Angelic17

Great Question Balou, I was looking for any information on addiction that I could find. Even though I was already clean for a few years, my son wasn't and I wanted to learn everything, and anything I could about addiction. So, I went to google.com and started looking for Addiction and Recovery and this site came up. I joined. It's a GOD send for me because I learned so much.

Balou

Thanks again everyone. It's interesting on how some of us came in sober and others were high/drunk, I don't even remember if I was high or if I was clean at the time ??????

Murray4x5

I quit drinking, then went looking for a forum. I joined my first forum on day one, but it was too slow. The next one I joined wasn't active enough and the few people posting were a bit surly. On day four I found this active, supportive place and I have no need to look any further.

I'm in my happy place

Murray

Rusty Zipper

slvr,

been coming here daily for a few years,

do a few dailys, meet a few newbs,

sheesh, they do add up egh!

Ann

I had never been in a chat room or on a message board in my life, hardly knew what they were.

But 8 years ago I was googling, trying to find a way to save my addict son...and landed in the chat room here, empty except for an oldtime member named SmokeGetsInMyEyes. She told me about the message boards, I looked and the rest is history. I've been here ever since.

I never did save my son, but I saved my sanity and made my life worth living again.

Was stumbling on here a coincidence? I think not.

Today SR is a daily "connection" for me, much like a meeting except I can come in my pajamas and bunny slippers.

Love you all for being here.

endzoner

Being in North Dakota and in the middle of no wheres I was seeking support for myself to keep me busy tho thw winter months . and well I stumbled apon another website , cant even recall what it was but wasnt SR . well When I went to look around some how I still dont get it , I ended up at a completly diffent site , that would be SR .. And I read tho many of posts and was in awe from the support of those who like me were in recovery or seekin recovery . and I sighned up right then and there , I had been sober as well for several yrs at the time , that was 2 yrs ago this past july10'th . Im so glad I found this place , Life wouldnt be the same with out it , its a part of my daily routine . like brushing my teeth .. massive huggles SR we love yah ~ Endzy~

Wilde10

I googled 'alternatives to AA' and it came listed somewhere else.
The fun part I guess is that I have since read the Big Boog, I am an usual lurker of the 12 steps posts and except for meetings I am very much incorporating AA to my life...

And I decided to stay the moment I posted for the first time and Carol gave lots of information about recovery, Intention made me understand in very few lines things I could not grasp before and I realised I was not the only 'bad mother' of the world (another trait of my uniqueness gone)

Aysha

It was suggested to me to find a forum of recovery while I was waiting to be admitted into my 1st inpatient treatment.

I never even knew such things existed.

My join date is the same time I first thought about recovery. In my 23 yrs of using I never even heard of recovery.

I have learned so much here. I have seen what real friendship is. Not only by encouraging and support, but I get the real raw truth too. Even if I dont like it. I know most everyone here is going to tell me like it is. And I am the type that needs that.

It was a blessing I found this place. It was meant to be. SR has been my lifeline ever since.

When there is no where else to turn. I knwo i can always come here.

cat1961

Great thread Balou!

I googled "Alcoholic Forums" when I was ready to collapse from drinking every day. SR was the first result with my search and here I am.

I've always been ashamed to admit face to face to anyone that I'm an alcoholic and now that I'm clean again, my family does not have to know how I messed up the two plus years of sobriety. It'll be our little secret....

You wonderful, supportive people have kept be sober and in such a positive frame of mind since joining a couple of weeks ago.

LaFemme

I can't remember the first time I found SR...I was probably drunk and doing a search on some alcoholic related topic. But I didn't really read the posts. A few days after I got sober (this go round) I stumbled on the forum again, and this time read some posts...I kept coming back and lurking and I started to want to participate (in case you hadn't noticed...LOL) so I finally took the plunge and joined!

Chops

I was drunk.

Actually forgot my first log in and had to create a new one when I was six months sober.

Raindance

Someone told me about it.

Angelic17

Ann

:ghug3

Like you this is also my first, and for me the only message board forum that I have ever been a part of. This site has given me company and support when I was alone and struggling with the fear that I might lose my only child to addiction. At the time I started here, I still believed I could change my son's behavior, but after coming back a few times I realized that I couldn't. You helped me with that. Your words penetrated into my brain when you told me of your own son. That's when I realized I was beating a dead horse trying to fix my boy. You helped me realize that it wasn't up to me, that it was up to my son.

This site has been so helpful to me. I can go to a meeting without leaving my house in the winter. There are no coincidences in life. GOD put's us where he wants us for a reason. I know behind every screename on this site, is a real live human being affected by addiction in one way or another. I'm right where I belong.

I'm so sorry that you never got to save your son. Just as I cannot save mine. We wouldn't be human mom's if we didn't try.
It is you who helped me to realize that my son had to save himself.
I believe you told me to let go or be dragged. Very shortly after that I did Let Go. Because I was dragged, and I was wiped out from it.

I just wanted to say Thank You Ann. You are one of the few people who tried to open my eyes about my son, and I actually understood it, and grasped what you were trying to tell me. I believe the message was that I am powerless over someone else's actions or behavior. You shared with me, your experiences with your own son, and even though you didn't get what you had hoped for, you were able to teach another mother to let go. You helped save my life, cause I was broken. I trembled at the thought of my son. I panicked and had anxiety attacks worrying about him. Some friends and family members didn't think I was going to make it.
I am finally starting to get myself together. Thank You for your support. Your a good egg.

Stang

I found the link on livingsobersucks.com my first day sober. I was feeling like ass and needed some advice. It's really cool especially late at night when ya just want to chill and read up addiction.

Balou

Aysha you are so right, when you wrote:
I have learned so much here. I have seen what real friendship is. Not only by encouraging and support, but I get the real raw truth too. Even if I dont like it. I know most everyone here is going to tell me like it is. And I am the type that needs that.

I wonder how many lives have been positively affected by this site.

Angelic17

Balou, Many many lives have been affected by this site. I just reccomended it to a friend who has a heroin addict for a sister. It's a very helpful site. My son is in a mitlitary program for drug addiction, and when he is done with his program, I am going to show him this site. For the nights when he wants to talk to someone on the computer, he can go to a meeting right from his bed. I think that it will help him stay in his recovery.

Aysha

There have been countless lives helped by this site I am positive of that.

Not just the ones who register and reach out. But think of all those guests that just come here and read somehting that may have very well saved them. If only just for that moment.
You never know who has read what on here and changed their life.

This site is such a blessing in so many ways. And not only that..It is also free.

Thats why I will always stand behind every Mod, Admin, Greeter, whoever ..the ones who make it safe and fair here. The owners and members alike.

We all make it happen here. Without all of you, there is no SR. And without SR, I would hate to imagine where I would be.

Omega10

Towards the end of the first week of my recovery I my skin was itchy to the point that it would keep me awake at night. I wondered if it was related to quitting so I googled something to do with itchy skin and quitting drinking. I found a thread about the itching skin and read it. Because I wasn't drinking, I had to find something else to kill my time, so I started exploring the forums. The more I read, the more I liked the site - it felt like a real community. I finally joined on sober day 10 - it was my little gift to myself for reaching double digits.

This sounds weird to say, but I am so thankful that I had the itching skin, otherwise I would never have found this site. Had I not found the site, I can pretty much guarantee that I would have relapsed. There were times I came so close to a relapse, and then I would remember something I read here and it would give me just what I needed to talk myself out of the relapse.

luckedog

I did not drink till I was in my late 30’s. Weed was my DOC. ( homegrown ) Live in the middle of 1600 acres. The stuff grows wild here. The D.E.A. got running helicopters around all summer and I figured I better find something legal to relax me, so I started drinking a few ounces of Tequila before bed.
Long story short- a few ounces turned into a 6 pack of beer and a 5th of Cuerveo (sorry I drank a ocean of it but can’t spell it) a day. This went on for several years. I “quit several times, once for almost a year. Then last June I realized I was killing myself and there was no hope for me! Like others I was drunk when I found this site. Have no idea what I googled but I ended up here and began to read posts of those who were recovering. It inspired me to keep trying to get sober. It took a few setbacks, but I kept coming back and coming back. It must be working been sober now for over 6 mos. I owe my life to the people here and a merciful God. THANKS to you ALL!!

Impurrfect

I think I googled "recovery from addiction" when I first found SR. I lurked for the better part of a YEAR, then had my relapse and lost my latptop. A few months later, got a new laptop and began lurking here again. I think I was 6 months clean, when I finally joined.

I can honestly say, SR has changed my life for the better. I've got friends here, who know me way more than anyone f2f. I've been talked out of doing "something stupid" on a few occasions, and when life throws more at me than I can handle, I know I can come here and I will be okay.

When I got robbed, twice, at my old job, my main thought was "just let me get home, to SR, and I'll be okay". Now, I have friends from here that I have their e-mail, and I've got my blackberry. The hand of a friend from SR is never far away.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy