Originally Posted by
newwestdork 
Is this sort of "in and out" pattern something you guys have dealt with? How have you gotten past it?
Couldn't do it, and never tried.
When I first got sober, I didn't have a drink for twenty five years prior to a three-year relapse during which I lost everything. Again. Like Carl, I needed to stop for good. Though I appreciated and practiced the "one day at a time" process, I was also aware, at first, that I could never again drink, and then later, that I didn't ever
have to drink again. Not ever. This attitude went a long way in keeping me sober. Making a half-assed or open-ended commitment to remain sober would have been equivalent to my picking the date of my next relapse out of a hat.
This time, I've been sober since August of 2011, and I again don't ever expect to drink again. It takes a lot of pressure off by my committing to a lifetime of sobriety while also allowing me to focus on getting and then staying sober.
I've been fortunate to be able to create a life that makes me happy, grateful and proud, and I don't intend on throwing it away again.