Winginit

Hello all,
I'm new to this site. First one I wanted to join. I've been through the usual story: progressive dysfunction, unmanageability, loss of relationships, jobs, trouble with the law, until it couldn't get any worse and there was no way out, nowhere else to run. 5 months of rehabs and relapses until I finally got it.
Coming up on a year now! I see that 24% relapse after 1 year. I hope that doesn't happen to me. How could it? Did someone hold that 24% down and force them to drink alcohol?
AA's been really good, but never landed a sponsor. I'm not good at returning calls from my family, never mind a stranger. I don't like meetings where you get picked and forced up to the podium. I do believe in a Higher Power. After my experience, that part is a no-brainer. Grateful for that beyond words.
Sober life is happy & peaceful. It's amazing that the things we thought were hopeless or ruined, aren't!
Some troubles during my first year: weight gain!, started smoking in rehab, procrastination, need to start going to meetings again, worry about damage to my body from alcohol, although I feel fine. My sig other (who is sober naturally) says I'm still not back to normal, referring to how I was before my alcohol dependency when I was drinking occasionally-frequently, mostly social.
All in all, very grateful!

CarolD

So glad you joined us.

If you truly want to work for sobriety...the success ratwe is 100%
I see AA recovery miracles daily!

Blessings...

2dayzmuse

Welcome. I'm glad you decided to join us. This is a great place with terrific people.

Luckyv2

Welcome to SR and you will find here that these people truely do care, even the ones that make you mad are probably the ones that I learn from the most. I hope that you stay and keep posting, I am glad that you are here and I was one of those 24% that relapsed exactly one month from two years, I don't know still today If I will make it but today I can with help from all of you.

Love Vic

Winginit

Thanks for your replies and welcomes. I'm glad I joined!
I know from past relapses and from all I've learned that if I have that 1st drink it sets off a physiological reaction in me that will switch my brain into not caring about ANYTHING except getting my next drink. This is absolutly the fact of alcoholics. So if I don't take that 1st drink I'll be okay. Still, the thought of relapse is so scary and I know it could easily somehow happen to me again. I've learned each time is worse than the last, so I doubt I'd survive it.
But back to today--happy, healthy, sober and I've found a great group here!!

Jupiter2

Hi Winginit,

I went out after about a year a and a half over 15 years ago. Came back and now have over 6 months. I don't recommend doing any more research. It can take a long time if ever to come back. SR is a great tool in recovery. Lots of good people here.

Great to have you here!

Jup.

nogard

Hi Winginit and welcome to SR.

nogard

CAPTAINZING2000

Welcome to the site

Not going to give you any advice unless you ask for it


Chris

Winginit

Advice welcome!
My advice to myself? Go to meetings, find a sponsor, lose weight, exercise, stop smoking, stop procrastinating and have a complete physical.

Winginit

Addendum:
Advice to myself: Get over SELF!!!
Thanks guys.

Kellye C

Wow, I have to admit to being a little freaked out by this. I will have 13 months on Thursday and this is my first time in the program. My group tells me the first year is a gift and the second year is work. My SO who has 16 years sober tells me that you see a lot of people pick up their one year chip and not nearly as many pick up their 2 year chip. And now I'm hearing people relapsing between years one and two. I stupidly thought that if I could make it a year without a drink that would be the hardest thing. Now I wonder. I do find myself more complacent, which I KNOW is not good. I average 4-5 meetings a week and I do online stuff like this board but I have a problem calling my sponsor. I do know if my *ss is falling off I can call her, my SO, any number of people from my home group programmed into my cell phone. But after working all day and then making a meeting afterwards I balk at the idea of getting into a long telephone conversation! I still have to meet with her to do step 12 officially although I've already done 12th step work. I just don't want to screw up and reading this touched on those fears. I needed to see it though. I've seen enough to know that every day sober is a gift, I need not worry about tomorrow only today and if I don't drink I won't get drunk!

I don't know about anybody else but if 24% of people relapse after a year, I'm going to fight like h*ll to be one of the 76% that don't!

Hugs,
Kellye D

lulu70

((((((((((Winginit))))))))))) I like you a lot already. Glad you found us. Hope you will make yourself at home!!!!!!

Hugs--

Jupiter2

Hey Wingint,

Hear you on the complete physical part. Got mine scheduled for 10/3. You are on the right track my friend!

Jup.

Chy

Welcome to SR and congrats on your year!

shockozulu

Welcome! It is so good to see another friendly face here.

Now, I won't give any advice either, but it sounds to me like you are considering:go to meetings, find a sponsor, lose weight, exercise, stop smoking, stop procrastinating and have a complete physical.

If that was my list, I would consider adding "READ/POST ON SR" on it. Thats just me though *wink*

luluabel

Winginit so glad you found us you will find lots of support here at SR , I look forward to you posting some more ..........love Lulu xxxxxxx

Midas

Welcome Aboard! From what I understand, 24% is a very forgiving and generous number. I don't know the exact details, but the last time I researched ''continued sobriety'', the success rate was lower than 5%.

I am sure of one thing: the odds are overwhelmingly against long-term sobriety. I've made it my conscious decision to defeat those odds no matter the cost.

earlybird

A sponsor is very important though. You just need to hire and fire until you find the right one. You'll know.

Winginit

I am so glad I found you guys! I drink down each reply which is better than, well, you know. Midas, I think that it's about 24% who make it to 1 year so I was scared by the fact that the relapse rates are as you said, even after the first year..

I didn't intend to start out on a relapse thing, but it must be on my mind with my 1 year coming up AND because of the other things I want to change in my life. In other words, I think it's my disease that stops me from taking my own advice about things.

But here I go with the "self" stuff again. Off to other's posts...