Up From the Mat
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 18,299
Glad youre back NM! As you may know I relapsed after 6 months and it is hard to come back from. It shakes your confidence and makes it easy to just keep relapsing , after all...you only have a few days sobriety to lose each time, not 6 months or whatever.
I have had enough though, I am committed to recovery again...recovery has regained it's priority...!
WE can do it NM!
I have had enough though, I am committed to recovery again...recovery has regained it's priority...!
WE can do it NM!
where the light is
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,763
I know that you have had a couple of good stretches of sobriety and you can build off that. My own experience is that you have to keep strengthening your sobriety every day & never ever forget that you are an alcoholic.
Over the past few years, I have had some good sober stretches (couple of months) but ended up falling hard (sickening stuff). It always started with that faint glimmer “someday, maybe I can drink again”, feeling “cured” , and getting complacent with my recovery. From there it was just a matter of time. A big part of my recovery is beating that initial thought into oblivion and keeping it there.
Once you truly, in your heart accept that you are an alcoholic, the world opens up to you. No more spending all that time & energy obsessing – am I an alcoholic?, feeling deprived, rationalizing (lying to yourself). You start seeing things clearly – for me, this learning happens on almost a daily basis. You build a great life where alcohol just doesn’t matter anymore.
To keep my sobriety strong, I do many things:
Alcoholics Anonymous – I have a sponsor, I listen to my sponsor, I am working through & living the steps, I ask for help/try to support others, I attend 2 meetings a week
I pray twice daily & I am learning to meditate
I read self-help books (right now, A New Earth)
I read/post on Sober Recovery every day
I exercise every day
Anything that strengthens me spiritually, mentally, & physically – this keeps me sober and I really enjoy doing these things.
I just wanted to share some of my experiences with you. I hope it helps. Take care of yourself. D
Over the past few years, I have had some good sober stretches (couple of months) but ended up falling hard (sickening stuff). It always started with that faint glimmer “someday, maybe I can drink again”, feeling “cured” , and getting complacent with my recovery. From there it was just a matter of time. A big part of my recovery is beating that initial thought into oblivion and keeping it there.
Once you truly, in your heart accept that you are an alcoholic, the world opens up to you. No more spending all that time & energy obsessing – am I an alcoholic?, feeling deprived, rationalizing (lying to yourself). You start seeing things clearly – for me, this learning happens on almost a daily basis. You build a great life where alcohol just doesn’t matter anymore.
To keep my sobriety strong, I do many things:
Alcoholics Anonymous – I have a sponsor, I listen to my sponsor, I am working through & living the steps, I ask for help/try to support others, I attend 2 meetings a week
I pray twice daily & I am learning to meditate
I read self-help books (right now, A New Earth)
I read/post on Sober Recovery every day
I exercise every day
Anything that strengthens me spiritually, mentally, & physically – this keeps me sober and I really enjoy doing these things.
I just wanted to share some of my experiences with you. I hope it helps. Take care of yourself. D
Last edited by gravity; 05-03-2008 at 06:08 AM.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 143
welcome
Neg Man---wow, I am soooo glad you're back. You have so much insight to contribute. You have helped me tremendously. While we do track our days of sobriety, in reality we are all one Day One. Each day is new and fraught with danger and opportunity for everyone in recovery.
Peace,
Jana
Peace,
Jana
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: California
Posts: 358
Thanks to everyone for your support. It's the end of Monday, and I finally got a sober day. Yay!
Anyways, what's interesting to me is that spending an hour reading on this board, thinking about other people and their stories, has taken the anxiety out of my chest. Nothing else today was able to do that!
It may just work for one day, but it works!
-- NM
Anyways, what's interesting to me is that spending an hour reading on this board, thinking about other people and their stories, has taken the anxiety out of my chest. Nothing else today was able to do that!
It may just work for one day, but it works!
-- NM
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