ThirstForLife

I understand why some recoverers tend to start over after a slip and start counting from the beginning again. Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, ect...but why you do this? I have never been to an AA meeting or seen a counsler, so I dont know if its something that is in the program or what. Just curious so I'll know in the future. For me, I find it hard to just negate the days I was sober before a slip and act like they didnt exist. I busted my ass to stay sober for those days. Right now, I am on Day 4, since I slipped on Friday, but prior to the slip, I was going 24 days strong without. So I look at it as I have been sober 28 days out of 29. Is that wrong? I cant bring myself to just forget about those 24 days as if they dont matter, because to me they do.

Astro

I'm in AA so we take chips to recognize certain lengths of continuous sobriety. That's the only reason I know of to keep track of clean and sober time. And I agree that those 24 days are very important, there's no reason to negate them.

Please don't forget about your sober time, I'm just happy to hear you're making a determined effort in recovery. Whatever works for you, OK?

flutter

Continuous sobriety is very important to me, however I'm not in AA. I'm sure I could find some way to rationalize the fact that I've actually been sober most of my life if I started thinking of the years prior to my drinking, and all the days inbetween all the drunkeness.. and I don't want to do that. I don't count days, but I always remember the date that I decided I was done. I personally find that if I count, it only tells me how far away I am from the last drink, and never warns me of the next. I quit drinking on 12/18/08, I haven't drank since.. That's what matters.

Dee74

Those 28 days do matter TFL, and good work.

But like Astro said, sobriety is generally counted in terms of continuous sobriety.

I'm not in AA and I no longer count my days anyway, but when I did, I counted the continuous time, the time I didn't need to go back to my old ways.

I figure it's that time, the adoption of sobriety as a new and (I hope) permanent way of life, that really gives the benefits and cements the process that gets us well.

D

Anna

The days prior to the slip do matter.

I'm not an AA person either, but I do count my sober time because it reminds me how far I've come.

Future22

If they are important to you then do not forget them, whatever works for you.

Aysha

I try not to count days. I will keep a round about time frame in mind. But the counting..Day 1..2..3..whatever..That gets too stressful for me. And adds pressure.
But that is just me.
I think one should never forget the time they had before a slip. It counts for everything in my book. It means you tried. You succeeded for that time and most definately means you can do it again.
But I guess the counting days is for continuous time.
But thats all up to you.

Dime

Those days sober are sober days and should not be forgotten because they are important. I wound up using AA to help me get sober and it has worked great for me. We count continuous sobriety to determine our sobriety and it is used to receive various sobriety chips. It didn't make sense to me at first but now it makes a lot of sense. If I counted interrupted periods sobriety for total sobriety I would come up with a plan to drink only on the weekends, etc and for an alcoholic that never works. So I count continuous sobriety only because it seems to work for me.

Be proud of yourself for making a positive effort in your life.

Thanks for posting

CarolD

Hmmm...
If I did drink tonight ...I will be restarting my sober date
as soon as I quit again.

That does not negate my current years but instead,
means I am starting fresh....

Glad to see you again.

tommyk

My personal opinion... no offense intended...

A person doesn't "lose" their previous clean/sober time when they CHOOSE to drink again (I don't call it a slip, fall, or relapse, it is a CHOICE).

But they do have to start from day one and try to set a new record.

They still accomplished that amount of clean/sober time though, so it re-inforces the notion they can go even further the next time, right?

Accept the challenge.

Tazman53

In AA no one loses a single day that they have been sober before a relapse, those days in reality are very important to future sobriety. One who slips/relapses needs to look at those sober days and learn from them what they were doing right to stay sober, what they could have done more of, and also what they were doing or not doing that led to the slip/relapse.

One of the great benefits of AA is hearing people who have come back in from a relapse share what led them to the relapse. I have yet to hear one person say that it was not something had quit doing or were not doing that led to their relapse and them sharing what led them to thier relapse is one more tool others like me can put in our tool box to help us stay sober one more day.

The reason that AA passes out chips for certain amounts of continuos sobriety is 2 fold, one is to acknowledge an individual accomplishment, but more importantly to give hope to the new comer that alcoholics can and do stay sober.

ToABetterMe

I am not in AA either, but when I have had slip I do start over because I want to know
how many days in a row I can do & be proud of that number. And like others said of course dont ignore the sucesses you had with prior sober days.

All the best on the new sober days!

Gypsy Feet

I don't know, because my last night drunk was so scary and rotten, I have not let myself drink again. I don't count days per say, I remember that horrible night, and wake up committed every day to never letting any substance have that much power over me again.