One Year Today...
 

Today would have been just like any other day if it wasn't for the fact that I have been sober for a whole year. I am 50 years old and 35years of that I spent drinking, the last 15 years I drank daily.

Things have changed for the better... the first 3 months I doubted I'd make it. Something happened along the way, not all at once, but I started to believe I could do it. I knew while I was drinking that I was self-medicating, pushing down anxiety and drowning memories. The booze gave me an immediate release, it was something I could always count on to allow me to escape. Somewhere along the line I stopped controlling the booze and it started controlling me. I'd wake up anxious, fearful and hating myself. I'd create nightmare situations that I could never forgive myself for so I'd drink to forget how much of a fool I'd just made of myself or how ashamed I believed friends and family were of me.

It took me a lot of attempts at quitting to get a year under my belt. The longest I could go without a drink was usually 3 days, then I'd go back to drinking daily again.

AA wasn't for me, the chat room on this site saved my butt many a time. I could pour out my sorrows to ppl that genuinely understood the hell I was in. There are some good people around that's for sure.

The method I used to stop drinking was the only thing that has ever worked for me. It's my own method and I'll share it in the hope that it might give someone else out there an alternative method. I started missing one day a week until I felt ok missing that day out. Then I stretched it to two days until I could tolerate that (took a Cpl months some times) then 3 etc, until I used to only get trashed on weekends. Losing the weekend days were the hardest, they took a long time, but eventually I wasn't drinking and I was feeling ok about it.

I wish everyone out there all the power they need to quit...I know its hard but you can do it and its worth it just to regain your self-respect.

Thanks for reading and good luck :):thanks

Fantastic news Maiden, congrats!

Congratulations xoxo

Well done Maiden! You give us all hope X X X

Fantastic 1 year!!!! Done so well and your an inspiration. I was exactly like you wino for about 30 years, I just turned 50 in September.. And the alcohol controlled me, everything I did and how I operated . It was my life.. Thankfully bo longer. Just 2 weeks sober but feel so good

Congrats, MaidenNZ! I just posted about my 90 day soberversary myself and I see that we have some things in common. I too doubted that I'd be able to make it.
1 year sober is huge and you deserve lots of kudos for all the hard work it took to get you here. Kudos!

Delfin

Congratulations on your one year. Wow, that must feel amazing. I can't wait to get there... One day at a time.

I am impressed by your method. I could never cut back personally, it was all or nothing for me. But whatever works! Big kudos to you.

One year. Pretty darn amazing. Love the part about the self-respect. I'm right there with you. The self-respect alone makes the journey worthwhile.

Excellent work and great post!

1 year is amazing, I'm 6 weeks sober today after 25 years drinking / escaping reality.

I really hope I'm in it for the long haul, this is a personal best so far and I'm reaching out way more than I ever have before.

Well done, you inspire me to keep going : )))

Fantastic Maiden

1 Year is fantastic MaidenNZ!! :You_Rock_

Wow, congrats on One Year, MaidenNZ! That's a great accomplishment. :nyc:snow::nyz

Life gets a lot better with some sober time. I'm glad to see you've changed your life for the better!

sydneyman you can do this...thanks for the words

foreverfuzzy 6 weeks is huge...its 45days you could have been trashed. well done, don't stop, it will get better I promise you that. I know this for certain

Congratulations MaidenNZ, that's so inspiring.

I notice that people with a year or more never say "Awww being sober SUCKS!", they always tell us how massively things have improved.

It gives those of us just starting out the will to fight for it, knowing that it's worth it. Thank you.

What what!!!! Holla!!!!!! Don't make me whip or nae nae. :)

Congratulations NZMaiden :D

I am so happy for you, MaidenNZ. Congratulations! :c011:

That's awesome! I'm very happy for you!

Well done!