On day 2 after 5 years of sobriety
Grateful
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
pixy,
I stayed sober in AA for 7 years and relapsed. I thought like you that since I slipped I might as well make it a proper relapse. I stayed out 8 years and came crawling back to AA 55 days ago. You never know how long a relapse will last...2 months, 2 years, forever? I'm glad you are taking some positive steps to get sober again. I am betting the people of AA will welcome you back with open arms. It sounds to me like you fit in perfectly.
But if you are not comfortable or unwilling to go back to AA there are other programs that you can use to stay sober. Seeing an addiction specialist is a very good start. I am in an outpatient rehab program myself in addition to going to AA. I find that the combination works well for me.
I stayed sober in AA for 7 years and relapsed. I thought like you that since I slipped I might as well make it a proper relapse. I stayed out 8 years and came crawling back to AA 55 days ago. You never know how long a relapse will last...2 months, 2 years, forever? I'm glad you are taking some positive steps to get sober again. I am betting the people of AA will welcome you back with open arms. It sounds to me like you fit in perfectly.
But if you are not comfortable or unwilling to go back to AA there are other programs that you can use to stay sober. Seeing an addiction specialist is a very good start. I am in an outpatient rehab program myself in addition to going to AA. I find that the combination works well for me.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: London Uk
Posts: 65
Thank you for all your replies.
I think step 1 was always my problem, and I never accepted my problem.
I had my first session with the addiction specialist today, and surprise, surprise, I have step 1 to do for next week!
He was suggesting that I have been a dry drunk for 5 years. Wondering if that is a record?
I know I only had one foot in AA. Gottalife asked what about my sponsee's, well I never had any, took me nearly 5 years to get around to doing the steps. I shared maybe twice a year..... Not a great advert for an AA member
Onwards and upwards. Husband away for the night, and I was thinking of getting the booze in, however, now I am not. I am cleaning instead.
I think step 1 was always my problem, and I never accepted my problem.
I had my first session with the addiction specialist today, and surprise, surprise, I have step 1 to do for next week!
He was suggesting that I have been a dry drunk for 5 years. Wondering if that is a record?
I know I only had one foot in AA. Gottalife asked what about my sponsee's, well I never had any, took me nearly 5 years to get around to doing the steps. I shared maybe twice a year..... Not a great advert for an AA member
Onwards and upwards. Husband away for the night, and I was thinking of getting the booze in, however, now I am not. I am cleaning instead.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: South Bay, So Cal
Posts: 6,123
Pixy before I head out to my Noon home group meeting I want to remind you of a couple things. Pixy, how many, many people did you see come back after being out there?? Did you & your group not welcome them back with love? A man last week came in after 23 years sober, was out for a very brief time, and there he was sharing this with everyone. I can only speak for myself...I felt SO proud of him. It does take courage to go back, and I'm pretty postive that you have that inside of you! I'll pray for you, now, and at the meeting "for those in and out of these rooms that are still suffer". :-D Bobbi in Pasadena CA
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
Originally Posted by pixy 
Thank you for all your replies.
I think step 1 was always my problem, and I never accepted my problem.
I had my first session with the addiction specialist today, and surprise, surprise, I have step 1 to do for next week!
He was suggesting that I have been a dry drunk for 5 years. Wondering if that is a record?
I know I only had one foot in AA. Gottalife asked what about my sponsee's, well I never had any, took me nearly 5 years to get around to doing the steps. I shared maybe twice a year..... Not a great advert for an AA member
Onwards and upwards. Husband away for the night, and I was thinking of getting the booze in, however, now I am not. I am cleaning instead.
I think step 1 was always my problem, and I never accepted my problem.
I had my first session with the addiction specialist today, and surprise, surprise, I have step 1 to do for next week!
He was suggesting that I have been a dry drunk for 5 years. Wondering if that is a record?
I know I only had one foot in AA. Gottalife asked what about my sponsee's, well I never had any, took me nearly 5 years to get around to doing the steps. I shared maybe twice a year..... Not a great advert for an AA member
Onwards and upwards. Husband away for the night, and I was thinking of getting the booze in, however, now I am not. I am cleaning instead.
I am happy to say that 5 years DD is nowhere near a record. At a meeting the other day I saw two brilliant performances of DDism, one from a woman of 20 years, and another from a man of 30 years sobriety. The man had just got married a week earlier and already his wife had kicked him out and wanted a divorce!
Step one is pretty simple really. "We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholic... The delusion that we are like other people or presently maybe has to be smashed" But it seems to take an awful lot of pain to make that concession. The bold part is often overlooked.
The reason I asked about sponsees is that, for those who have actually taken the steps, the lack of effort in helping others by actively sponsoring them seems to be a common factor in relapse. In order to keep it you have to give it away.
Perhaps you didn't get into the steps last time because you didn't believe you needed to - that's a very common reason. Now you know better.
All the best
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