TB.....I too had many stumbles searching for my sobriety.
I did not consider these as part of my sobriety efforts
but rather part of my addiction to alcohol.
It took years of drinking to get me to the point I was
even interested in quitting
I simply figured thats why took me years to overcome my addiction.
The word recovery is what I use to denote my
experiences after solid sobriety. Again....it took me years
to actually feel/live as a recovered alcoholic.
But....it did happen for me and it can happen for you.
If anyone tells me they are an expert on what
I need regarding my alcoholism.......I'd be tuneing
them out immediately.....: