goneriding

Three cheers to Blaze for that link. I totally agree - I really enjoyed the AVRT approach and believe that this is the way to go. As a matter of fact - I am going to the site right now.

bookie12

Cathy - I was 44 years old. I do believe that I finally decided to "grow up" which had a lot to do with my decision to get and remain sober.

Bookie12

Csmcjewl

Alright, Oddly I seem to be one of the 'youngin's' here. I came on here for the first time 3/03 and didn't actually quit until 12/09/03 while I was 23 yrs old. Here it is 1 yr 4 mo later, still sober and 25 yrs old now!
It took a lot for me to get sober but, once it stuck, it stuck......I use a combination of AA, Smart, Journaling and here to maintain my sobriety. Oh, and I ditched all the old friends too.
Stacey aka Csmcjewl

Little Saz

Hiya - I signed up here a while ago. And now I am back again, still giving up and going back to it again! I hope that this time will the "the one".

I am 17 years old, last drink was last night. I had given up for a week or so before then. I'm real up and down at the moment with it, but my 'relapses' are getting shorter and last night just made me more determined. I woke up actually NOT liking alcohol!!!


Saz x

bookie12

Little Saz,

We usually feel that way the morning after. Best wishes.

Bookie12

reborn

Great post Michael. I'm 50, last drink was 1/1/05. Sobriety, what a gift.

Time2Surrender

42

Patrickk

Good to hear all the success stories here.Me,Im a 35 year old "wanna-be",still.I will say Ive never gave more than 50% to get sober.It seems some of us just want to keep thinking change but have no "real" desire to actually get sober.I guess Im waiting for "the big one" in my mind to get me to take sobriety seriously.Im back to where I was about 5 years ago,drinking and functioning fine,but,I still have this desire for alcohol free lifestyle.Im very ambitious when not drinking,and laid back when being a "beer-drinker".So,I guess 36 MAY be the magical number for me.

3legacy

((((((Cathy)))))))
Thank you and a wiggle back atchya.

I was 32. First view of AA was 10 years before that, but I was obviously not ready at 22. I had not come to them, they were coming to see me and others inside a "housing unit". I was not willing or able to even recognize the road I had placed myself upon back then was that of a fatal progression. Nor was I aware of just how powerless I already was and how unmanagable my life was quickly becoming. It was a good way to get out of -- a cell and some of the immediate troubles I was in. I enjoyed seeing the "ladies" who came in and nibbing upon the cookies which they brought inside.

Over the years, Suggestions were made by friends, courts, mental health professionals, etc... that I try out a few alternative methods for my drinking problem. These were again made the last couple years of my drinking. I gave a couple of them an honest try the last year of my drinking and still failed utterly.

Since coming into A.A. in 1991, I grasped ahold of the :aasmile as a only a drowning man :sink would.

I have not found it necessary to pick up the first drink since honestly surrendering to the fact that MY WAY never worked for me personally.

I was told upon entering the doors that I did not "have to" pick up the first drink ever again -- whether I wanted to or not. Personal responsibility was also a pretty strong message being carried in the first group I attended. The AA WAY certainly has worked even despite my best efforts of sabbotage.

I was told, "Slips and relapse are not a part of recovery, they are the opposite of it. Otherwise everyone in recovery would continue to relapse time and again." Today that makes more and more sense to me for some reason.

((((((((Cathy))))))))) ty for the thread. PS I am 46 years old today and by the Grace & Mercy of God, the power which I've come to find in A.A.'s Three Legacies, I have not had to pick up the first drink in 14+ years. One day at a time I have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body even with my sometimes **** poor application of the spiritual solution AA affords us all. That is, if we want it bad enough.

Cathy31

That's so amazing 3legs - thank you so much for sharing!!!
Cathy31
x

pav

I woke up on April 6th of this year and I was done after 14 years of heavy drinking. On paper I have a pretty good life, but I realized that the only thing I really cared about was alcohol. I thought to myself " I know all about what it's like to live life on 12 - 20 beers a day, but what's it like to live life sober ? " I still don't know, but I've made a very personal commitment to find out. Maybe I'm naive, but I can't imagine ever going back to that ****** way of living; I got more pleasure out of mowing my grass and working on my garden today than I can remember having since I was a kid. I'm 38.

3legacy

((((((((Pav))))))))))
Just exactly what I needed to read tonight before heading to bed. Thanks for sharing a wonderful part of my own personal miracle.

Oh Yeah, and Welcome to Sober Recovery! Stick around, I just might need some more of your help.

Kiss Heart of Spirit
In Love & Service,
3 Legacy

2dayzmuse

Yet another 43 year old who finally decided to wise up and get sober.

Time4Me11

Wow...I am feeling like the "in crowd" for once in my life! I had been beating myself up for not getting to this much earlier...

42 years old here.

spirit

hig gang, well 43 seems to be the age hey. i was 43 when i admitted to myself what others already knew. i put down for about 3 months, then picked up again, have done so on and off over the past 18 months.

however, i have come back to these boards to be inspired and WOW what a thread, i certainly am inspired. thanks guys, maybe my 7 days without a drink is a pretty good thing after all

hugs to you all
kath

GG733

I was 26 when I came in on 9/13/94, I consider 9/14/94 my true sobriety date because it was my first day truly sober. No relapses...yet.