MIRecovery

I decided to look back at some of my posts from 3.5 years ago to see how things had changed. This one reminded me of a lot of things that I had forgotten.

I quit drinking more times than I can count. Each time I started back up I would berate myself about how weak willed and defective I was.

What I have learned in sobriety is alcohol is a foe stronger than myself. If I try to do it on my own I will lose every single time. In order to conquer the demon I had to have external help.

When I reached out for help I learned that there was a tremendous number of resources available to me. I learned that with my willpower and recovery tools taught to me by people that knew far more than I, I started to get sober.

Now I realize that I am NOT defective nor weak willed I was just fighting a battle that I was never going to win by myself
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trachemys

You are one of the strongest people I have ever known.

Ariesagain

What Trachemys said...

It isn't about the times you faltered, it's about the fact that you persevered against extraordinary odds.

Anna

You are very strong, MIR, and you've had a lot to deal with. Be proud of how far you've come.

MIRecovery

This post is from 3.5 years ago. Today, what I wrote is just as true. Strength and will power are not enough. We have no choice but lean on others when we need to and learn from others that have gone before us. There is no such thing as a new problem. Someone has solved it sober.

Thank God I have had the help of so many on my road of recovery.

I really don't see myself as someone that is strong. I see myself as someone who needed and got a lot of help

trachemys

Sometimes, I hear, non-Marines earn the right to yell "HOOAHH"

You get to.

MythOfSisyphus

Strength is definitely recognizing when you can't do it alone.

Soberwolf

Your strenght shines Mir and your 5000% right no man is a island

shauninspain

I think you're 100% correct. Without external and/or spiritual help it is impossible (for me), to stay sober for any length of time. I was becoming a 'dry drunk' these last 6 months, and initially didn't even realize that it was happening. Where I live meetings are all well and good, but I do not have a sufficiently good grasp of the language to make them particularly supportive. Thus my return to SR. Plus I gave up smoking 3 days ago, and posting/reading is helping in that also. Yes, like you I don't think we're defective, any more than a person with cancer is defective.