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Old 12-13-2016, 07:49 PM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Gottalife
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
 
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
I am glad you made it back too. The title of your thread, taking sobriety for granted, got me thinking about another thing we can foolishly take for granted.

The idea that we can always come back from a relapse, and the idea that our past experience of sobriety will help us the next time. In my experience this is not the case. I have seen many folks relapse after long periods of sobriety, and I used to think the same thing. "They know what to do, we'll get them back on track again etc. ".

Often that just doesn't happen. It seems incredible but it is like their sobriety hard drive with the accumulated knowledge of their last extended periods of sobriety, has been completely wiped. They can be like different people. My friend Zac was like that. Ten years sober, slipped, last time I saw him he was surrounded by well meaning AA friends, all intending to help him through it. None could, he was dead in three months.

It is like Russian roulette. You never know which is the loaded drink. The fact you made it back is wonderful, and it is a blessing that you are already in a frame of mind to seek solutions. I really hope you make the most of this chance. There is no guarantee you will get another one.
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