FattyMcFatty

I'm on 110 days again!

This is me second time quitting, or my first time relapsing. I relapsed on Dec 24th(And the week or so prior to that).. I was very ashamed. Long story short, in my new meetings I have come to learn that several people relapse. In a way this made me feel better to know that i'm not a failure. I'm not fishing for compliments, just coming to some realizations that this disease is not a game, and it's not easy......

SOBERINNEPA

You're not a failure until you give up.

Relapses happen. I was sober for 18 years (no program), drank for 6 and now I'm sober for 7 months (AA). I know people here, and in AA, who relapse and come back. Some eventually put together long term sobriety.

110 days is a decent stretch. You should be feeling well physically, meaning you're well past detox stage.

Do you mean AA when you say "meetings"? Or are you in a different program?

Spawn

This past Feb 14 made it 13 years for me................I quit once.

THEOjibway

tough question. I can't really remember how many times I've relapsed. Lets say I joined AA 3 years ago.... been relapsing since I joined until now that I have gone beyond and managed 8 months of being sober so far. The longest I've been sober for the first time. But I'm not over confident because I'm closing in on my 1 year medallion and it doesn't feel like a year so I know I have to contain my alcoholism by not picking up that first drink and living one day at a time and I'm not thinking of the distant future anymore. Thinking I'll be sober till I die. no no. I think I won't drink for today and I'll be sober only for today. It's worked. I go by Live Today As If You Are Going To Die Tomorrow.

FattyMcFatty

Sorry, yes I was referring to AA meetings...

sugarbear1

I went to my first AA meeting in 1986. I will have 11 months, hopefully, this coming Monday, April 16, 2012.

I quit many times, but was only able to stay stopped for up to almost 3 years at a time. This time I worked the 12 steps of AA and it feels different. Each day I stay vigilant on my recovery. This time, I hope to stay stopped permanently.

Justfor1

I relapsed 1,298 times. Thank God I kept trying though & have been sober a while now.

Zebra1275

So far I've quit one more time than I've relapsed.

Dee74

I went back to drinking hundreds of times....but so far, God willing, McF I've only quit once - 5 years and holding.

This time, I made a commitment that nothing would be more important than my recovery, because without it, I'd have nothing.

You get out of your recovery what you put into it I think - it is possible to quit and be done with it - congratulations on 110 days

D

SparklingSeven

50 plus times over roughly a 14 year period. Sometimes for less than a day right up to two periods of just over a year. 2 years 2 and a half months sober at the moment which is my longest.

desertsong

Too many times to count ...

onlythetruth

I thought about trying to quit a bunch of times, but never did. I'd wake up in the morning saying "I'm not going to drink anymore!" but would be drunk that same evening.

Since I committed to quit for good, however, I have had no relapses.

penny74

1000 times and a lot of those times just a bit to late...

Scolova

I only consider my attempts that have lasted longer than one week to have been serious attempts at sobriety. I believe I've only had two times in the last 20 years that I have made it that long, sober. I judge by one week because I may have just been completely broke for a week, but still thought about the drink (or getting high) 100% of my days. I got 12 days back in April 2011... relapsed and drank all summer, with a couple 3 day reprieves. And now I'm on my 2nd (serious) go at it, at 200 days.
I enjoy the thread & Congrats everyone!

SomethingBetter

Has to be hundreds of times, I never counted but it's been my life story for many years...

Today is 416 days, not that I count everyday anymore but I will never forget the last time I quit.

It's been 329 days longer than I made it last time, I do not drink... at all, ever.

aeo1313

What exactly counts as a relapse? I will say I am done and go to an AA meeting and the next be back at it so I've never really relapsed because I've never really quit. (and yes, this is how it is even after my positive posts a few days ago)

CarolD

I finally gave up drinking after reading "Under The Influence" by Milam & Ketcham.....
took that info ..re-newed my faith in God and began the AA steps.

I have no idea how many times I returned to drinking after I wanted to stop.

Forward is the correct direction...

Firehazard

Wow Fatty, When I first saw the title to this thread I did not want to hash that out but now that others have i will.

Let us see:
1)Treatment Center three times,
2)white knuckled it for one year once(still healing from that one seven years ago),
3)Sober in AA once for 9months now
4)3 years and eight months.

Many would look at that and say that I quit four times but really it is three. This last time I did not quit I gave up completely.

It takes what it takes to get us well but it is definately not a game. I have had many friends who where there with me and are not with us.
Hope you can make it.

whatevername

Can't remember how many times, numerous rehabs, but I keep trying, longest sober stint was three years. Now its 8 days.

instant

This is my third time. Six months five or so years ago, Six weeks two years ago. Now closing in on 11 months. This time is different for me. I don't think I had ever done the process that the first steps of the BB and 12 steps describes