Jim1958

I see many threads on relapse, and I wanted to share something I have been doing for a long time. For background, I knew I had an alcohol problem for years. At first, I would check days on a calendar when I was sober. It might be 3 days, or 6. Then days of drinking. Then 2 or 3 days sober. So it went. At the end of the year, I would total things up. If I was sober half the days of the year that was huge. At times, I could not imagine stringing together 30 days. But having a visual indicator was helpful. It kept me thinking, maybe I can do 30 days. So I tried. And made it, and relapsed. And tried again, and made it over 30 days. And relapsed. Over and over, but as I kept trying I made it longer. Months at at time before a relapse. Finally I took some steps with a counselor, and some other changes in my life. I had to look hard at the reasons for my drinking. It was difficult, and I am still working on things every day. I looked at the calendar just now, and it is day 267. I struggle like everyone on this board. But things are better. I saw on another thread someone talking about cracking a beer in the morning. That was me. But now I feel I am moving in the right direction. The journal/log sits on my kitchen table, and every day I write a new number I know things are improving. I hope this might inspire others to keep a log or journal. It has been helpful to me. I wish everyone the best. SR is a great community, and I am thankful for it.