ROFL

I raised a question in another thread that I really want an answer to. Is there ever a time that you're well enough to NOT need (as opposed to want) to go meetings, support, etc. Is there ever a time that you stop thinking, I am an alcoholic and can't drink?

Will life ever be normal again?

I'm on Day 5

TINLIZZY

I hope not!!

TinLizzy

gypsytears

Congrats on 5 days. It's a great beginning .

Rella927

Congrats-on day 5! Keep up the great work...it is as GT stated "A great beginning"



And yes IMHO if you keep working it-it gets easier and life becomes more manageable again! Normal? Well....normal is what we make it so yes it will be NORMAL as normal can be again!

Rowan

Yes, life will be normal again. Try your best to stay in today, as difficult as that may be.
Your avatar is scary!

Anna

Hi,

It gets easier. I haven't gone to meetings, but yes, I do think about my addiction every day, especially when I'm here at SR. I work at it every day and it's been a long time now. It's a journey and a great one.

CarolD

Here is what I figured ...
I drank alcoholically for about 5 years
I needed double that time span to restore myself.

Long before I reached the 10 year point
I was enjoying my journey so much
I just kept moving forward.

It's not the lifetime sentence you might
perceive recovery to be.
It's all about freedom and joy!

I don't yearn to be normal....never did.
I perfer to be a special miracle.

Well done on 5 days ...You too can be special.

Dee74

things do get back to normal...a really great kind of normal

but day 5 ? Man you have to stay in the day, one day at a time, or you'll go mad LOL
D

ps your avatar freaks me out!

Jersey Nonny

Gee, I thought I answered your original question, ROFL.

Quote:
But what gets me about the meetings are the people who have been in recovery for 20 some odd years. I know I'm a newbie, but isn't there ever a time that you are well enough that you DON"T have to go?

Think about it...if you went to meetings for "20 some odd years", and made friends over that period of time, wouldn't you enjoy seeing them on a regular basis? I know I did...it isn't a matter of having to go, but wanting to go. Actually, for many people, AA becomes an extended family.

Quote:

Is there ever a time that you stop thinking, I am an alcoholic and can't drink?

Will life ever be normal again?

I'm on Day 5

To answer the first question here, "No...if you stop thinking that way, you're guaranteed to drink, because once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic!"

Question 2: Define "normal". Normal to me, is not drinking one day at a time, which insures that I will stay sober...I was never promised anything more than that.

At "day five", you've just about detoxed and gotten the alcohol out of your system. This truly is just the beginning...but, the beginning of a wonderful sober journey...stop worrying about anything more than TODAY, and enjoy the ride!

Aysha

I have to say I have also wondered and wanted a clear cut answer to that question myself. Alot of times I believe just the thought of it may have hindered my recovery alot. And so I relapsed. I thought. OMG..The rest of my life and everyday thinking and working on this addiciton. Very overwhelming.
But I am to a point now that I do only take it for the moment. I cant get ahead of myself. And I trust the people who have told me that eventually it is just what it is. Normal, Not totally focused on my addiction days ahead. Who knows when or if there is a time. But I trust it will happen someday.
For now..I spent 20 years destroying myself and and really grinding my wheels on ways to get high and it was an all day everyday process. So I figure. If it takes the rest of my life to get better with alot less aggravation, stress, and consequences.
I can deal with that.

lostmdboy

I love going to meetings. I have lots of friends there. I hope there are meetings in heaven.

Sugah

Of the folks that I know with many years of sobriety and don't attend meetings regularly (example: show up here and there, but aren't always in their seat on Friday night), I've found the ones who haven't become miserable have developed into very giving people. They are always on the lookout to practice the 12th step, with alcoholics and non-alcoholics alike.

Personally, I've had my meeting attendance interrupted a few times, and being the alcoholic that I am, I start to forget things without the reminders. I'll get wrapped up in my own stuff, and I become more selfish in it with each passing day. After about two weeks or so, I'm miserable enough to go to a meeting, whether I "have time" to go or not.

But then, I'm only at five years, which makes me just a few 24 hrs from being a newcomer, so I guess I'm not qualified to answer anyway!

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Pinkcuda

It's not a struggle. It's not a sacrifice. It's not a commitment that I have to be consciously aware of every day.
It's just the way things are. It's really no big deal. It was at first but once the program of recovery becomes a lifestyle, everything is OK.
Meetings and the Program are more of a way to teach me how I should live my life than a place to help me with my struggles with Alcoholism. Mainly because there isn't any. It's called "Acceptance". Plain and Simple.

ROFL

I changed my avatar! - the last one was scary because that is how I felt. I feel better today on my 6th day.

Thank you all for your helpful posts.

CarolD - I sure hope it doesn't take twice the amount of time that I've been drinking to be healed - I've been drinking for 25 years! 50 years is too long to wait. So I'm taking it one day at a time and have faith that this is just a stage, that I'll soon come out of.

AnnaD - I'm glad to learn that I'm about just about done detoxing! I think much of my emotional-ness stems from that

I know it's a journey, and I know I'll be happy once I get past this feeling miserable stage. I've always been a happy person - just a happy person who was drinking all the time!

I'll probably even become much like all of you who appear to forget what it was like in these very early stages.

Jersey Nonny

I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is there are meetings in heaven. The bad news is you have the next speaking commitment. (A little morbid AA humor.)

Jersey Nonny

I'm glad you're feeling better...and, thanks for the new avatar. I used to love to play Scrabble.

I don't think any of us forget what it was like to be newly sober...I know I don't...that's one of the reasons I continue to read/post at a Newcomers forum. We'd probably just rather put the focus on the positive aspects of recovery.

gypsytears

I'm glad you're feeling better ROFL. Don't let those of us who appear to have forgotten what the early stages are like fool you. We have ALL been there... and reading about people starting out is very helpful in helping us remember. We all sympathize, so thank you for being here.