Please share your recovery plan!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 889
Recovery plan?
1. AA
2. SR
3. Doing the opposite of what I think is right
4. Calling people when struggling
5. Helping my wife without being asked
I could write a book on each of those 5, but that is my plan in very short form. Best of luck to yoU!
1. AA
2. SR
3. Doing the opposite of what I think is right
4. Calling people when struggling
5. Helping my wife without being asked
I could write a book on each of those 5, but that is my plan in very short form. Best of luck to yoU!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The Great Outdoors
Posts: 1,992
I too read alot of books on addiction and recovery. SR is a great source of support and information-I don't think there is a finer support group out there! I put in 3 decades of hard core drinking and towards the end of it I was a physical and mental mess. If I wasn't drunk ..I was hungover. People close to me had catastrophic things happening. DUIs ..2 people died one of them choked on their own vomit (all in 2010) I was SICK of it. I quit drinking 8/22 up until 10/3. On 10/3 I had a birthday party to attend and I thought no big deal..have a few and go. BEEEEG mistake. Won't go into the details but I did fall trying to climb into bed and hit my head...HARD. Scared the cr@p out of me. I reset my date and have not looked back. The end of this month marks my 5th month. I have no more desire. I am very lucky to be alive and sober. And very grateful.
Thriving sober since 12/18/08
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 3,115
Ditto to Anna's plan, plus pretty intensive one on one therapy with an addictions specialist/psychologist for about 6 months. Since then though, 'bibliotherapy', applying the tools I learned in counseling to my every day life, coming here, and living a very busy, full life.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
Hi GHW
I wrote this a while back but it still holds true for me
I don't need to kick the walls now like I did 4 years ago LOL...as I lived my life - truly lived it without running away to the bottle - I changed...and I found I wanted to be sober...it got a lot easier then
D
I wrote this a while back but it still holds true for me
The turning point for me was acceptance - acceptance that I was an alcoholic - and the acceptance that I could not drink 'like everyone else'.
So I stopped drinking. I did everything I could to maintain that commitment. I still do, nearly 3 years on - every day.
I nearly died, so fear played a large part in that - I also spent a lot of time here@ SR reaching out, and a lot of time tossing and turning, kicking the walls and deliberately not going out when all I wanted was to run down the road and get a bottle.
It's not easy but I believe it is possible to do that and not give in to the inner voice. The folks here helped me immensely by giving me faith in myself when I had none.
But yeah, not drinking only got me so far. I see not drinking as only the first step in a long journey. I had to change the person I was too.
My alcoholism *became* all pervasive but I believe I *started* to drink for definite reasons - mostly to fill a void within myself.
To heal my 'void', the first step is to stop poisoning myself with drink. I then had to get into what the void was, and how best I could start healing it.
It was a paradox for me to discover that the way towards that was not by thinking more about it, but actually thinking less, and doing more.
I did a lot of service work here, and still do because it helps me to be of service and to give back after many years of taking. It also helps keep me grounded and in perspective.
I also rediscovered my spiritual side - my initial recovery was secular - just don't drink...but it's hard to ignore the wonder in this world when you really start to recover.
It's hard for me to drink when I'm connected to the world in a more than a material way, and when I'm humble and grateful for the blessings I get everyday.
You know I could go on, but that's enough really LOL.
I'm not looking to start a school - I hope my experience helps others but I'm just a guy who found what he needed because he really wanted to quit and he looked hard enough for the way that worked for him.
I encourage everyone to do that. Start the process right away tho - don't wait for 'your way' to fall into your lap - you'll only find 'your way' by going out looking for it, trying a bunch of stuff - and not drinking.
I learned from every single step on my journey - successes and mistakes, friends and foe alike.
But I always kept walking forwards, not backwards
So I stopped drinking. I did everything I could to maintain that commitment. I still do, nearly 3 years on - every day.
I nearly died, so fear played a large part in that - I also spent a lot of time here@ SR reaching out, and a lot of time tossing and turning, kicking the walls and deliberately not going out when all I wanted was to run down the road and get a bottle.
It's not easy but I believe it is possible to do that and not give in to the inner voice. The folks here helped me immensely by giving me faith in myself when I had none.
But yeah, not drinking only got me so far. I see not drinking as only the first step in a long journey. I had to change the person I was too.
My alcoholism *became* all pervasive but I believe I *started* to drink for definite reasons - mostly to fill a void within myself.
To heal my 'void', the first step is to stop poisoning myself with drink. I then had to get into what the void was, and how best I could start healing it.
It was a paradox for me to discover that the way towards that was not by thinking more about it, but actually thinking less, and doing more.
I did a lot of service work here, and still do because it helps me to be of service and to give back after many years of taking. It also helps keep me grounded and in perspective.
I also rediscovered my spiritual side - my initial recovery was secular - just don't drink...but it's hard to ignore the wonder in this world when you really start to recover.
It's hard for me to drink when I'm connected to the world in a more than a material way, and when I'm humble and grateful for the blessings I get everyday.
You know I could go on, but that's enough really LOL.
I'm not looking to start a school - I hope my experience helps others but I'm just a guy who found what he needed because he really wanted to quit and he looked hard enough for the way that worked for him.
I encourage everyone to do that. Start the process right away tho - don't wait for 'your way' to fall into your lap - you'll only find 'your way' by going out looking for it, trying a bunch of stuff - and not drinking.
I learned from every single step on my journey - successes and mistakes, friends and foe alike.
But I always kept walking forwards, not backwards
D
rode hard and put away wet
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 999
Reggiewayne stole my plan, though I am not lucky enough to have one of them-there wife-thingies. I would just put "help someone else" and I would also add praying and not drinking to the top of RW's list.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by GodsHolyWill 
Hi! I'm new to sobriety and would really appreciate to hear about your recovery plan. How have you stayed sober? Thank you!!!
I'm new to sobriety and would really appreciate to hear about your recovery plan. How have you stayed sober? Thank you!!! My plan I believe is unique although I could be wrong......
Basically I brought my liver back from being severely damaged. I am healthy now and I feel very fortunate to be where I am today. I have stayed somber by reading medical forums where people are in liver failure from drinking. Am I off my rocker? Yes, i think I am but it helps me see that If I ever drink again I will surely cross that line in the sand and end up dead.
One of the reasons for me always relapsing in the past was because I was bargaining with myself. I would say ok I will quit for one month, or I would try and taper, or just drink beer or whatever. That never worked. The one day at a time thing never worked for me because I felt there was still some room to bargain......
Throwing in the towel and KNOWING that I WILL NEVER drink again is very comforting. By the way I like to come to this site it also helps besides the medical, liver failure forums.........thanks for letting post that......
Ethanol Intolerant
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 665
At five months sober here is what I do for recovery:
3 or 4 AA meetings a week.
Working on my *&$^ing fourth step with my sponsor.
Call at least one drunk a day.
Journaling
Daily Hatha Yoga and Meditation (about 1.5 hours)
Meet with a psychologist every other week.
Decent food, enough sleep, and probably too much time on SR.
3 or 4 AA meetings a week.
Working on my *&$^ing fourth step with my sponsor.
Call at least one drunk a day.
Journaling
Daily Hatha Yoga and Meditation (about 1.5 hours)
Meet with a psychologist every other week.
Decent food, enough sleep, and probably too much time on SR.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 957
I couldn't do it on my own and certainly could not taper myself.
I did extensive outpatient treatment, then AA; but now after almost 2 years sober, just visit this site to keep it real.
Love the newcomer section, love to read your stories and struggles and most of all the successes.
ODAAT.
I did extensive outpatient treatment, then AA; but now after almost 2 years sober, just visit this site to keep it real.
Love the newcomer section, love to read your stories and struggles and most of all the successes.
ODAAT.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 581
I no longer feel the urge to drink after completing the steps of AA.
I've been relieved of the insanity-- the inability to distinguish the true from the false. The idea that a drink is OK.
I did this by putting aside the folly that I could build obstacles to drinking. That I could somehow child-proof my world in a way that would make it safe.
I then set about the business of breaking down those things (my resentments, character defects, harms to others) that blocked me off from a spiritual power that has always been there, that allows for me to nurture myself rather than destroy myself.
Each day, I ask that essence to direct my thinking, to be of maximum service to others. And when resentments pop up, and they do, I deal with them as quickly as I can. And I show others what I've done.
It is far from perfect. But as long as I'm trying to grow in this direction, and not thinking that I must barricade myself against alcohol, I don't want to drink. And I am at peace.
I've been relieved of the insanity-- the inability to distinguish the true from the false. The idea that a drink is OK.
I did this by putting aside the folly that I could build obstacles to drinking. That I could somehow child-proof my world in a way that would make it safe.
I then set about the business of breaking down those things (my resentments, character defects, harms to others) that blocked me off from a spiritual power that has always been there, that allows for me to nurture myself rather than destroy myself.
Each day, I ask that essence to direct my thinking, to be of maximum service to others. And when resentments pop up, and they do, I deal with them as quickly as I can. And I show others what I've done.
It is far from perfect. But as long as I'm trying to grow in this direction, and not thinking that I must barricade myself against alcohol, I don't want to drink. And I am at peace.
Proud Neonephalist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Coast BC Canada
Posts: 1,141
So far (8.5 months) I've been looking at things from a science based vantage point instead of looking to a supernatural power or a God for help.
While I have every intension of crawling in submission to a 12 step face to face meeting if I have to, so far I've been able to do it with the three times daily visits here to SR, and the science based information found here;
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rch-links.html
In the first couple months it was vital that I understood the physiological reasons why I was feeling the way I did, and that those feelings would diminish with frequency and intensity over time. It remains vital that I always remember that just one drink will ignite a fireworks of activity in my limbic system, and I'll be pretty much back to square one again...and that's even if I don't have a full blown relapse.
Another reason I've been able to pull this off on my first try is that I've kind of done it before with cigarettes. I quit dozens of times. I stole cigarettes. I stole money from my family. I went through awful withdrawals again and again and again only to give up and start smoking.
It was only when I learned how tobacco addiction changes the limbic system did I understand why I was feeling the way I did and I was able to gain a sense of control over the situation. That, and a comment by a co-worker who said, "I don't understand. All you have to do is decide to quit". That comment that got under my skin and p*ssed me off mightily because it was true. In the end, all it takes is making that decision to quit and sticking to it no matter what.
Having "walked the walk" with cigarettes (so to speak) gave me a valuable training run for what was going to happen when I tried to quit drinking. They aren't the same of course, as the psychosocial triggers are completely different, but the underlying physiological mechanism of addiction is very similar. So too is how the limbic system tries to manipulate the rest of the brain into thinking just one more drunk is an okay idea despite all the pain and suffering it has caused me and my family in the past, and that one more drunk equals many, many, many more drunks.
Ultimately the choice is mine, and mine alone. To drink again I would have to decide to stand up, walk to the booze store, open the door, walk in, pick up the booze, open my wallet, pay for it, walk home, open the bottle, pour it in a glass, raise it to my lips, open my mouth, pour some in, and swallow it. That's 14 times I would have to make the conscious decision to give up everything I've worked so hard to achieve. My life is truly in my own hands, and it's up to only me, and only me, to save it from a slow, ugly, agonizing death from alcoholism.
Ending on that happy note, that's my recovery plan
Murray
While I have every intension of crawling in submission to a 12 step face to face meeting if I have to, so far I've been able to do it with the three times daily visits here to SR, and the science based information found here;
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rch-links.html
In the first couple months it was vital that I understood the physiological reasons why I was feeling the way I did, and that those feelings would diminish with frequency and intensity over time. It remains vital that I always remember that just one drink will ignite a fireworks of activity in my limbic system, and I'll be pretty much back to square one again...and that's even if I don't have a full blown relapse.
Another reason I've been able to pull this off on my first try is that I've kind of done it before with cigarettes. I quit dozens of times. I stole cigarettes. I stole money from my family. I went through awful withdrawals again and again and again only to give up and start smoking.
It was only when I learned how tobacco addiction changes the limbic system did I understand why I was feeling the way I did and I was able to gain a sense of control over the situation. That, and a comment by a co-worker who said, "I don't understand. All you have to do is decide to quit". That comment that got under my skin and p*ssed me off mightily because it was true. In the end, all it takes is making that decision to quit and sticking to it no matter what.
Having "walked the walk" with cigarettes (so to speak) gave me a valuable training run for what was going to happen when I tried to quit drinking. They aren't the same of course, as the psychosocial triggers are completely different, but the underlying physiological mechanism of addiction is very similar. So too is how the limbic system tries to manipulate the rest of the brain into thinking just one more drunk is an okay idea despite all the pain and suffering it has caused me and my family in the past, and that one more drunk equals many, many, many more drunks.
Ultimately the choice is mine, and mine alone. To drink again I would have to decide to stand up, walk to the booze store, open the door, walk in, pick up the booze, open my wallet, pay for it, walk home, open the bottle, pour it in a glass, raise it to my lips, open my mouth, pour some in, and swallow it. That's 14 times I would have to make the conscious decision to give up everything I've worked so hard to achieve. My life is truly in my own hands, and it's up to only me, and only me, to save it from a slow, ugly, agonizing death from alcoholism.
Ending on that happy note, that's my recovery plan
Murray
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