I quit last year and relapsed at 6 weeks both times. I didn't really struggle to quit,didn't have withdrawal,didn't have cravings so didn't really do much to stay sober as thought it came naturally to me. At 6 weeks a craving hit me totally out of the blue. Because I was not used to them I had no coping skills or strategies to deal with them. My thought processes lasted minutes, even seconds and I picked up a glass of wine. Within less than a week I was on 2 bottles a night.

You may not have to work hard to stay sober now but do not underestimate that it may strike totally out of the blue,when you don't expect it. Do you have a plan for when it does?

edit-I think it's great you're doing really well, just don't want you to go through what I did :(

One more point: I think the reason it has been so easy for me to quit and stay quit is because I have absolutely zero stress in my life. I am not working, my boyfriend takes care of me and we get along well and no one close to me has died or is dying on me. So maybe the real test will happen when I experience a traumatic event sober. Maybe IF that happens, my AV will shout loudly to get off the wagon. Who knows? Time will tell.

Fair enough, Eleni. You know yourself better than we do. I'm glad you are here with us, sober!

Yes, Ready--I have a plan. I have several phone numbers from AA members and will call them should I suddenly get an overwhelming urge to drink. I will step up the frequency of meetings--going every day if that is what it takes and I will talk to those who are near and dear to me to help me get through and past the urges. And it goes without saying, that I will post like crazy on SR and get into the chat rooms. Also, there is no alcohol in my house and as I live in the country, I would have to drive 6 miles to get to town to get alcohol. This will help me resist too because perhaps it will give me time to think about it on my way there and by the time I got there, the urge may have subsided.

"Never let anyone define what you are capable of by using parameters that don't apply to you." -Chuck Close, American painter and photographer

This I can relate to- my nearest store is a 40 mile round trip :)

Good to see you so positive :)

I guess I will continue to go to AA meetings once a week--just for the social aspect. But the minute anyone pushes me to work the steps, I am outa there!

Go or don't go, it is really up to you. The only question I have is what other area or group would you go to, if any, to fill the social gap if you stop going? Did you drink because you were lonely?

People have reasons for going to meetings, one is to stay sober and HELP other alcoholics. In going to 15K meetings in +30 years I still need to remember when what got me there. I also go to meetings to see what happens to people who don't go and it's not nice. BE WELL

@Gracie: No I didn't drink because I was lonely. I drank because I was hooked on the effect and I drank alone. My only other socializing done while drinking was at work (I lost my job 5 months ago) and periodic gatherings with my boyfriend's family. I guess you could say I totally enjoyed being alone and isolated from human interaction while drinking...now since I quit, I am finding I need and want more social interactions.

As far as other groups to join if I quit AA, I have been looking into that and once my pain is gone (I have a severe sprain in my neck and shoulders), I want to join a health club and start swimming and lifting weights. But because I am so out of shape, I need to take baby steps. I also will look into volunteering. I also start school in October, so that will present many opportunities to interact with people and maybe make a few friends.

@Visch: I don't need AA to stay sober. I missed my weekly meeting last night because I had to go to the doctor and get prescriptions. And missing the meeting hasn't caused me to all of a sudden have an urge to drink.

I would love to help other alcoholics but I don't have enough sober time under my belt to do so.

Hahaha! You got a lil' bit of spunk in you, don't you, Eleni? I like it!

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner!"
http://allthingsd.com/files/2012/03/...he-corner.jpeg

I personally don't see anything wrong with going to the meetings to socialize. Everyone goes to the meetings for their own reason and it isn't up to me or others to judge why people go or if they are doing the steps or not.

People who worry too much about what others are doing, aren't weeding their own back yards. Just my opinion.

I've been going for over a year now and have just decided to do the steps. But that is just because I want to do them, not because anyone has told me that I "have" to do them. That choice is mine.

It's your recovery and you have to do what works best for you.

Eleni58. You may not be an alcoholic and that's OK. If the reasons that got you here reoccur hopefully you know where this forum and AA are. I happen to use AA as a preventative maintenance measure for me even after 30+ years. It works when we work it. BE WELL

@Lady in BC: I couldn't have said it better myself! Maybe in a year, I will wake up and decide I really WANT to do the steps just like I woke up one day in July and decided I WANTED sobriety more than being drunk. But if I were encouraged and pushed to work the steps right now, I would only be going through the motions to appease everyone else.

Another reason I want to continue AA is to collect those cool chips you get for milestones in your recovery. I should be getting my one MONTH or 30 day chip at next week's meeting.

I don't think anyone is questioning whether you are an alcoholic or not Eleni. I am not. But a lot of us have been here for a while and the pattern you are showing is very typical of those in early recovery. You are not even one month sober but you have already decided to give up on your main recovery program because you feel the urges are gone and you don't need it anymore. That is dangerous. People here want to help you and point this out.
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If you don't need AA it seems it would be a waste of time to keep going. Since you recognize enjoying social interaction I hope you find some clubs, groups or gatherings to get involved with. Many public libraries have groups for adults. I've always wanted to get involved in local community theater.

There are so many great ways for you to enjoy and celebrate your sobriety!

I think the coolest thing I've realized about AA is that you can do anything you want and it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. There are literally no rules and certainly no authority anywhere to enforce what would be rules if someone made some up.

As for your question Eleni I'm not sure what it is. You seem to want to say you don't need AA and you don't have to work hard to stay sober- that is a good thing, I hope you don't have to do anything to stay sober but only time can tell on that.

I think you will find most people felt that way in early recovery especially and they drink again so obviously they will relate their experience with that.

I feel like I am beating up on you which is not my intent :-) All questions asked with love and caring. Did you not post the other day about being in pain and having urges to do a few shots of brandy? Also, if you drank everyday for 13 years was it just to get drunk? No underlying causes? Resentments? Etc. I am not pushing AA, I attend a few meetings a week and am not sure what part AA will play in my longtime recovery. Once I got past the detox I have had only one craving and it passed quickly. So far I am not finding this difficult but my number one fear is becoming complacent and cocky, I know where that will lead me. Just food for thought, you need to do whatever works for you.