Deuce85

What do you think is necessary to be successfull in recovery besides the want to get better?

Anna

I think balance is really important. So, I try to do something each day to help me physically, spiritually and mentally.

WantToHeal

Total commitment with a capital "C". I think you have to be all in. At least, that's where I think I have fallen short before. I always wanted to go back to drinking normally, which, let's be honest, is never going to happen for me. So for me personally, it needs to be full attention on creating a new life free from drugs and alcohol. Good luck!

BruceJ

The full realiziation of our situation and coming up with a way to remember how bad things are, later on when things are going better.

Dee74

I think the 'want' is important, but we need to back that up & be prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in recovery too

D

IndaMiricale

To know life is going to still happen , but learning to not drink over it.

I learned these valueable tools in AA. And love the life I have now. .

bloss

For me, staying in the present, not projecting myself into the future too far. I remember when my day is not going quite the way I want, it is so much better than when I was falling Down drunk or hung over.

hypochondriac

Honesty and gratitude x

MetalChick

My list of necessities is very long, but a big one for me is ignoring what I read and hear about the horrible relapse rates. I know part of me started to accept relapse as highly possible or even inevitable, but now I am set on not entertaining that thought.

Great post, Ttal914

2granddaughters

Committing to Alcoholics Anonymous was the only way that worked for me.

All the best.

Bob R

Sasha4

Time - the longer I don't drink, the easier it seems to get.
The thinking and obessing about drinking really decreases as my sober days stack up.
Now, it would seem strange to sit and drink and drink. Before, it would feel weird to not drink.

Threshold

For me it was honesty. Every time I lied to myself, I stumbled. Everytime I tried to believe some fabrication that I wished was true, I stumbled.

Honesty is the foundation of everything for me

zanzibar

What I think is necessary and what I do are two diferrent things.

What I do is make sure I don't drink today, and I do this over, and over, and over.

What I think is necessary is something along the lines of what Anna said.

candi7

My sobriety comes first! The simplest thing I can say is working a program (I'm in the AA program) and living one day at a time, and if that's not exactly possible-I live for moment by moment-till the day is done and I wake to face another day...

(Acronym- H.A.L.T.)It's primarily a suggestion for the newcomer, not to get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired (HALT). The thought is that one or more of these conditions can lead to a generally deteriorating attitude, which can lead to a drink.

When I started using H.A.L.T. I realized that I had started really taking care of my personal needs (usually I was thinking of everyone else but me) and I realized in doing this it kept me more aware of my physical condition... then...

I found I lacked self discipline and had no real structure to my life... SO

So I put myself on a schedule. I woke, brushed my teeth, dressed, fixed my hair, did my makeup.I call my sponsor, I read my Big Book (AA's Book), write in my Journal anything that I needed to work out in my head, I exercise (when I can), made my "to do list" for the day, chores (trying my best not to procrastinate on anything), Work (when I'm employed)-giving my employer 100%, come home to make dinner, MAKE A MEETING, take care of family needs, personal things like showering, etc, then journal some more. Talk to sponsor or my AA friends.. These things have become habits the longer that I have done them. Now life is getting easier... (I didn't list everything-but you can see the picture)...

Now, I find that I'm strongly working the steps of AA, I'm able to analyze what's going on with me, when I know all my basic needs are met-then I can see the pattern of anxiety, depression, moods, emotions, perceptions I face everyday. (journaling has helped me so much with this)

Now that I'm on the 4th step and making a fearless moral inventory-I see the patterns of how my life progressed. This is how I'm finding out my character defects.

And because I've found a higher power (of my own choosing-as directed by AA) I've come out of the selfish mode that I was in when I was drinking, not caring for myself or others as well... NOW I find I take pleasure in helping another recovering alcoholic-because I've been freely given so many blessings in Alcoholics Anonymous...

Scoob720

I think to believe in yourself and have that " never give up " attitude.....

tomsteve

i didnt drink today and am one day further away from who i was. successful for today.

onlythetruth

Total commitment, backed up by willingness to do whatever is necessary to keep that commitment.

Db1105

One thing my sponsor suggested was to write down my goals for what I wanted to do with my life. Staying sober was at the top and I've been able to achieve a lot of them. Some where unrealistic and had to be modified. Some I'm still working on.

PaperDolls

In the beginning .... the gift of desperation. That's what gave me the willingness.

Today ..... I cannot let myself believe that I don't need to continue to work on myself, to continue to grow.

wow04

The only way that worked for me was AA.