Why do we count the days since our last drink
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 259
Why do we count the days since our last drink
Hello friends on SR.
I am asking this simply because I am a little confused.
I ran into a friend yesterday , who is an AA member. His first real question , after we got through the weather, the economy etc was. How many weeks has it been now since you drank?
I just dont know. 9 maybe 10 or perhaps more.
I sincerely hope , apart from the obvious, that people would be kind enough to shed light on the phenomenon of counting the days.
Perhaps I am wrong. But, The further I get away , in time, from the booze, the less I think about it and the less it is in my thoughts. Sometimes , a fleeting thought, like , for instance, thinking about what my daughters were like when they were born, or my first job.
I am concerned that I might be "missing" something here, that might be very
benificial to my long term recovery .
It has , after many many years , only been 8 or 9 weeks..
Sincerely look forward to your responses.
Kind regards
L
I am asking this simply because I am a little confused.
I ran into a friend yesterday , who is an AA member. His first real question , after we got through the weather, the economy etc was. How many weeks has it been now since you drank?
I just dont know. 9 maybe 10 or perhaps more.
I sincerely hope , apart from the obvious, that people would be kind enough to shed light on the phenomenon of counting the days.
Perhaps I am wrong. But, The further I get away , in time, from the booze, the less I think about it and the less it is in my thoughts. Sometimes , a fleeting thought, like , for instance, thinking about what my daughters were like when they were born, or my first job.
I am concerned that I might be "missing" something here, that might be very
benificial to my long term recovery .
It has , after many many years , only been 8 or 9 weeks..
Sincerely look forward to your responses.
Kind regards
L
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC/NJ
Posts: 431
People like to count time to give themselves a feeling of accomplishment, though the benefits of a sober life today are a reward in itself. Also, the more time someone has, the more they feel they have to lose by having a drink.
I think keeping track of it to a degree can be healthy, but some people take it way too far. Here and now is all there is.
I think keeping track of it to a degree can be healthy, but some people take it way too far. Here and now is all there is.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
I don't think about drinking either, but I do think about recovery and I have thought about recovery every single day for years. I know the date I stopped drinking and it matters to me to keep that date in my mind because it's very significant. And, it's not about stopping drinking. It's about starting to live.
Servant of God
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 214
I think it's entirely dependent on whether or not it's important to the individual. I never really felt that it was but I've also got a really low # again.
It's a social norm in the AA and NA community and being a compliant part of a group is good for addicts. I can also assume that it's talked about so much to create some value. It may help some in times of struggle to have a high value on something they are about to trade away for a binge.
Socially, it can be a way for people to relate to eachother and gauge some similarities while they were at the same stages.
If it's really not that important to you then great, just try to resist separating yourself (up or down) from the group. THAT can be another mind trick, another mechanism for the crafty addict getting us back to what an addict does best.
It's a social norm in the AA and NA community and being a compliant part of a group is good for addicts. I can also assume that it's talked about so much to create some value. It may help some in times of struggle to have a high value on something they are about to trade away for a binge.
Socially, it can be a way for people to relate to eachother and gauge some similarities while they were at the same stages.
If it's really not that important to you then great, just try to resist separating yourself (up or down) from the group. THAT can be another mind trick, another mechanism for the crafty addict getting us back to what an addict does best.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: The Sooner State
Posts: 1,725
Its talking out of both sides of your mouth. On one hand its "one day at a time" and then its "how many days do you have?" AA says we won't ever be "cured" so the fascination with # of days seems counterproductive to me.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 200
It's a social and psychological number.
Pragmatically speaking, a better metric might be units alcohol divided by number of days sober over a period of time (week/month/ year), in terms of physical recovery.
I may be 20 days without a drink, but over the last month my ratio is:
100 drinks divided by 30 days= 3.333. Once I hit zero, I move my denominator to 90 days, then 6 months, then one year, etc...etc... The goal is to continually trend down.
The geek in me comes out.
Pragmatically speaking, a better metric might be units alcohol divided by number of days sober over a period of time (week/month/ year), in terms of physical recovery.
I may be 20 days without a drink, but over the last month my ratio is:
100 drinks divided by 30 days= 3.333. Once I hit zero, I move my denominator to 90 days, then 6 months, then one year, etc...etc... The goal is to continually trend down.
The geek in me comes out.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 270
I don't count days, I don't celebrate anniversaries, and I stopped picking up chips.
For me, addiction was "one day at a time" - applying that same philosophy to quitting only meant "check back with me tomorrow."
I will never drink again, and I will never change my mind, either. If I get terminal cancer, I won't ask for whiskey on my deathbed. If I end up on a deserted island for a decade, and a bottle of rum happens to wash ashore, I will not drink it.
No need to count days.
As someone once pointed out to me, only prisoners count days until their freedom.
I am already free.
I started a thread/poll on this about a month ago:
For me, addiction was "one day at a time" - applying that same philosophy to quitting only meant "check back with me tomorrow."
I will never drink again, and I will never change my mind, either. If I get terminal cancer, I won't ask for whiskey on my deathbed. If I end up on a deserted island for a decade, and a bottle of rum happens to wash ashore, I will not drink it.
No need to count days.
As someone once pointed out to me, only prisoners count days until their freedom.
I am already free.
I started a thread/poll on this about a month ago:
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC/NJ
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by 4thekidz 
It's a social and psychological number.
Pragmatically speaking, a better metric might be units alcohol divided by number of days sober over a period of time (week/month/ year), in terms of physical recovery.
I may be 20 days without a drink, but over the last month my ratio is:
100 drinks divided by 30 days= 3.333. Once I hit zero, I move my denominator to 90 days, then 6 months, then one year, etc...etc... The goal is to continually trend down.
The geek in me comes out.
Pragmatically speaking, a better metric might be units alcohol divided by number of days sober over a period of time (week/month/ year), in terms of physical recovery.
I may be 20 days without a drink, but over the last month my ratio is:
100 drinks divided by 30 days= 3.333. Once I hit zero, I move my denominator to 90 days, then 6 months, then one year, etc...etc... The goal is to continually trend down.
The geek in me comes out.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 270
Originally Posted by OklaBH
Its talking out of both sides of your mouth. On one hand its "one day at a time" and then its "how many days do you have?" AA says we won't ever be "cured" so the fascination with # of days seems counterproductive to me.
Applying that to life may be sound advice - living in the moment and taking life as it comes - but twisting it to mean "I'll only quit for today" is absurd.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 581
As a general rule, AA counts sober days so that they can assess your standing in the AA community. Not many will admit that, but it allows people to properly place you in the AA hierarchy and decide how much respect they should give you.
It's a quantitative barometer of your success.
There are, obviously, many exceptions to this. But AA is obsessed with counting time because the organization is no longer obsessed with recovery.
It's a quantitative barometer of your success.
There are, obviously, many exceptions to this. But AA is obsessed with counting time because the organization is no longer obsessed with recovery.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: I'm exactly where I should be.
Posts: 1,889
I don't necessarily count how many days since my last drink as I do how many days I'm sober. It just seems more positive. I count because its important to me. Oh, not everyday but I like to keep track of where I am...I like to remember, I like to refresh the thought of sobriety. After a long long history of booze and knowing I have lost much and can't get it back this is a way to keep control on myself, my life, my sobriety.
But if someone asked me I'd just say long enough to be happy. I think some may ask to have you ultimately admit to relapse.
But if someone asked me I'd just say long enough to be happy. I think some may ask to have you ultimately admit to relapse.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 259
Originally Posted by Anna
I don't think about drinking either, but I do think about recovery and I have thought about recovery every single day for years. I know the date I stopped drinking and it matters to me to keep that date in my mind because it's very significant. And, it's not about stopping drinking. It's about starting to live.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: California
Posts: 377
Well Im 11 days sober. Ive been counting. it is just a number that reminds me 12 days ago I was smashed out of my mind and living in an endless hellish alcoholic cycle that I thought would be my demise. And with the constant metal battle of wanting a drink in the first month of recovery, each day feels like an achievement.
While I'm sure the longer I am sober the counting will be less important, but to me its a real sense of self satisfaction for now.
-Ryan
While I'm sure the longer I am sober the counting will be less important, but to me its a real sense of self satisfaction for now.
-Ryan
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 259
Originally Posted by FrothyJay
As a general rule, AA counts sober days so that they can assess your standing in the AA community. Not many will admit that, but it allows people to properly place you in the AA hierarchy and decide how much respect they should give you.
It's a quantitative barometer of your success.
There are, obviously, many exceptions to this. But AA is obsessed with counting time because the organization is no longer obsessed with recovery.
It's a quantitative barometer of your success.
There are, obviously, many exceptions to this. But AA is obsessed with counting time because the organization is no longer obsessed with recovery.
Thanks for your "honest" view on it.
Well, you certianly have MY respect for being honest
L
Servant of God
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 214
Originally Posted by EmeraldRose
I don't necessarily count how many days since my last drink as I do how many days I'm sober. It just seems more positive. I count because its important to me. Oh, not everyday but I like to keep track of where I am...I like to remember, I like to refresh the thought of sobriety. After a long long history of booze and knowing I have lost much and can't get it back this is a way to keep control on myself, my life, my sobriety.
But if someone asked me I'd just say long enough to be happy. I think some may ask to have you ultimately admit to relapse.
But if someone asked me I'd just say long enough to be happy. I think some may ask to have you ultimately admit to relapse.
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