered at the hands of his alcoholic father. Frank talks about the devastation he felt when his fiance was killed in a car crash. It was about this time that his drinking really took off. Frank's drinking continued after getting married and having five children. Shortly after joining the AA Fellowship, Frank was strongly advised to get rid of his anger problems if he ever wanted to stay sober. Frank has a great life now that he has several years of sobriety under his belt.
Length - 38 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
HELEN'S STORY 3-12-05
Helen filmed this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on March 12th, 2005. Helen grew up in Ireland, the second oldest of ten children. While in her teens, Helen stopped being a "good girl." She began staying out late and experimenting with alcohol. By age 21, she was married and had three kids. When her marriage broke up, her alcohol intake went up. All of the things in life she treasured began to disappear. She blacked out often and became very promiscuous. She blamed God for everything. Helen drank round the clock for ten years. Finally, at the urging of her sister-in-law she checked into an alcohol rehab center. There she surrendered and began to pray. She became teachable, willing and learned about a higher power. She was exposed to AA for the first time in Rehab. Helen finally learned that "putting down the drink," is only the beginning of recovery. Today, she is very grateful to be sharing her time passing on the AA message to others who still suffer. "Sobriety and Alcoholics Anonymous are the greatest gifts that God has ever given to me."
Length - 49 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JIM'S STORY 3-2-09
On this DVD, Jim shares his tough story of alcoholism and his eventual recovery. Jim is from West London where he grew up in an environment of drinking. He always felt different and that he never fit in. Alcohol made him feel normal. From his very first drink, Jim drank alcoholically. He got involved is some anti-social behavior and spent some time in prison. Jim got married and divorced. Both his father and sister committed suicide. Jim attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for about six months but, "It Didn’t Take." After spending more time in prison, he became homeless. Over the years Jim spent a lot of time in different hospitals detoxing. He eventually returned to AA and learned that the alcoholic suffers from an obsession to drink. That clicked with Jim. He finally surrendered. "I went to bed in Black and White and woke up in Color."
Length - 24 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JIM'S STORY 7-24-05
On this DVD, recorded on July 24th, 2005, Jim tells his story of alcoholism and recovery. Jim was born in Monstrevan, Ireland. His family moved to England when Jim was six years old. His father was an alcoholic. Jim began drinking at around age 14 and ended up in prison for a very serious crime committed while under the influence of alcohol. Jim says that he did many things that he's now ashamed of, "Just to be able to get a drink." One day, Jim woke up in a straight jacket in a padded room. While there, he was twelfth-stepped by a man from Alcoholics Anonymous. Jim, sober since November 3rd, 1970, has got an amazing story of turning his life around within the fellowship of AA. Sadly, Jim passed away on March 23rd, 2007 but because of this DVD, he's able to continue sharing his story of recovery from alcoholism with people in the United Kingdom, The United States, and beyond.
Length - 59 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOE'S STORY 5-16-10
Joe M was born in a “wee” Scottish town. On this DVD, Joe briefly talks about some trauma he experienced early in life which caused some trust issues for him. He began drinking at age 15. That first experience with alcohol was a bad one for Joe and he swore he’d never drink again. As the years went on, he became highly aggressive. Several suicide attempts followed. Joe vividly describes his first experience with Alcoholics Anonymous. Several arrests followed. A man from AA told him that, “When you come into AA you may not see the pearly gates open up, but you will hear the gates of hell slam behind you.” Back in AA, Joe learned that he was not evil, just sick. When he finally felt the love of others in the rooms of AA, Joe finally began believing in a higher power. He briefly covers each of the twelve steps. Joe believes that “ego” is the arch enemy of sobriety.
Length – 59 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOHN JONES' STORY 5-21-10
John tells a great story of recovery from alcoholism. John was sober for 24 years when he recorded this message. On this DVD, recorded on May 21st, 2010 he relates a few short stories of drinking at a very early age but does not go into a drunkalog. Very early on in his drinking career, for economic reasons John began making his own wine. This turned into a full time hobby for him. He actually added on to his house to accommodate his winemaking. In 1986 John had hit his bottom and contacted Alcoholics Anonymous. He goes into detail about what happened on that twelfth step call. The man from AA left him a Big Book which John loved but hated the idea of going to meetings. Turns out that at John’s very first meeting he fell in love with AA. John describes having resentment problems after he was sober for about five years. He learned from a long time AA member that he must continue to make amends as well as taking a daily inventory. This advice corrected John’s resentment issues. At the end, John makes it clear that he’s very grateful to AA for turning his life around.
Length – 57 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOHN KEEGAN'S STORY 9-6-09
John Keegan is the man that filmed all the other DVDs in this category. Here he tells his own story of recovery from alcoholism. John says that he was an illegitimate child which carried a big taboo in Ireland at the time he was born. That stigma made him feel inferior until he had his first drink at age twelve. Drinking made him feel normal. He soon realized that he could not attend any type of public function without drinking first. He ended up in London, he got married and had a son. Within just a few months, his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. John had a real problem with God when she passed away. His second wife was diagnosed with cancer at a fairly young age also. John began attending AA meetings but wasn't comfortable there for at least five years. Now John is very active in Alcoholics Anonymous and has no desire to drink at all. He suggests to the newcomer that they attend a meeting every day for six months. You don't have to worry about, "Getting It," because it will get you.
Length - 50 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOHN'S STORY 10-24-05
On this DVD, recorded on October 24th, 2005, John tells his story. John was born in Cork, Ireland. His mother died when John was young and his father developed a bad drinking problem. John refers to his stepmother as a, "raging, lunatic, alcoholic." John had his first drink at age 14 and got rip-roaring drunk. He never actually stopped drinking after that. He was arrested many times and spent five years in prison. John hit bottom and joined Alcoholics Anonymous when he was told that he could not donate a kidney to his young son even though he was a good match. The next five years of sober living were the best of his life up to that point. John relapsed one time but realized that this was only because he had stopped going to meetings.
Length - 49 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
LISA'S STORY 10-2-05
At the time this DVD was made, Lisa was 38 years old. She was the only child of happily married parents. Lisa feels like she was a spoiled child, but she never felt like she was a part of anything. She had her first drink at age 13 and became very ill. By age 15, Lisa was drinking on a semi regular basis; by age 21 it really began to get out of control. She began having panic attacks. Lisa got married and was drinking at work. She had two children and drank thorough both pregnancies. Lisa had tried AA once but she determined that it was a "religious, gay cult and wanted no part of it." Blackouts were a regular thing for Lisa. She lost custody of her children. Today, Lisa is a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous and attends meetings regularly. One of her main goals is to regain custody of her children.
Length - 32 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
MARK'S STORY 1-28-06
The Alcoholics Anonymous talk on this DVD was recorded on January 28th, 2006 by Mark, a fairly young man, in about his late 20s. Mark says that while growing up, nothing was ever enough for him; he always wanted more. It was the same thing a few years later with alcohol. He says that when he became old enough, "I entered the Magical World of Pubs." All big plans Mark had made for his future began to dwindle away. Alcohol consumption gave him a whole range of feelings; from fear to grandiosity. Mark was arrested many times for drinking related offenses. When he became so petrified with fear that he could no longer walk in public places, Mark broke down and called AA. He talks about the difficulty he had with steps Four and Five. Mark says that during his drinking years he frequently thought of ending his life, but now that he's sober and happy, he's doing just the opposite; he quit smoking, he's eating better, etc. At the end of this DVD, Mark humbly says, "I hope someone got something from my talk today, after all, I'm just a drunk who doesn't drink anymore."
Length - 48 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
MICHELLE'S STORY 4-4-09
Michelle says she had a few problems growing up – nothing serious. She began drinking at around age 13 and always wanted more. She left school at age 16 which is when she also began going into the pubs. She’d always stay until closing time. At age 24, she got pregnant and drank all the way through the pregnancy. Michelle tried a small geographical cure but around that same time she began drinking in the mornings. She began neglecting her young daughter. She finally went to an AA meeting but “compared” herself right out of the room. The last two years of her drinking were a living hell. Michelle was living on the streets and begging for money so she could drink. A friend of hers who was in AA, took her to many, many meetings over a two month period. Michelle was amazed at the amount of love that people in the fellowship showed her. At the very end Michelle says that the great life she lives today is a direct result of Alcoholics Anonymous and the people in it.
Length – 43 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
NIKKI'S STORY
Nikki talks very fast on this DVD. She says that alcoholism is rife in her family. Her father was a binge drinker. Nikki learned how to shut out the outside world very early in life. She was incredibly shy. Church was very boring for her. Nikki picked up her first drink at age 18. That drink was rum and Coke and even though it was disgusting, she got a very warm feeling from it. As her drinking progressed she had a nervous breakdown and attempted suicide a couple of times. At age 21, Nikki went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. She didn't stay around. She stayed dry for two years - the worst two years of her life. Nikki eventually had a moment of clarity when she realized that she alone was responsible for her drinking. She returned to AA and attended 90 meetings in 90 days. That did the trick. Nikki connected with a man who took her through the steps. Today Nikki just tries to enjoy what life has given her on a daily basis.
Length - 42 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOREEN'S STORY
Noreen drank for a total of 17 tears and in September of 1997 she got sober. She believes she was an alcoholic before she ever picked up a drink. As she was growing up, Noreen was full of fear and resentment. After getting out of school, her drinking increased and she began hanging out with the wrong crowd. At age 18 she moved from Ireland to London. She limited her drinking to weekends only after she realized she may have a problem. She eventually needed alcohol just to get through her work day. Noreen had to take time off work when her drinking progressed to 24 hours a day. Lots of blackouts and panic attacks. She eventually hit rock bottom, admitted she was an alcohol and called Alcoholics Anonymous. She got a lot of hope at her very first meeting. She attended 90 meetings in 90 days. Noreen got a good sponsor. Today, Noreen gets down on her knees every day and asks her higher power for a safe and sober day.
Length - 38 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
PATRICK'S STORY 5-22-09
Patrick delivers a very sincere and serious Alcoholics Anonymous talk on this DVD. He had been sober for 19 years at the time of this taping. He comes from a small Irish town and was one of 18 children. Alcohol was NOT a problem in his family when he was growing up. Patrick began drinking at age 15 and had no real consequences……at first. He got married and had five children. He got divorced and moved to London. Patrick tried to cut down on his drinking but couldn’t. He had five more children with his second wife. He went to his first AA meeting with his brother who was a member of the fellowship. Patrick says he lost a lot of family members during his sobriety, but got through it on “borrowed strength” from AA members. This is a truly grateful man.
Length – 44 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
RAJ'S STORY 8-12-09
Raj was born in Kenya, Africa. He had his first drink at age 14 and felt like he had, "Arrived." Raj became a heavy drinker right away. His drinking progressed as he got older and was kicked out of college due to his alcoholism. He moved to London and was drinking 24 hours a day. A good friend of his died from alcoholism right in front of him but still Raj continued to drink. He stole money from his own children to buy alcohol. He suffered from the DTs and hallucinations. Raj's wife eventually left him. When he lost his ability to walk, he broke down and asked a higher power to help him. He finally found the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and linked up with a good sponsor who gave him some good advice. Today, Raj is extremely grateful to AA for turning his life around, and it's very evident in this AA talk.
Length - 23 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
SATI'S STORY 11-10-05
On this DVD, recorded on November 10th, 2005, Sati, a relative newcomer to Alcoholics Anonymous shares his story of recovery. Sati found school to be very boring and became an attention-seeker. He had his first drink at age twelve. He soon realized that drinking made him feel whole. He got a woman pregnant, spent some time in prison and eventually stopped eating because the booze had taken away his appetite. Sati ended up with some serious health problems due to his drinking. He was initially introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous while in a rehab center. Sati says that when he first heard the phrase, "Surrender to win," he became very inspired. That made a lot of sense to him. He goes on to tell his very inspiring story of recovery.
Length - 38 minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TERESA'S STORY 12-17-05
Teresa recorded her Alcoholics Anonymous story on this DVD on December 17th, 2005. She has a father, a sister and a brother who are alcoholics. Teresa moved from Newcastle to London at age 16. At age 21 she met her future husband and she began her 20 year long drinking career. She would occasionally beat her husband while drunk. Teresa's husband eventually moved out and she entered a treatment center. That's where she was first exposed to AA. She admitted she was an alcoholic, went through steps one & two very quickly, and found a loving God in AA. After being in AA for four years, she developed a resentment, stopped going to meetings and was drinking again within a year. After more consequences, she had a moment of clarity and re-entered the rooms of AA. Teresa says that her life isn't perfect today but it's much, much better than it ever was while she was still drinking.
Length - 26 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TIM'S STORY - JULY 2007
Tim filmed this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in July of 2007. Tim is a musician that grew up in a large Irish-Catholic family. He talks about his first taste of alcohol. It was barley wine and it was great. Tim often became violent when he drank and began to get into fistfights with his fellow band members. He began losing jobs because of his drinking. He sold his guitars and equipment for drinking money. Tim finally went to a doctor who prescribed Alcoholics Anonymous. When Tim finally got to AA, he had a big chip on his shoulder. He was told to keep coming back and he did. Finally the message began seeping in. Tim says he's very grateful to be passing on his message in this very unique way.
Length - 36 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOM'S STORY 1-1-2006
Tom recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on New Year's Day in 2006. Tom, a man of about 40 years of age, was sober for eight years at the time this DVD was recorded. He began experimenting with alcohol at age 17 and by age 21 he was definitely qualified for the AA program. In his mid 20s, Tom was "blackout drinking" seven days a week and having extreme feelings of fear. He was diagnosed with Chronic Pancreatitis. He suffered from morning vomiting for several years. Tom's health got so bad that he eventually was put on life-support. BUT TOM DID NOT STOP DRINKING! He was introduced to AA and experienced a "Moment of Clarity." Tom goes on to share about his very slow recovery. He says, "My life is good today. The freedom and choices that I have are incredible. I am no longer controlled by alcohol. I have a higher power in my life and that is priceless."
Length - 52 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOM'S STORY 7-16-2005
Tom says he was born into a good family in southern Ireland. He eventually moved to London and became a carpenter. Tom worked hard and drank hard with no consequences. He got married but because of his drinking his wife left him. When he went into his first detox, there were 17 other guys in there that he knew from the pubs. Tom went though three more detox centers. Similar to Bill Wilson's story, Tom had a spiritual experience while in the last detox hospital. He lost his craving for alcohol immediately and never drank again. He joined AA. He tells how he made amends to his mother on her death bed. Very inspiring story on this DVD.
Length - 20 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOSH'S STORY 11-19-2006
On this DVD, Tosh tells his story of alcoholism and recovery. His father was an alcoholic and his mother was in mental hospitals. Tosh grew up being very fearful. At age 15, he joined the Royal Navy. He had a nervous breakdown, went to see a psychiatrist, was diagnosed as being an alcoholic, and was discharged from the Navy. He had extreme difficulty communicating with others. Tosh was having a lot of problems when he drank but never realized it was the booze itself causing the problems. Tosh wound up in a mental hospital. He began begging and shoplifting for booze money. His guilt began to eat away at him. At his lowest point, Tosh decided he'd better get to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. He liked the program and eventually his life was turned around. Once he became honest with himself and others, he understood some of the problems his parents had when he was a child.
Length - 56 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
TREVOR'S STORY 4-24-06
On this DVD, recorded on April 24th, 2006, Trevor, a man in about his late 30s tells his story. This DVD was apparently recorded near an airport because you can hear the occasional plane take off outside. Trevor has been sober since August 5th, 1988. He had first been exposed to the Alcoholics Anonymous program in 1986. Trevor spent quite a bit of time in detention centers as a youth. As an adult, drinking caused a lot of violence in his relationships. He eventually was convicted of a very serious crime and spent 16 years in prison. He attended his first AA meeting while behind bars and was inspired by the simple phrase, "Keep Coming Back." Trevor worked his twelve steps while still in prison. He was eventually released from prison and was able to make amends to all the people whose lives he had negatively affected. "Life isn't perfect today, but as long as I live One Day at a Time, It's a great life."
Length - 59 Minutes
|
|
New Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
