Hello, and end of day one
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 13
Hello, and end of day one
Hi everyone. Very nice to find this site as I'm gathering my support system and relearning how to live sober again.
It's been a bumpy past 4 months... After 9 or 10 years of sobriety, I started drinking after I got out of the ER in March. I'm coming out of a year of illness and pain and medication, and drinking came along after a while too. Not an excuse, that's just what happened, what I decided to do. I was at a physical and psychological edge, I felt nothing mattered, so I drank.
So weird that I'm here, on day one, but I'm ready to learn and looking forward to long term sobriety again. I know it can be tough, but that is my goal. So just wanted to introduce myself and say thanks for being here.
It's been a bumpy past 4 months... After 9 or 10 years of sobriety, I started drinking after I got out of the ER in March. I'm coming out of a year of illness and pain and medication, and drinking came along after a while too. Not an excuse, that's just what happened, what I decided to do. I was at a physical and psychological edge, I felt nothing mattered, so I drank.
So weird that I'm here, on day one, but I'm ready to learn and looking forward to long term sobriety again. I know it can be tough, but that is my goal. So just wanted to introduce myself and say thanks for being here.
Re-Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,909
Welcome to SR, Tilly4Me! I highly suggest joining and actively participating in the Class of July 2015 thread found on this same forum. It's a great way to learn from and help others who are in early recovery. Wishing you the best tonight!
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 13
Thanks everyone 
Delilah1, I think it was nearly 10 years... I lost track after a while! But for me I was in intensive therapy for a year before I could get any time together, and then I went to AA. I relapsed after one year (on 2 puffs of weed! but it was more my mindset really). But it was really one day at at time until thoughts of drinking receded into the background, for the most part.
I would say it got easier after 2 or 3 years. All I can say is I got a lot of help, I did a lot of inner work, and I had a spiritual life (retreats, books etc). I also took up the cello which was incredibly hard, oh and went to graduate college. I recommend something to keep one's mind occupied! (I think of "addicts" as bored intelligent sensitive dog breeds).
On the other hand, after quite a number of years, you forget how much you suffer when you drink. So I take this relapse as a gift perhaps
Well, just had Epson Salt bath and now to bed,
Delilah1, I think it was nearly 10 years... I lost track after a while! But for me I was in intensive therapy for a year before I could get any time together, and then I went to AA. I relapsed after one year (on 2 puffs of weed! but it was more my mindset really). But it was really one day at at time until thoughts of drinking receded into the background, for the most part.
I would say it got easier after 2 or 3 years. All I can say is I got a lot of help, I did a lot of inner work, and I had a spiritual life (retreats, books etc). I also took up the cello which was incredibly hard, oh and went to graduate college. I recommend something to keep one's mind occupied! (I think of "addicts" as bored intelligent sensitive dog breeds).
On the other hand, after quite a number of years, you forget how much you suffer when you drink. So I take this relapse as a gift perhaps
Well, just had Epson Salt bath and now to bed,
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 5,937
Welcome, Tilly! I like the comparison between alcoholics and intelligent dogs- very apt. Our brains don't seem to like the 'down time'. Congrats on all the sober time you had in. Even though you relapsed I'm confident that you can draw on your experiences and hard won knowledge from those years to get back on track.
We have to stay vigilant. I'm creeping up on three years sober myself and I'm well aware that one drink would send me back to where I was at the beginning.
We have to stay vigilant. I'm creeping up on three years sober myself and I'm well aware that one drink would send me back to where I was at the beginning.
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 13
Originally Posted by MythOfSisyphus 
Welcome, Tilly! I like the comparison between alcoholics and intelligent dogs- very apt. Our brains don't seem to like the 'down time'. Congrats on all the sober time you had in. Even though you relapsed I'm confident that you can draw on your experiences and hard won knowledge from those years to get back on track.
We have to stay vigilant. I'm creeping up on three years sober myself and I'm well aware that one drink would send me back to where I was at the beginning.
We have to stay vigilant. I'm creeping up on three years sober myself and I'm well aware that one drink would send me back to where I was at the beginning.
Yes, it does feel a little different this time around. I know what to do, I just have to do it
Get support from many areas (I love the online aspect, this is fantastic!), I'm going back to therapy to do some work, keep up daily exercises, get back to my spiritual routines, go back to meetings (not because I'm so AA, but togetherness in a common cause feels good), journaling... Stay vigilant -- EXACTLY. The good part is I'm not around a lot drinkers as I was the first time around, so no need to unload a ton of unhealthy friendships.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
