Thank You SR!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,476
Thank You SR!
A year ago (tomorrow) I decided that it was time to FINALLY end my relationship with alcohol. I had made many attempts at finding recovery in the past but failed miserably. The longest period of sobriety I was able to achieve was 3-11 months…until something stressful happened (family members death, discovery of husband’s infidelity, financial problems…) and I was right back down the rabbit hole for another few years. Every year the hangovers got more and more difficult to handle. My anxiety was off the roof, I gained over 60lbs and felt horrible about myself. I didn’t want to do anything but get numb and forget about how much I hated how I was treating myself. On Feb 22, 2017 I got out of my bed, looked at myself in the mirror and felt scared and hopeless! The person staring back at me in the mirror was not who I wanted to be and I knew that if I wanted to find happiness again, I HAD to take alcohol out of my life for good and make some major changes! It was time to make yet another attempt at finding true recovery!
After getting through the withdrawal period, I could feel my AV working overtime and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before I fell right back into my old lifestyle if I didn’t “switch it up”. In the past I had tried AA, worked through the 12-step program, read the BB (AA worked for my Mother and Brother, why wouldn’t it work for me?) with not success. While googling recovery online, I found SR. I found a new addiction, learning as much as possible about how to find true recovery by reading on this forum. Just like AA, I took what I wanted to take and left the rest. In the beginning, I was reading SR several times during the day. I watched videos that were suggested by fellow SR friends, read books that Anna shared and read every single link that Dee offered in how to create a plan. I put together a plan of action, stuck with it and 1 year later I am clean, sober and HAPPY again. I know I’m not out of the woods yet, but I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I was a year ago and if I could get past the last year, I feel that I can get through anything. Psst, there were a LOT of challenges during the year: Our business lost all our accounts and we were audited by the IRS. Not to mention struggles my marriage has endured. UGH…if that’s not enough to make one want to become numb again I don’t know what is! Getting through it all by using my recovery tools and believing in myself was empowering. Luckily, by staying the course, I made it through 2017’s hurdles without a drink and came through on the other side.
If there’s any advice that I can give to someone who is struggling to get to the point in recovery where you no longer fantasize/obsess about drinking, it’s to accept that you can never drink again and see it as the best choice you’ve ever made. Make it YOUR choice, give up the fight and do things that truly bring you joy and stay active. Create a plan and do NOT stray from your plan "even if your a** falls off"! When I think of how I was unable to do ANYTHING due to hangovers and feeling like crap, I cringe. Life is short my friends…don’t waste it!
Thank you SR!
CT
After getting through the withdrawal period, I could feel my AV working overtime and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before I fell right back into my old lifestyle if I didn’t “switch it up”. In the past I had tried AA, worked through the 12-step program, read the BB (AA worked for my Mother and Brother, why wouldn’t it work for me?) with not success. While googling recovery online, I found SR. I found a new addiction, learning as much as possible about how to find true recovery by reading on this forum. Just like AA, I took what I wanted to take and left the rest. In the beginning, I was reading SR several times during the day. I watched videos that were suggested by fellow SR friends, read books that Anna shared and read every single link that Dee offered in how to create a plan. I put together a plan of action, stuck with it and 1 year later I am clean, sober and HAPPY again. I know I’m not out of the woods yet, but I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I was a year ago and if I could get past the last year, I feel that I can get through anything. Psst, there were a LOT of challenges during the year: Our business lost all our accounts and we were audited by the IRS. Not to mention struggles my marriage has endured. UGH…if that’s not enough to make one want to become numb again I don’t know what is! Getting through it all by using my recovery tools and believing in myself was empowering. Luckily, by staying the course, I made it through 2017’s hurdles without a drink and came through on the other side.
If there’s any advice that I can give to someone who is struggling to get to the point in recovery where you no longer fantasize/obsess about drinking, it’s to accept that you can never drink again and see it as the best choice you’ve ever made. Make it YOUR choice, give up the fight and do things that truly bring you joy and stay active. Create a plan and do NOT stray from your plan "even if your a** falls off"! When I think of how I was unable to do ANYTHING due to hangovers and feeling like crap, I cringe. Life is short my friends…don’t waste it!
Thank you SR!
CT
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 666
Wow,
So very happy for you, Creative Thinker! Hear, hear to all you said. You are so right. Thank you, too, for all you've done to make SR such a warm and welcoming place.
SO excited for your year anniversary and continued happiness!
I know even more good things are coming your way.
So very happy for you, Creative Thinker! Hear, hear to all you said. You are so right. Thank you, too, for all you've done to make SR such a warm and welcoming place.
SO excited for your year anniversary and continued happiness!
I know even more good things are coming your way.
Thank you for being part of us. Not sure where I'd be without my SR family.
And thank you for sharing your experience. 
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,476
Originally Posted by PalmerSage 
I LOVE this post, thank you so much for sharing this! I must ask--did you lose the 60 pounds?
And to answer your question Palmer, I've lost all but 15lbs. YAY!!!!
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