Kingman063

If you've been involved with this grotesque cycle of chasing your next drink or fix for sometime i think you can relate...I can recall several times in my life that i actually put down the drugs and alcohol for a month, maybe two and my longest period of abstinence , nine months. I am 35 yrs old and that run with sobriety happened when i was 30 and going through the most painful marital turbulence of my life. My wife had had enough of me ignoring her and giving all my attention to drugs and alcohol. She put up with years and years of my selfish actions all the while trying her best to be supportive and learn what she could do as my wife to help my situation. I was never grateful or receptive to her attempts at helping me help my self and she did what any person who has given there all to someone that doesn't want to accept it does, she left me. The pain and emptiness i felt when she left was the most gut wrenching nightmare i have experienced in my life...I immediately got on the wagon and quit everything cold turkey, cigarettes,alcohol, and any and all drugs. We were separated for approximately 6 months and in that time i did daily work on my mind and body. She eventually saw enough improvement from a distance to return. All was well for the first 6 months or so and then we went to Vegas...For the past 5 years since we returned from Vegas i have pretty much left the drugs alone and focused my stinkin thinkin on becoming a full blown alcoholic. I took my last drink on 1/1/12 and i vow to make that my last...sorry for rambling on but the point i wanted to make is we as people suffering from the disease of addiction seem to always let something really unpleasant or worse to happen before we wake up.To anyone this post reaches, please don't give alcohol or drugs anymore opportunities to be thing that tells you WHEN to quit because of incarceration, loss or death...While you have your sobriety now, keep it and cherish it for the rest of your life...That way you can always feel comfortable in knowing YOU said enough was enough not the junk...good luck.

Itchy

I couldn't say it any better, and I will continue to take that advice personally.

jocata

People will sometimes say that you have to hit a bottom before we stop abusing drugs and alcohol. I say you can put the shovel down anytime.

Great post. Wishing you the best.

God bless.

quitforme79

great post kingman, you are so on point. This will be a post I keep reading over and over..hope to see you in the threads

Inca

Very insightful post. I really don't know why it sometimes takes an alcoholic a trip to the dark side before we put a stop to the madness. It's a chaotic disease that takes us in one direction. DOWN! Agree with you completely that cherishing sobriety and reminding myself everyday the reasons why I decided to quit is critical for me.

1undone

I've often been told my elevator doesnt reach the bottom floor. For me the bottom would be death. So I hear ya! I have to be careful every day.

Fubarcdn

Good luck to you Kingman.
This is a very powerful message. If you get the urge to drink I hope you will reread it and follow the excellent advice posted here.