Thank y'all so much for sharing your perspectives, insights, and experiences.
This might sound simplistic and I'm sure it is, but the bottom line for me is that I'm just so happy that I've finally found my way to permanent abstinence. The questions I ask are not to solidify my commitment to sobriety (that was done with my Big Plan) but because I'm curious and interested in others points of view. I certainly don't have all the answers...and my sobriety doesn't hinge on having all the answers. It only hinges on never drinking again and never changing my mind. That's the only absolute that is required.
I've been reading some old threads of sams and RobbyRobots and even LBrain and I have enjoyed all of it...so much wisdom here and a wealth of experience.
I think one of the reasons I get kind of hung up on the theory that alcoholism is a disease is that I have MS. I have a disease that I didn't choose. Im recovering from a flare up right now...doctors call an MS flare up a relapse. I'm an avid runner, and before this flare up I was training for a half marathon. This flare up left me unable to walk....I'm getting my mobility back and I'm hoping for no permanent damage, but I won't be running any time soon. This is one reason the theory of alcoholism as a disease doesn't sit well with me. ( and I'm sure y'all will be able to shoot huge holes in this, just please be gentle. I'm only speaking from my very limited experience). My alcoholism was perpetrated by me drinking alcohol, becoming addicted to it, and my body becoming dependent on it. It ended when I stopped pouring booze down my throat.
However, Robby...I understand the illness you talk about better than the disease theory.
Thank you so much for the explanation! Incredibly helpful!
It's interesting (frightening might be a better word) the percentages the mainstream rehab industry throws around. It's even more interesting that with numbers like that people keep going back time and time again to something that obviously has an extremely low success rate. I wonder what percentage of people who use AVRT ever drink again? I guess there'd be no way to ever really know since by it's nature it is self recovery, so no groups or rehabs to keep track of these statistics.