Hello and an apology
Forum Leader
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Hello and an apology
Hello Everyone:
I come back to all of you after being gone from here for several months. My exit was mostly related to COVID fears/anxiety/etc and many of those fears did indeed come true in the last 8 months. The details are not all that important as we all faced adversity and still do. I did not drink at all and I am proud of that, but I am not proud that I pulled away from this community which supported me so much over all my years here. So even though I did not drink, I certainly saw some of my addictive tendencies - avoidance and fear for the most part. I see a lot of new names but many of the same too, which is comforting in itself. I have not as much time to spend online as I once did due to losing my job and finding a new one, but I very much want to try and make SR a daily part of my life once again.
I come back to all of you after being gone from here for several months. My exit was mostly related to COVID fears/anxiety/etc and many of those fears did indeed come true in the last 8 months. The details are not all that important as we all faced adversity and still do. I did not drink at all and I am proud of that, but I am not proud that I pulled away from this community which supported me so much over all my years here. So even though I did not drink, I certainly saw some of my addictive tendencies - avoidance and fear for the most part. I see a lot of new names but many of the same too, which is comforting in itself. I have not as much time to spend online as I once did due to losing my job and finding a new one, but I very much want to try and make SR a daily part of my life once again.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
Welcome back Scott! I'm back too, haha, but I was gone longer.. and I did drink.. on and off for the past 3 years (after quitting in Aug 2013). Good job on keeping your sobriety going during tough times.
I hope you're well. I have mild OCD and the Covid situation has been kinda rough for me too, but fortunately am retired and don't need to work. But I really want to get back overseas so that's the bummer for me.
I hope you're well. I have mild OCD and the Covid situation has been kinda rough for me too, but fortunately am retired and don't need to work. But I really want to get back overseas so that's the bummer for me.
Glad you've been able to get through it without drinking 
Life Goes On
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 6,069
The way I see it, there's nothing to feel bad about now, and absolutely no need to apologize to us in general. The important thing is that you took the step to come back. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for you, but hope you have found relief in having done so. Clearly, people love you and are just happy to see you. 
I'm glad you're back and hope you find a way to nurture yourself by availing yourself of the support you've so freely given to others.
O
I'm glad you're back and hope you find a way to nurture yourself by availing yourself of the support you've so freely given to others.
O
Forum Leader
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Thank you all for the thoughtful and uplifting replies. And yes this past year has been exhausting/surreal/unprecedented in so many ways, for everyone. One of my deepest fears has always been exactly what is playing out with the pandemic so confronting that part of it has probably been the hardest. Ironically, after I lost my job I took a temporary consulting position working for a hospital network that was smack dab in the middle of one of the hardest hit locations in the world for COVID. I initially thought that i'd be jumping out of my skin at every turn even though most of my work is remote, but i've learned so much from the people around me about courage and drive to fight this thing that it's been amazing. I see a lot of that in the people here on SR too - so many of you are here each and every day, just like I was for many years - we keep coming back to help others and help ourselves at the same time.
I have also seen the dark side of addiction much more up close and personal on the behavioral and clinical side of things, it is truly a pandemic of it's own that's getting even worse while the viral pandemic does show signs of hope that it may be waning some.
I have also seen the dark side of addiction much more up close and personal on the behavioral and clinical side of things, it is truly a pandemic of it's own that's getting even worse while the viral pandemic does show signs of hope that it may be waning some.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,443
I am so very glad you are OK dear Scott ~ working on the front lines of all of this has got to be the toughest thing anyone has ever done.
Also very glad you are back with us on SR. 
❤️
Also very glad you are back with us on SR.
❤️
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