One year!
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,424
One year!
One year ago today, I woke up hungover, anxious, eyes puffy from who knows what emotional turmoil I perceived the night before, and sick of doing it to myself. I sat on the couch with some variety of cheese and chips for my breakfast and did the familiar check of my phone and facebook, only to be horrified yet again at what I'd said to people. This was, by far, not one of my worst episodes, but I was just so tired of the routine misery drinking was causing me. I had tried to moderate/quit before on my own with no success. I googled something along the lines of, "Am I an alcoholic?" And I found SR. One year ago today, I spent the whole day reading on here. The more I read, the more I found people who thought the ways I thought and understood me. Many of these people had achieved, and/or were achieving, sobriety, and I started really believing I could too. I started doing many of the suggestions I read here- playing the tape through, recognizing the addictive voice, staying away from people, places, and things that made me want to drink, checking in here even just to read every single day, and accepting I was going to feel uncomfortable and I was going to have to face my problems without my old solution of drinking. And there have been many uncomfortable times. But that's life. I didn't realize that. I thought I was supposed to get rid of negative feelings whenever they came up. I started sitting with them, experiencing them, and observing them pass- not always as quickly as I would have liked. It was a lot of work. But I could barely imagine getting through a weekend or a week without drinking, and now I am celebrating one year sober. It got easier the more sober time I got under my belt. It can be done and it is worth it. The last and certainly not least thing that helped me was joining the Class of May 2012 thread. Every person there, past and present, has touched my heart. To walk along side others who are at the same stages is invaluable. I owe my sobriety to SR, the Class of May, and the ever-thoughtful, tactful, and encouraging Dee. I have never regretted quitting, never thought, "Gee I wish I had drank at x, y, or z." It's not worth all the aftermath. I know the fight is not over and I will keep doing the next right thing. I have still not ruled out other measures of maintaining sobriety if I should struggle. I hope anyone considering or trying to get sober will realize they too can do the work and overcome addiction. Make a plan and keep adding things until you get it right. It puts you in such a better position to deal with the rest of life and there are many happy and fun moments.
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
Originally Posted by OneLessLonely 
accepting I was going to feel uncomfortable and I was going to have to face my problems without my old solution of drinking. And there have been many uncomfortable times. But that's life. I didn't realize that. I thought I was supposed to get rid of negative feelings whenever they came up. I started sitting with them, experiencing them, and observing them pass- not always as quickly as I would have liked. It was a lot of work. But I could barely imagine getting through a weekend or a week without drinking, and now I am celebrating one year sober.
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,424
Originally Posted by fini
how are you celebrating?
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SoCal, California
Posts: 990
Fantastic!
Yeah - for me it's that frame of mind that works. I'll do whatever method works to stay sober.
And SR was a real turning point for me too. It made me realize I really was an alcoholic. And I found a lot of pathways to sobriety here as well.
I have still not ruled out other measures of maintaining sobriety if I should struggle.
And SR was a real turning point for me too. It made me realize I really was an alcoholic. And I found a lot of pathways to sobriety here as well.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 2,937
Thats brilliant.
I recognise so much of myself in your post.
I didn't want to celebrate as such. I just wanted to post here on SR that I had a year.
Like you I couldn't make it a week.
And you are so right about the 'aftermath' of drinking and never regretting not drinking.
I love my calm, sober, aftermath free life now.
You have done brilliant. I am so happy for you.
My best to you
xx
I recognise so much of myself in your post.
I didn't want to celebrate as such. I just wanted to post here on SR that I had a year.
Like you I couldn't make it a week.
And you are so right about the 'aftermath' of drinking and never regretting not drinking.
I love my calm, sober, aftermath free life now.
You have done brilliant. I am so happy for you.
My best to you
xx
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Eire
Posts: 211
Congrats Onelesslonely
It felt freaky reading your post, because its exactly how I came to join this site. I woke up, Feb 2013, anxious etc and sickened by my previous nights phone calls and texts and I sat on the couch (called in sick to work) eating cheese etc, thinking I need help. As I googled I found SR. Life saviour. Your post encourages me to continue on.
well done on a year, very best wishes
It felt freaky reading your post, because its exactly how I came to join this site. I woke up, Feb 2013, anxious etc and sickened by my previous nights phone calls and texts and I sat on the couch (called in sick to work) eating cheese etc, thinking I need help. As I googled I found SR. Life saviour. Your post encourages me to continue on.
well done on a year, very best wishes
Sober since October
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: In the world in my eyes...Somewhere I've never been before...
Posts: 7,355
Congratulations, Onelesslonely!!!!!
And thank you so much for great and encouraging post!!!!!
My story is so similar to yours!
Have a great day and best wishes to you)
And thank you so much for great and encouraging post!!!!!
My story is so similar to yours!
Have a great day and best wishes to you)
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