never want to forget the pain
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 476
never want to forget the pain
Today an one of my aa friends brother died from alcoholism,he Also was a part of my aa group for a month last summer. He went back out and drank himself to death. I didn't know him well but it reminded me were I've been. I re read some old posts before I got sober and was shocked that I forgot so much of pain I was in. I knew I had been in pain but forgot about how bad it truly was. I never want to forget how tragic this disease really is. I forgot so much a lot was truly a blur.
it makes so grateful that on jun 29 i will have a year. I will never forget were I came from.
David
it makes so grateful that on jun 29 i will have a year. I will never forget were I came from.
David
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,909
Congrats on the approaching year date. That is way cool!
I have been sober for 19 years now , but can still vividly remember the pain of my drinking and the subsequent mental hell and physical sensations of withdrawal, like it was yesterday. I don't dwell there by any stretch, but it is readily available if need be. Weird to think that I had tons of relapses... because I couldn't remember the pain of last week. Go figure!
The past is my friend, my ally, my teacher, and my mentor, Ready and available 24/7 should I need it. The past also helps me when I try to help other people who are struggling because it insures my ability to be empathetic and compassionate towards others because I remember, oh boy do I remember!
I have been sober for 19 years now , but can still vividly remember the pain of my drinking and the subsequent mental hell and physical sensations of withdrawal, like it was yesterday. I don't dwell there by any stretch, but it is readily available if need be. Weird to think that I had tons of relapses... because I couldn't remember the pain of last week. Go figure!
The past is my friend, my ally, my teacher, and my mentor, Ready and available 24/7 should I need it. The past also helps me when I try to help other people who are struggling because it insures my ability to be empathetic and compassionate towards others because I remember, oh boy do I remember!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: TN
Posts: 365
Sorry for your loss, but what strikes me as the most important about your post is the fact that you are playing that tape in your head about how it was and to never forget. See that's the mental change you need. I've got 8 years sober and the mental changes is what did it. You have to ask yourself every time a temptation or craving or any other silly attempt to rationalize drinking, do you want to go back to that life? Once you begin to think about all the misery and pain it's easy to not take that drink. Good job.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,526
David - Congrats on your almost one year - that is fabulous news.
I couldn't agree more about remembering where we've been. Those memories have kept me sober all these years. There is no way I could ever allow it back into my life. I'd be destroyed.
Thank you for a great post.
I couldn't agree more about remembering where we've been. Those memories have kept me sober all these years. There is no way I could ever allow it back into my life. I'd be destroyed.
Thank you for a great post.
Life is Grand
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,039
Indeed, remembering the pain helps me stay sober, I pray I never forget. I am sorry your friend did not make it, it is an unfortunate truth to this disease, if we get and stay sober, the sky is the limit for us, if we do not, there are no good outcomes.
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