mwstylee

I know this sounds sick, but I'm pretty grateful that I've been an alkie. I'm 13 days sober and I can guarantee you without a single doubt that I would not be able to look at life in this light, if I hadn't lived in the depths of hell for those years of daily drinking. Being sober makes colors look so much brighter, nature looks more amazing, and I find it so easy to be grateful for the small things. I can't stop thinking to myself "it feels so ****ing great to be sober and alive today!!!"

I appreciate life so much more because I've seen how things are from the other side. And it's not pretty at all, btw. I get so much joy out of a simple thing like a walk through the woods near my home, or waking up on time, or doing my taxes on time. The people around me see this stuff as so mundane, normal, blah, but damn, this is some amazing **** happening, I'm happy to be experiencing it!

dawnie24

I'm ashamed to be an alcoholic coz I've done some stupid stuff wish I never did and hurt ppl wish I never hurt

MustStop

Nope, sorry. I missed too many opportunities and ruined what good things I did have because of it. Rebuilding from here is a little daunting but at least my work is cut out for me and the pay-off's will outweigh any drunken time I ever had.

Sunny27

I wish I hadn't wasted 20 or so years drinking and not seeing how fortunate I was to have my health (touch wood). I also wish I hadn't wasted years in a career instead of following my heart's desire to do something else.

But I am grateful to be sober nearly 70 days now and seeing all the things I can do to turn my life around. I feel blessed in that regard.

I'm glad I am out of the way of thinking I was locked into.

DrStrangelove

"What does not kill me will make me stronger."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

There are many people who suffer illnesses who are thankful for them because of the strength it has developed by the mere act of overcoming them. Me and much of my family are diagnosed with bipolarity and many of us who have overcome it are thankful for the strength that we have developed because of it. I think you're really onto something when you say this; it isn't sick at all.

sugarbear1

I appreciate your post! Today, I do appreciate being an alcoholic!

Hevyn

I do see what you mean - I have some serious regrets that I wish I could fix, but other than that I like who I am today. I doubt I'd be appreciating life as much if I was taking it for granted the way some seem to.

May you always feel the way you do today - you're doing great.

Dee74

I'm grateful for who I am today and the many things that have come to me due to my past experiences - but I consider they're overwhelmingly from my recovery, not from my alcoholism

I can make sense of it from this distance and this perspective... but on its own my alcoholism was a complete dead end...
D

Stang

I'm the same way. All the wasted time, money, and life...hell no I'm not grateful to be an alcoholic.

recoverywfaith

Quote:
Originally Posted by MustStop:
Nope, sorry. I missed too many opportunities and ruined what good things I did have because of it. Rebuilding from here is a little daunting but at least my work is cut out for me and the pay-off's will outweigh any drunken time I ever had.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stang:
I'm the same way. All the wasted time, money, and life...hell no I'm not grateful to be an alcoholic.

Same as above posts and I say that because of the wreckage I have caused. Although, I am so very very grateful for the change in myself.

RobbyRobot

I'm grateful i'm not drunk anymore. And I appreciate I've learned a few things from my being an alcoholic. I am not specifically grateful I have chronic alcoholism however. No way. I could have lived without alcoholism in my life, lol. Seriously.

Being slaughtered by my alcoholism when i was drinking is impossible for me to forget. And to think anything at all that comes close to being thankful for almost taking myself out? Not so much. I did alot of harm to others and to myself. I used alcohol has a means to an end -- nothing there for me to be thankful for except the final end to my being drunk.

MsJax

Hi mwstylee~good post. I feel like that as well. Last night I was walking my dogs through a field by my place & I started to cry I was so thankful. I thought is this what it is to be happy? To live a good life? Yes, it is. I'm not at all sure that without this journey I would be feeling this way. Very grateful.

Elisabeth888

I am a grateful recovering alcoholic.

I am still working on not regretting the past though.

eJoshua

If i wasn't an alcoholic I would never have gotten recovered.

So, while I think thankful may be a strong word, I certainly appreciate the path my life has taken and what I perceive as God's hand guiding me to where I am today.

bmwcycle

Thanks for the post,

To me your logic is kind of like banging your head against a wall to fell better after you stop. Both are self inflicted wounds that when stopped you feel much better, the bigger question is why were you banging your head against the wall in the first place?


Don't get me wrong, I understand your perspective and praise you for the positive spin.

midgetcop

Hey now Winey, why are ya trying to pick a fight?

Back on topic - that's a tough one mwstylee. I hear what you're saying, and a part of me feels the same way. I might not be the person I am now without those experiences. But it's almost impossible to tell what path my life might have taken if alcohol weren't in the picture.

I *would* rather be grateful for what I have now rather than play that mental loop of regret constantly.

Tippingpoint

I don't really think of myself as an alcoholic as such.

I was a little disappointed to see my addiction to alcohol evolve and blossom as it did over the past 20 years or so. I'm thankful that I was able to recognize the problem as a problem and I am incredibly thankful that I had enough love for myself and my family to make the hard choice to never drink again.

That's about it though.

Zee

Tippingpoint... The glass was empty! (See the previous post)

Back of topic. I am thankful for the 190 odd days of being sober. Still get the anxiety, but that was around before I ever touched a drop. Everything seems more positive. I now have money in the bank (I used to spend £70+ a week on booze... my god!) I don't feel guilty any more when I speak to friends and family because I know Im not going to say somthing stupid or hurtfull! ... I could explain it like I have just cleaned a really dusty dirty room...opened the curtains and let the sunshine in. Its enjoyable, it really is!

wellwisher

I am grateful to have gone through what I have gone through.

I have my regrets, sure, and I had a boatload of shame to contend with, but in the final analysis, I can't say my life to date has been boring - the good, the bad and the ugly. It is what makes me, me. I've learned a lot about people and even more about myself.

Probably easier to say from this side of recovery. If you would have asked me all those years ago while active, I probably would have lashed out at anyone who would even try to imply that I would be grateful for my alcoholic experience. After all, haters will be hating...

I hope everyone finds peace in recovery.

eh1988

It definitely teaches you to appreciate the smaller things in life. But am I thankful for having been an alcoholic? Nope. I wish I never went down that road, and I wouldn't wish the hell I went through upon even my worst of enemies.