aasharon90

Arming myself with important knowledge
about my addiction and its affects on my
mind, body and soul along with remaining
teachable, willing and honest has also kept
me sober for a number of years.

If there ever was a doubt about returning
to drink successfully, for me, it has completely
disappeared.

If someone has made up their mind that
one day they will moderate drinking down
the road, they will more than like drink.

It has taken me time to listen to others
return to meetings to share that drinking
didn't work for them. It reminds me time
and time again that once an addict to alcohol
or drug will always be. However, with tools
of a recovery program to guide me along
in my journey, then I am pretty sure I will
not drink today.

SoberLeigh

I have to caveat my answer by saying that I don't know a great number of alcoholics who have committed to sobriety but of those I do know who have returned to drinking, they are back to their normal, excessive dangerous levels and behaviors.

lastcallsunday

I've moderated my drinking "successfully" for months at a time. The volume always has slowly crept back up over time and I've lost control, blacked out each time. I don't want to drink one or two beers, i like to get hammered which is why I decided to take it out of the equation entirely.
I have several friends with same experience.

DefconOne

My counselor told me true alcoholics can never drink normally even after a long period of sober living. You will pick up the amount of the drinking where you left off in short order. I've heard testimony at AA meetings which confirm this.

My Monday has started out well, with a job interview selling wireless devices. Can you hear me now? A rare good mood to enjoy during my short period of sober living (only 45days). I have a counter going on my smartphone.... LOL!

KAD

I personally don't know a single person who has consistently been able to moderate drinking once having become an alcoholic.

That doesn't stop my AV from trying to convince me I could be different!

I once heard it put something like this: "That's why they put lions in cages. You can't let them out a little at a time."

sillysuzanfree

I have two friends (married to each other) that introduced me to my first AA meetings. They went out together after several years sober. To my knowledge they are still drinking but seem to be functioning. How well? I have no idea because I never see them anymore!

Marjoram

I tried to moderate drinking, and failed. I tried to moderate drinking, and failed. I tried to moderate drinking, and failed. I'm starting to believe it's probably smarter to try to stay sober. The benefits are never ending, and I'll probably be more successful at it.

I agree with all the people here that say, with being an alcoholic, it's virtually impossible. I know this from my personal experience as well.

Very good thread, Sharon. Made me look at myself (again). The self-evaluation is a real eye-opener.

ScottFromWI

I've never met or heard of a single person who was once an alcoholic and was able to eventually return to regular/non-alcoholic drinking. Just from my time here on SR alone though i know of hundreds that have tried and failed.

ClearLight

Not one.

But I've heard of plenty that have gone back with dire results.

Phillip Seymore Hoffman.

MyTime86

I went 83 days without, an drank Saturday . My drinking an behavior was like I never quit at all. An the hangover was terrible. If any good came out if my slip up is that I know I never want to go back now. An I'm 100% sure that my drinking with never be normal

SoberCAH

I don't know of anyone who is an alcoholic who went back out and drank without terrible consequences.

I would feel terrible if I drank again.

And I don't want to fight the daily battle, that I always lost, about whether or how much to drink.

KateL

I really don't think it can happen tbh xxxx

DoubleDragons

I think the best lesson I have learned with sobriety is that not drinking at all is so much EASIER than trying to moderate. I was one of those drinkers who could moderate for weeks at a time and then end up with a one-night doozy. The bottom line is that I can't moderate with 100 percent accuracy, it is a PITA for me to try to moderate, I don't like just having 1-2 drinks (pointless calories in my mind - just makes me tired and not enough of a buzz) and sober living, all in all, is SO much better! I can't speak for anyone else, but I know moderation is not the answer for me.

serenitynowplz

Tried myself to moderate again while on spring break at the beach with my husband and kids. Wh do I do this over and over with the same result? I can moderate for a few nights which is boring and a waste of calories anyway, and then I'm back to blacking out again. Why can't I accept that I can't control it after I've crossed that imaginary line? I might be able to control 1, 2 it even 3 but all bets are off after that and the monster takes over. Why do I continually risk letting myself get to that point?

KAD

"First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

For most of us here at SR, we're here because the drink took us years ago. Once that happens, we can never just take a drink without repeating the whole process over again.

GracieLou

I was sober for five months. I had one drink and continued to drink for ten years. True story.

I am now sober a little over a year, I don't think I will try that experiment again.

serenitynowplz

Thanks getmeout. That makes sense to me and the truth is I'm too (insert adj of choice here) to admit the drink has taken me. I wish I could save a list of all the posts that really hit home with me the way this one has.

deeker

0

Ruby2

Can't do it. I don't know anyone with any length of sobriety who has gone back out and been a normal drinker. They simply pick up where they left off. Just like I did. I didn't want one drink. What would be the point? I wanted a lot of drinks. I didn't get as bad as I had been before but that was only a matter of time. I quit.

LBrain

The question is this. Are you willing to bet EVERYTHING on just one drink?
For me it's not worth the risk.
I do know this. A good percentage of the folks I know from the rooms have tried it and are back. Some tried it more than once. Like the guy with two years who would have had 30 if he had stayed - on his third or forth go around. I know some who have 30 years sober - NOT IN A ROW. Many examples of this.