Abstinence vs Sobriety
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Join Date: Apr 2018
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Abstinence vs Sobriety
Borrowed this from Mindfulman in another post. I thought this was a powerful message that stands on its own.
"White knuckling is abstinence, there needs to be sobriety, as abstinence alone is a terrible place to live."
"White knuckling is abstinence, there needs to be sobriety, as abstinence alone is a terrible place to live."
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Agree a million bajillion percent and times over.
And the second part I'd add is - we simply do not have to white knuckle it, go it alone, any of that. Whether it is AA or not (my choice) - others can and will help, and external strength from people and a program (and my HP) led me and keep me in a lifestyle of recovery. Way different than just being sober.
My wish for everyone who needs it is a life in recovery.
And the second part I'd add is - we simply do not have to white knuckle it, go it alone, any of that. Whether it is AA or not (my choice) - others can and will help, and external strength from people and a program (and my HP) led me and keep me in a lifestyle of recovery. Way different than just being sober.
My wish for everyone who needs it is a life in recovery.
Why thanks!
Agree a bizillion times with August as well. There is no need to do this alone.
In my case it was finding my authentic inner voice, but in a lot of ways that's really not so different from a HP. This would not have occurred without a lot of help, support and compassion from a number of people. Two rehabs, a psychiatrist, various therapists, three different 12 Step fellowships and one inter-fellowship group (with two home groups), the Buddha, SMART, AVRT, and last but not least the folks here at Sober Recovery, most def including the mods and admins that make this possible.
I've read that 60% of people who get and remain sober do so without the use of a program or group.
I have a feeling there are a lot of abstinent people out there, rather than sober people.
Agree a bizillion times with August as well. There is no need to do this alone.
In my case it was finding my authentic inner voice, but in a lot of ways that's really not so different from a HP. This would not have occurred without a lot of help, support and compassion from a number of people. Two rehabs, a psychiatrist, various therapists, three different 12 Step fellowships and one inter-fellowship group (with two home groups), the Buddha, SMART, AVRT, and last but not least the folks here at Sober Recovery, most def including the mods and admins that make this possible.
I've read that 60% of people who get and remain sober do so without the use of a program or group.
I have a feeling there are a lot of abstinent people out there, rather than sober people.
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 13
No matter the specific words, abstinence, recovery, sobriety. The lesson I got when I read this is that there are two ways for me to approach my journey. One is the white knuckle, I'm being punished but I can do this.(that's been my attitude before when I tried to quit. That hasn't worked for me).. Or the celebration of the freedom I will gain from not complicating my life with booze. Things get tough sometimes and me making a decision to no longer add a layer of post drunken anxiety and despair to my problems is something I'm excited about.
Ted,
Ime....the longer i abstain, the more sober i become.
I get more stable and content by the moment.
For me...exercise is my new drug.
There is no magic that occurs.
For me...it has been time and suffering.
Eventually, every addict must suffer. There is no easy.way out.
Thanks.
Ime....the longer i abstain, the more sober i become.
I get more stable and content by the moment.
For me...exercise is my new drug.
There is no magic that occurs.
For me...it has been time and suffering.
Eventually, every addict must suffer. There is no easy.way out.
Thanks.
Not by a lot, although it is an improvement.
They're both pretty miserable. Hopefully the dry drunk stage will be a stepping stone to sobriety. Hope you're sleeping better...that vampire sleep can be terrifying.
Abstinence is not drinking. Sobriety and recovery involve building a life you like better that doesn't contain substance use.
They're both pretty miserable. Hopefully the dry drunk stage will be a stepping stone to sobriety. Hope you're sleeping better...that vampire sleep can be terrifying.
Abstinence is not drinking. Sobriety and recovery involve building a life you like better that doesn't contain substance use.
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 51
Not by a lot, although it is an improvement.
They're both pretty miserable. Hopefully the dry drunk stage will be a stepping stone to sobriety. Hope you're sleeping better...that vampire sleep can be terrifying.
Abstinence is not drinking. Sobriety and recovery involve building a life you like better that doesn't contain substance use.
They're both pretty miserable. Hopefully the dry drunk stage will be a stepping stone to sobriety. Hope you're sleeping better...that vampire sleep can be terrifying.
Abstinence is not drinking. Sobriety and recovery involve building a life you like better that doesn't contain substance use.
there are some people that are able to abstain and get on with a nice life.
there are alcoholics that abstinence just makes a dry drunk. a visit to the friends and family forum here shows many,many examples of that.
myself, abstinence wasnt enough. i had very short intervals of not drinking in my past and those times i was a miserable SOB. i needed more than to not drink to have freedom.
Thank you for a simple formula that makes sense, and doesn't send the common message that I'm "doing it wrong!"
The semantics over words like abstinent, sober, recovering, dry...I find those discussions very disheartening. For some of us, not drinking is enough, believe it or don't. My knuckles are not white, I'm not barely hanging on, I don't kick puppies, or cry myself to sleep -- I just don't drink alcohol anymore, and I never will again. While it's only been a year, I can say that with confidence because I feel its truth in my heart.
The semantics over words like abstinent, sober, recovering, dry...I find those discussions very disheartening. For some of us, not drinking is enough, believe it or don't. My knuckles are not white, I'm not barely hanging on, I don't kick puppies, or cry myself to sleep -- I just don't drink alcohol anymore, and I never will again. While it's only been a year, I can say that with confidence because I feel its truth in my heart.
Thank you for a simple formula that makes sense, and doesn't send the common message that I'm "doing it wrong!"
The semantics over words like abstinent, sober, recovering, dry...I find those discussions very disheartening. For some of us, not drinking is enough, believe it or don't. My knuckles are not white, I'm not barely hanging on, I don't kick puppies, or cry myself to sleep -- I just don't drink alcohol anymore, and I never will again. While it's only been a year, I can say that with confidence because I feel its truth in my heart.
The semantics over words like abstinent, sober, recovering, dry...I find those discussions very disheartening. For some of us, not drinking is enough, believe it or don't. My knuckles are not white, I'm not barely hanging on, I don't kick puppies, or cry myself to sleep -- I just don't drink alcohol anymore, and I never will again. While it's only been a year, I can say that with confidence because I feel its truth in my heart.
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