New to Recovery...AGAIN!
 

I first got sober in April of 1990 so I wouldn't consider myself new to recovery, yet here I sit with 19 days of sobriety. I started going to meetings in April of 1990 and had 7 years of sobriety without a relapse. My wife and I split up and I used that as an excuse to go back out. After about a year of off and on drinking I went back to AA. After ANOTHER 7 years of sobriety I needed heart surgery to replace my aortic valve. After some complications I was ready to return to work but my job was not waiting for me. I relapsed again and was out for 7 years. I finally became so miserable I went for professional help 3 weeks ago. I am now seeing a counselor once a week and am back at meetings 3-4 times a week. Trust me folks and save yourself the trouble...it DOES NOT get any better out there. Along with my meetings I look forward to sharing with everyone here as another means of staying sober. I feel really fortunate to make it back again and if I relapse again I don't know if I would make it back. This last time was getting pretty scary towards the end.

Welcome aboard Grungehead :)

I don't think it matters how long it takes you, or how many tries you have - as long as you get there in the end, is the main thing :)

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Welcome! And congrats on getting sober again. One huge thing that keeps me from starting again is that I know how "lucky" I was to manage to quit once! I may not be so lucky again if I throw away this chance.

I wish you the best on your journey and congratulate you on taking back control of your life.

Welcome back. Glad to see you are back into recovery.

In my experience it takes a bit more than just meetings to achieve permanent sobriety. Bill W warns us about this quite early in the Big Book. It goes something like this: "For unless a man continues to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through self sacrifice and service to others, he will not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead."

He's talking about the things that life throws up to everyone, not just alcoholics. I lost my job and had all my gear stolen at 6 weeks sober, lost my first relationship at about 3 months, I lost my wife of 20 years to cancer about 5 years ago. My father and my sponsor died. In each of these drinking did not come up as an option. All the way through I was working the steps and working with others, and God kept me safe and protected just as promised. It wasn't a gift, a price had to be paid. The destruction of self centredness.

:welcome You've come to a very friendly and supportive place.:)