Dee74

I remember looking out my window at neighbours having fun in their backyard and thinking I was doomed - I would never get my life together like that...I was fated to die like this - four dirty walls brown with cig smoke, sitting in a nearly collapsed chair with broken springs...smelly wet carpet, little tiny TV and a battered old futon,..

Doomed.

Thats one of the worst things we can think or tell ourselves, but most of us lived a life that reflects that.

I drank from sun up to bedtime for several years, only stopping when I was sick or completely broke.

I think I must have still been fighting at some level tho because I never really gave up entirely...somewhere the spark refused to die.

I kept trying....until one day I was ready to make whatever changes I needed to make.

However familiar and 'normal', and however much I knew every inch of my life of crud and chaos, it was not longer comfortable.

I needed to make changes - changes in my lifestyle, changes in the way I dealt with problems and changes in the way I dealt with uncomfortable emotions.

I needed to actively reach out and get input and support from others, and to be prepared to put myself out there when my body and mind were screaming for their fix and I most needed the help.

For 15 years I dreamed of getting sober.
Finally I did it.

Never ever give up and never ever count yourself out.

Whats gone before need not be the template for what happens next, and whatever the results have been before need not determine your results this time.

Reach out, take action, make a plan...

do everything you reasonably can to stop yourself before you take that first drink or drug and change WILL occur.

It can't not under those circumstances

Take a leap of faith...leap out into waiting arms here and set yourself free.

You will not regret it

D

kenton

Thank you Dee, for this and all your other words of inspiration, advice and support x

DeathBox

I kind of want to print this out and put it on my wall. Best words of wisdom I've ever heard, TBH.

PhoenixJ

thanks

LadyBlue0527

Dee, love this!

FBL

You said it very well. Thanks, Dee!

Soberwolf

A vote from me to add this to a sticky thread​

Literally just saw the most beautiful green parakeet flying past as I'm writing this

AlericB

Thanks Dee. Having great examples really helps in persisting with this until it works for us.

Maudcat

Thanks, Dee. Well phrased.

Nonsensical

Such a great message, Dee!
I once thought I was a hopeless case.
I was wrong.
If you think you are hopeless, you are wrong, too.

Sinderos

I really needed to read this!! That is sort of how I feel. I watch people enjoying life and wish I could have that life. I see people drinking and it blows my mind for them to say "it's time to switch to water". There's no way I would want to switch to anything once I have that first drink.

Today will begin my journey into fulfillment. No more will I allow alcohol to control my life. Scary, but it will be worth it.

FreeOwl

awesome message, Dee.... and I agree.

I remember thinking about how I was never going to have fun again... how if I couldn't drink I'd have a dull, crappy life and if I did drink I'd wind up riding further and further down the dark shaft of addiction.... screwed no matter what I did.

It was all wrong.

I have a great life.

Because I'm sober.

StartingOverNW

Thanks Dee. Its good for me to read this today. I definitely feel doomed sometimes.

Mizzuno

" Changes in the way I dealt with problems"

This is the epitome of my alcoholism, truthfully.

Have a bad day at work= drink
Emotional overload= drink
Mental overload= drink

And, when life was seemingly going well= drink.

I just compounded my negative states while trying to have a sense of positive. It was a lose lose for me. All positive was clouded in hangovers and illness.

Getting of the drunk train has been 100% fruitful.

Anna

Thanks Dee for your heartfelt reminder that we can all recover if we have hope.

gregknight

Thank you so much for that, Dee. You captured the nightmare of alcoholism and the hope of recovery perfectly. I wish your OP was made available as soon as people click on and view the board.

August252015

So, so great to read, Dee! Thanks.

I remember how terrifying making that "leap" was- I didn't know what was on the other side but I finally knew I couldn't - wouldn't- die from drinking and stick with what I did know as part of my living hell.

Never having to go to that place or be that person again is the most amazing reality.

thomas11

People in active addiction are success stories waiting to happen.

MsCooterBrown

Take a leap of faith...leap out into waiting arms here and set yourself free.


Thanks Dee. Sober Recovery is a life saving site. Perfect words. You have such an impact helping others. God bless you. <3

PippoRossi

Great advice, Dee! I really love hearing your story of recovery.