Not sure what constitutes "a while". I've been sober 17 months. Before that I was sober for a year, and then had a 3 week relapse. I consider it a relapse because I had really quit for a solid amount of time, and very deliberately picked back up.
Before my first sobriety date a little after I joined this forum, I'd told myself and other people that I was quitting. But I never made a serious effort -- any time, as soon as it got hard, I caved and drank. I don't consider that a relapse -- it's just not a real quit.
Good luck to you!
