Hevyn

Hi everyone! Proud to be in your company - among some of the finest people anywhere. I'm at 3 yrs. 4 mos.

c49

Almost 2 wonderful years

Soberween

This is not going to be a popular opinion, but I'm not particularly thrilled with this thread. I'm working hard on my alcohol issues. It does kind of go against step 7 of those who follow AA. Humility....please. I think it should be moved to the Alcoholism thread. We are trying really hard to be in the same place as you and this woot woot stuff ugh.

HFA

With all due respect, then don't read the thread. For me this is a much needed place to go once I break the 1yr mark. SR has been instrumental in my recovery.

Se you on on the 28th!!!!!

Dee74

Soberween.

Firstly - not all of us follow AA.

I don't find humility and celebration mutually exclusive in any case, and I don't see this as a Step 7 issue: I see no shortcomings here.

Secondly - anyone can have what these guys have.

I actually advocated for this thread as I think it's important for newcomers to see that lasting sobriety - and happiness fun joy and laughter etc. - can be achieved & maintained.

Once this thread reaches 500 posts it will go into our Daily Support forum like all the other monthly or group threads.

Thirdly - like it or not, group threads are an important part of this forum - it's your personal choice to read this or any other thread - or not.

Let's not turn this into a debate - this is not, and should not, be that kind of thread
If anyone has any follow up queries or issues please PM me.

D

reggiewayne

Good stuff Least! 18 months is awesome. My sponsor has told me many times that hitting 18 months was huge for him. He said the first 6 are all over the place (I can attest to that LOL). Months 6 - 18 is when the boat started to turn, and then from 18 on he was very solid.

Congrats!!!!! I hope to be at 18 months one year from today!

Sorry to chime in out of turn. All I read was least saying 18 months and I posted, I then went back and read the responses and finally got that this was for people with a year or more. I don't qualify for this (YET) lol... Hopefully soon.

Good job everyone!

Crow3000

Hey least or anyone else. Any major differences between one year and 18 months? I was wondering this because I've head 18 months can be a pretty big milestone/ change.

And happy bray everyone!!

LaFemme

Congrats bcboy and opivital! I had no idea how crowded this group would be

Soberween

Yea, I do see the point about motivating others to get to the happiness you all are experiencing. Sorry, this may be displacement anger on my part relating to crap I've been told daily from an old frend who is feeling unworthy in that she doesn't have as much time being sober as those that she socializes with. Let me add, I quit drinking in 1987 and somehow started up in the early 2000s. I saw something in myself being boastful and then screwing it all up. Way over reacting on my part.

I do admire you all deeply for your achievements in your sobriety.

Snarf

This party still going? I'm assuming so, since everyone's not passed out with their work clothes still on and empty booze bottles littering the floor and cigarettes still burning away in the ashtray.

Thanks for this thread, least, and congrats on 18 months! Well done! It's been a great joy and pleasure to have shared, and to continue to share, this journey with you.

michelle01

I can sympathize Soberween. We were all in your position once though. I remember being in my first few weeks, seemingly unable to get past 30 days and very frustrated, seeing people with more than one year sober and thinking 'how on earth do they do it'? They are not super human though. Now that I am here myself (still have to pinch myself) I get that.

If I am honest in my early days sober I probably viewed it as something of a competition, I think many of us do, though of course it is not that at all. I felt very envious of those with maybe two or three weeks more recovery than I had. But I let go of all that after awhile, became more focused on the mutual support and recovery. It's a day at a time and every day sober is an achievement to be grateful for. It's those days that mount up to become long term sobriety eventually.

CarolD

opivotal.......Super.....

CarolD

I just don't recall any special differences from my 12 to 18 months. It's been awhile and I do keep growning thus changeing.
I do practice Gratitude daily.....among other things...so I try to celebrate something each day....
I see you and I both have April DOS's ..well done on your year...

tallcactus

Count me in too.
Almost at the 2 year mark come July 30th or 31st.

Lionne

Great idea least! Mind if I join? I got sober on 6/8/09.
I'm really glad for all the new members who made it through their first year!
And to all those who are in early sobriety or struggling : Don't give up. Recovery is possible, and as out of reach one year, one month, one week or even one day may seem at the time and no matter how scary these numbers seem, it is possible. Every moment counts. And eventually, they add up

Opivotal

Thank you so much for the warm welcome everyone! I'm so happy to be a part of SR and this thread. The more the merrier!



:ghug3
OPI

loveon2legs

Hi everyone!!!
So what have all of you noticed different about yourselves, besides not drinking...like behaviours, just overall....since hitting the 1 year and over mark??....

I'll start by saying my confidence is building alot...I rely on myself now, not the booze for that false boost!.. also I'm alot cleaner about myself,my home, my car....etc....I take care of things now... and take pride in doing so.....relationships are so much better...the ones that didn't support me are gone....long gone...... and I now some peace..and the days are mostly good...even when they are bad!! it's the sense of handling situations I like now!! Sobriety is the truly the best gift!!!

Love to all!!!

Draciack

I can think of one huge thing - honesty. I'm much more open about things in my life and me personally that I don't really like, and if I'm angry I say so and if I'm depressed I say so. I don't have to be perfect all the time and that's been a good foundation for relationships. They're much more satisfying today

Oh, and I'm on medication for bipolar disorder (took me 11 years to walk into a psychiatrist's office, )

I guess I'm getting to those bigger alcoholism-related issues.

Life is still hectic though, probably even more so now. Definitely more so now. I'm going to start teaching soon, likely in the inner-city of Memphis, and that's a whole new profession for me but it fits really well. What's cool is that all these opportunities would have never happened while I was still drinking. In fact, the opposite would have happened - institutions, jail, or worse.

Yikes. And to think my life used to be just alcohol, lies, and more alcohol.

Three cheers for sobriety

least

The biggest change I can think of is just being happier. When I was drinking all the time I was miserable and suicidal, no longer. I wake up feeling great most days and no longer wake up dreading the day to come.

I'm also cleaner, my house too (tho not my car) My dogs are shiny and happy and healthy and my sobriety allows me to give them the best life possible. No more 'hit or miss' care of them. Now their meals are on time and daily walks are not skipped due to being too drunk or sick to take them out.

Drinking vs my dogs - I'll take the dogs any time.

Hevyn

I like things being predictable now, instead of leading a "hit or miss" life (to borrow the term from Least ) Never knowing where my drinking would take me on any given day, I was in danger all the time. Didn't think of it that way, though.

I always thought drinking was shielding me from reality, keeping me safe in my own little cocoon of oblivion. Well, we can't stay there - hiding under the covers forever. Now that I'm out of that sick way of life, I don't know what I was so afraid of. I do find, at over 3 yrs. sober - I'm still evolving into the person I'm meant to be.