Why are you where you are in sobriety
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Rural OK
Posts: 329
Why are you where you are in sobriety
Just curious, What one thing, or couple of things, can you point to;
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 165
This may sound a little simple, but this is the condensed version. I'll try to expand upon this later, but here are my answers
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
Being tired of the life I was "living".
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
Loving the life I'm living now. And having absolutely no interest in going back.
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
Being tired of the life I was "living".
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
Loving the life I'm living now. And having absolutely no interest in going back.
Ethanol Intolerant
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 665
1. I was getting no relief from drinking and I came to realize the biggest contributor to my suffering was drinking. I have no illusions about myself here, if drinking was still working, I’d still be drinking.
2. God does not want me too….errrrr, thats not it
….I have some things to learn before I die. If life has a purpose, then discovering what that purpose might be, surely must be part of it. Besides, I am happier than I have been for decades, I feel healthy and vigorous, and I enjoy breathing in and out.
2. God does not want me too….errrrr, thats not it
….I have some things to learn before I die. If life has a purpose, then discovering what that purpose might be, surely must be part of it. Besides, I am happier than I have been for decades, I feel healthy and vigorous, and I enjoy breathing in and out.
Moment of Conception
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Planet Tragedy
Posts: 453
1. I had a strange exp' when i landed at the bottom of Alcoholism, thought i was going to either loose my mind or die right there.
2. I have a (new) life now with some kind of understanding for it, not going to throw it away for the sake of a head change from a bottle.
2. I have a (new) life now with some kind of understanding for it, not going to throw it away for the sake of a head change from a bottle.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 223
Great question.
good exercise to put it down on paper
The main thing that got me sober was deciding to.
I had been hiding from this decision for a long time. It seemed like something I couldn't do. In the back of my mind I knew that this drinking thing wasn't working for me. I was scared of waking up a few years from now an old lady alcoholic. I was ashamed of myself.
What got me on the road to making that decision was coming here and reading about everyones experiences, sharing our problem and how everyone deals with it. The last time I drunk I blacked out, woke up the next morning, can't describe it but I had a strong clear decision, I am not drinking again.
How do I stay sober. So far its been because I decide to & also because I feel so good not drinking. I appreciate waking up feeling ok, how novel! I didn't realize how much the drink probably contributed toward a mild depression, that is lifting. I feel 20 lbs lighter having made this decision, why did I battle it for so long? Probably because it is a disease that we can't help, that is another thing that helps me, knowing that it is an illness for some of us. I'm in the 12% of monkeys that are steady drinkers category LOL
Another thing to add is that I am mid 40's. I am young at heart and was more often than not IDed when buying booze. I think all of my life experiences have lead up to this point. I read the posts by younger folks here and deeply admire their insight and maturity. Its great we are a lot more open about these issues now days and we have the internet and places like this to help us. I felt so alone back then and came from the sort of upbringing where you didn't tackle any issues, you just held it all in. Feels good to share
good exercise to put it down on paper
The main thing that got me sober was deciding to.
I had been hiding from this decision for a long time. It seemed like something I couldn't do. In the back of my mind I knew that this drinking thing wasn't working for me. I was scared of waking up a few years from now an old lady alcoholic. I was ashamed of myself.
What got me on the road to making that decision was coming here and reading about everyones experiences, sharing our problem and how everyone deals with it. The last time I drunk I blacked out, woke up the next morning, can't describe it but I had a strong clear decision, I am not drinking again.
How do I stay sober. So far its been because I decide to & also because I feel so good not drinking. I appreciate waking up feeling ok, how novel! I didn't realize how much the drink probably contributed toward a mild depression, that is lifting. I feel 20 lbs lighter having made this decision, why did I battle it for so long? Probably because it is a disease that we can't help, that is another thing that helps me, knowing that it is an illness for some of us. I'm in the 12% of monkeys that are steady drinkers category LOL
Another thing to add is that I am mid 40's. I am young at heart and was more often than not IDed when buying booze. I think all of my life experiences have lead up to this point. I read the posts by younger folks here and deeply admire their insight and maturity. Its great we are a lot more open about these issues now days and we have the internet and places like this to help us. I felt so alone back then and came from the sort of upbringing where you didn't tackle any issues, you just held it all in. Feels good to share
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 38
1. My life was becoming dangerously destructive, both to myself and those around me. I was given the choice by my wife of going into rehab or finding somewhere else to live.
2. I'm getting so much more out of life now, I love being sober.
2. I'm getting so much more out of life now, I love being sober.
Proud Neonephalist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Coast BC Canada
Posts: 1,141
1. Recognizing I was heading for a slow, ugly death from complications due to alcohol.
2. Realizing that just one drink can put me back from where I stepped off the one-way downward slope of alcoholism.
Murray
2. Realizing that just one drink can put me back from where I stepped off the one-way downward slope of alcoholism.
Murray
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Rural OK
Posts: 329
azureseas, What a wonderful- heartfelt response;
“I’m in the 12% of monkeys that are steady drinker’s category" Love that quote!
I can relate to much of what you wrote in your post. Like you, I also am glad to have a place like this to express opinions and get advice when needed.(daily) Glad you chose to join us!
Murry, no way I could have said it better!
“I’m in the 12% of monkeys that are steady drinker’s category" Love that quote!
I can relate to much of what you wrote in your post. Like you, I also am glad to have a place like this to express opinions and get advice when needed.(daily) Glad you chose to join us!
Murry, no way I could have said it better!
Cause no harm
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Missouri
Posts: 596
1. Adverse physical manifestations directly related to excessive alcohol intake.
2. A greater realization of the power of addiction and its control over my life if I should continue to allow it to progress.
2. A greater realization of the power of addiction and its control over my life if I should continue to allow it to progress.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal CA
Posts: 1,319
1. Because of health concerns, ultimatum from the wife, and didn't want to embarrass my son.
2. Because I finally want to, consciously and subconsciously. I have no more excuses to drink, and if I didn't get enough in 27 years, I will never get enough so why bother.
2. Because I finally want to, consciously and subconsciously. I have no more excuses to drink, and if I didn't get enough in 27 years, I will never get enough so why bother.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 165
I had my first encounter with recovery twenty years ago when I went into an inpatient rehab at age 24. At that time I didn't want to face any of the negative consequences of drinking and using but I still wanted to use. I had been in and out of a certain fellowship that shall remain nameless several times in the last two decades and did a couple more outpatient rehabs. For me there were always self-fulfilling mind traps that sabotaged my success. But the biggest obstacle was that I continued to want to drink and use, I just didn't want any negative consequences.
All that changed in the last year or two when I developed a severe hate for my drinking and using. I never really hit a "bottom" in the sense of losing job, house, family or any of that stuff. But I had isolated myself so much that the impact of my drinking and using only affected me, my lack of relationships, my health and my happiness. Even so, I was so trapped in my drinking and using patterns that it took me the good part of almost two years to be able
to find an exit strategy from my destructive behavior. I had to literally start by trying to
visualize what my life could be like sober. It wasn't easy at first, but I eventually got to the point where I wanted sobriety so badly I picked up the phone and called to enter another outpatient rehab. I talked about that in the tread I started entitled "Giving it another try". Thanks to the rehab, SMART Recovery, diet, excercise, meditiation, a vision and goals for my life and some hard work I feel solid and confident in my recovery and know there is no turning back to that miserable existence I used to call life.
All that changed in the last year or two when I developed a severe hate for my drinking and using. I never really hit a "bottom" in the sense of losing job, house, family or any of that stuff. But I had isolated myself so much that the impact of my drinking and using only affected me, my lack of relationships, my health and my happiness. Even so, I was so trapped in my drinking and using patterns that it took me the good part of almost two years to be able
to find an exit strategy from my destructive behavior. I had to literally start by trying to
visualize what my life could be like sober. It wasn't easy at first, but I eventually got to the point where I wanted sobriety so badly I picked up the phone and called to enter another outpatient rehab. I talked about that in the tread I started entitled "Giving it another try". Thanks to the rehab, SMART Recovery, diet, excercise, meditiation, a vision and goals for my life and some hard work I feel solid and confident in my recovery and know there is no turning back to that miserable existence I used to call life.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 138
Originally Posted by luckedog 
Just curious, What one thing, or couple of things, can you point to;
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
2. I'm entirely convinced alcohol isn't for me at all and I have no significant problems with my behavior/actions with out it. Helps that I can have just as much if not more fun when sober.
It's been almost 8 months for me.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,941
1. I was an emotional mess. I had a lot of questions about my mental health. I realized that the only way to get to the bottom of things was to seek treatment. It turned out that I need dual-diagnosis treatment.
2. Its the only way to maintain any kind of emotional stability. Also maintaining descent physical health is important too.
2. Its the only way to maintain any kind of emotional stability. Also maintaining descent physical health is important too.
New to Real Life
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: I come in Peaces
Posts: 2,071
1. As being the main thing that got you sober!
The realization that I could not control my drinking, my fears about sober living were unfounded and life really would be better without alcohol.
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
I was right. Life is better
I also have children (2, soon to be 3) and in spite of all my denial over the past 5 years there really is no such things a good, alcoholic mother. My children deserve a good mother.
The realization that I could not control my drinking, my fears about sober living were unfounded and life really would be better without alcohol.
2. The main reason you STAY sober now?
I was right. Life is better
I also have children (2, soon to be 3) and in spite of all my denial over the past 5 years there really is no such things a good, alcoholic mother. My children deserve a good mother.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Dallas, Tx
Posts: 2,405
1. I was in the hospital from a RX drug overdose which burned a hole in my liver and was told I would die a slow painful death if I continued to drink the way I was so I quit
2. I don't want to die a slow painful death and I LIKE myself now
2. I don't want to die a slow painful death and I LIKE myself now
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Coastal North Carolina
Posts: 70
Long time lurker.
1. I came home from work and was on my usual 3rd or 4th cocktail. My kids were building a home-made boat out of sticks, leaves, and whatever they could find in the yard to float on a pond next to the house. Through the screen door I overheard my daughter ask my son if they should come get Dad to help. My son answered "He won't be able to. He's already had a couple bourbons." It broke my heart. Like I had been shot.
2. See #1 above.
1. I came home from work and was on my usual 3rd or 4th cocktail. My kids were building a home-made boat out of sticks, leaves, and whatever they could find in the yard to float on a pond next to the house. Through the screen door I overheard my daughter ask my son if they should come get Dad to help. My son answered "He won't be able to. He's already had a couple bourbons." It broke my heart. Like I had been shot.
2. See #1 above.
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