SoberRo

I really like numbers. I like to keep track … I think one of the reasons I’m so terribly alcoholic is that once I’ve had a drink or two, I stop being so anal/in control and I feel “freed from” that aspect of myself.

But drinking has ruined my life and caused me great depression, so of course I’m completely imprisoned when I am drinking. But, back to the numbers …

When I quit smoking I had a counter on my phone. I got obsessed by checking it; watching days, hours, minutes even. It gave me a sense of progress. But on Friday I got sh!tfaced and lost all of my worldly possessions including my phone (again), and so now I know that I’ve done about seven weeks smoke free, but I can’t be especially accurate or neurotic about it. And because I don’t keep reminding myself that I’m X days quit, I don’t really think about it (apart from just now, with this post!).

So I’m wondering, what is the best way to tackle giving up drinking? I feel like the idea of one day at a time has only just become clear to me; it’s about living soberly now, and not being concerned about how long you’ve been, or are going to go, without alcohol. So does that mean that counting our days sober is counterproductive?

I’m just interested on what others think about this. I haven’t got an answer for it myself, but I know that losing my phone has definitely made quitting smoking seem like less of a thing.

Michael66

I found it really nice to notch up the first days (the most difficult time) and then weeks and months. I don't think it's the be-all and end-all and there's much more to our drinking history than the last drink we had, but I personally found it motivating.

But, if it is not helpful or motivational then I don't think people should worry about it.

DarkDays

Day 421. Yes I like counting

mecanix

At the begining those days are very hard won and i think anyone should be rightly proud of the achievement ..
as time goes on it is just another day in a long line of days . i find it a bit of a laugh to achieve round numbers , a year and stuff like that .

Today is day 555 for instance

Day 3

Bestwishes, M

doggonecarl

I don't think counting is a prerequisite to recovery. People count or don't count, probably based on what they are inclined to do. I doubt if it has any reflection on getting or staying sober. Counting is not a recovery tool. It's just a way to measure your sober time.

I've seen postings where chronic relapsers blame counting for their return to drinking and vow to stop counting. Maybe some of them will post and tell you about their success.

Myself, I count...the months. They're easier. I don't have to use the sobertime calculator.

919 days sober!

ABIDEBYLAW

Not big on counting.... day 26 i think....... whatever works for each person
if i counted the days until retirement (self imposed by having a child with a nut), if i counted the days sober vs the days drunk (self imposed)...... i would get depressed.
Better for me to think about the here and now, the positives.... not the #'s....
My good job, getting another job, taking some classes, working on my health/relationships, self respect, assisting others to right their lives, volunteering.....
Acting on the positives works for me

ReadyAtLast

I love counting though don't do it daily now at 3 months. I know it's not for everyone but for me it's counting away from something I want to get far away from (last drink)

It works for me and the more days I get the more of an achievement it seems, Totally agree with all the other comments though improving life etc ,it's not JUST counting days

Sasha4

Love counting personally!
It makes me really proud of myself.
I also look to how many days it will be the next day and that motivates me even more.

Better to be obsessive about counting than drinking!

SoberForMySon

I plan to count days through March, then count months , to each his own

YouRmySunshine

I consider every 24 hours a victory. Every time I am blessed with another sober 24 hours, yes I keep track. Eventually I'm sure it will turn to months & years, but I have to ALWAYS remember I need to be accountable for each 24 hours, Not being complacent.

So for today, I have strung 56 of those 24 hours in a row, and grateful for each.

Peace, Heres to another 24 hours for us all!

2granddaughters

Ro, the only thing that got me sober and kept me sober was AA.

That was 8637 days ago.

All the best.

Bob R

least

Now that I have three years I count in years. Besides, they go by so quick may as well count by years...

neferkamichael

SoberRo, How do you feel about counting? (Day three, btw!)? You are FANTASTIC . Congratulations. Day, 970 no boozes. Day, 545 no crack. Day, 270 no cigarettes.

Lyoness

I have mixed feelings about counting days for myself. In the past I have tended to get fanatical about things and I'm afraid if I get too hung up on counting days I will fall into my old fanatical mindtrap. On the other hand, I would like to be able to say that I have x days/weeks/months clean.

I'm an opiate addict and am taking suboxone to help me and I guess that makes me feel indecisive about whether or not I am truly clean. Some days I feel absolutely yes, others no. Really, I think I am still addicted in my mind and find myself reaching for other meds to fill that gaping hole so I think it's not so much about the suboxone as about feeling like I am really, truly clean and not living in addictive thinking.

For now I am just doing the best I can, going to counseling and doing my suboxone taper. And I feel happy for others here when I see them post that they've made it a day or a week or a month or a year.

Dee74

Some people like to count, others don't.
Some people get really invested in whatever their way is, too....

I think the important thing is to stop drinking...not whether we count or not

D

Anna

I didn't really count at all. I remember noticing the 3-month point and I was shocked that I had gotten that far. But, as Dee said, I tried to focus on the recovery aspect, rather than the numbers.

Lyoness

Hey, you are fantastic, too! Congratulations!

I guess another thing I do like about counting is how inspiring and hope giving it is when I see how well others like you are doing.

LexieCat

I like to count, personally. I loved getting my 30, 60 and 90-day coins, my six-month, and now my yearly ones. I don't get anal about exactitude, but I do like to look at how much better my life is the further I am from my last drink. Counting gives me a way to measure the distance. Of course, it certainly doesn't measure the quality of sobriety, but it's still worth something, IMO. I worked for my four and a half years. I also know that time is gone if I drink. Well--not gone, but I could be right back where I started without too much effort.

FreeFall

At the beginning I counted days. As it got easier I counted weeks. Now I'm counting months. I found the counting aspect helpful in thinking like this at tough times: "I made it 13 days, I can certainly do one more" or "You've done 4 months, what's another day or two?"

I found thinking through the whole drinking experience more helpful than counting. Instead of "I'm going to go out and party tonight and have a good time" it turned into "I'm going out drinking and I'll spend money I can't spare, worry about getting a dui, probably say something I regret, won't remember the fun that I had, and will feel like absolute crap tomorrow".

Threshold

I personally found counting counter productive for me. I'd get all nervous and stupid around "milestone" days...30,60,90. I hated getting up and having people clap for me, I hated just keeping track, it kept ME focused on the wrong things.

I know I quite drugging around Jan 1, and that I quit drinking the day of my divorce, so I generally know how long it's been, but keeping track of numbers just stresses me.

This is true in all areas of my life, not just my sobriety. I am not a time keeping or numbers sort of person.