Originally Posted by
soberlicious 
No, not when it comes to fear of drinking. I control whether I put alcohol in my body, that choice is not made by others for me. Of course I've grown in many ways since I quit 8 years ago, but sorry, no I've always had the mindset that places don't make me drink, being around alcohol doesn't make me drink. I don't drink because I made that choice and as a living, thinking human being I can decide to abide by that choice regardless of my physical locale at any given moment. After all, there is a 7-11 on every corner. If I wanted to drink, a bar would be the last place I would go.
Fears, of whatever nature for me, always require a remarkable working thru process. My addiction mentality never much played out rationally for me and so although intellectually I could see the folly of my projections, it took actual sober emotional experience to build my new lifestyle choices into a practical and doable life. There are distinct differences for me when I'm being courageous and when I'm simply being intelligent against whatever irrational fears, such as a return to drinking. My own forever choice to stay quit wasn't based on keeping or being sober as much as totally based on my refusal to die as a useless, suffering, lousy drunk. So for me, people/places/situations became gradually unimportant as my experience in sobriety came into its own. I in fact yet had deeper non-addiction related fears to rationally deal with in getting back to sanity. Took me awhile, lol.
Originally Posted by
soberlicious
Originally Posted by
RobbyRobot Having now asked, I want to make clear I believe you absolutely have achieved real freedom from your addictions.
Well gee thanks. That's nice and all, but not necessary. I don't have a problem saying I'm confident in my abstinence.
Yeah okay, my belief statement wasn't about the quality of your confidence in your own abstinence. I was making clear my own affirmations of my understanding of your experiences. Cheers.