When do pass that line of newly recovering/recovered?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 172
When do pass that line of newly recovering/recovered?
Totally just curious. I’m on day 26 so all these terms are new to me, but i got to thinking which I have done many times with so much brain time on my hands 😉
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
I think that's up to you.
For me, I knew I wouldn't drink again so I was recovered on Day One, from the addiction. I define the addiction as the act of putting alcohol in my body.
My body felt healed at about a year.
The emotional and spiritual healing? That varies.
It's ongoing, I believe.
For me, I knew I wouldn't drink again so I was recovered on Day One, from the addiction. I define the addiction as the act of putting alcohol in my body.
My body felt healed at about a year.
The emotional and spiritual healing? That varies.
It's ongoing, I believe.
under new management
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 2,339
Originally Posted by biminiblue 
I think that's up to you.
My body felt healed at about a year.
The emotional and spiritual healing? That varies. It's ongoing, I believe.
My body felt healed at about a year.
The emotional and spiritual healing? That varies.
It's ongoing, I believe.
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,921
I go to AA meetings and some people described themselves as a recovered alcoholic.
I've approaching 8 years sober, but I will never describe myself as a recovered alcoholic.
All it takes is one beer, and I will be un-recovered.
And I know that from there it's a slippery slope down, and I may not recover again.
I've approaching 8 years sober, but I will never describe myself as a recovered alcoholic.
All it takes is one beer, and I will be un-recovered.
And I know that from there it's a slippery slope down, and I may not recover again.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
I don’t know what one beer or shot would do, but it doesn’t matter because it will never happen. So, yep, I say recovered. If we do this recovery thing right, we are and will always be seekers and searchers for meaning and self-understanding, for joy and happiness. Just like regular folks.
It really is up to you whether you call yourself recovered or not. You get to decide if you will ever drink again.
It really is up to you whether you call yourself recovered or not. You get to decide if you will ever drink again.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
I recovered from alcoholism at about 90 days. That meant that my life was on a new path and alcohol was gone from the picture. It was no longer able to cheat me out of the oopportunites in life, could no longer cause the chaos, in other words I had stopped suffering the debilitating effects of alcoholism.
I was then free to develop and grow emotionally, spiritually, intelectually, materially, which is a lifetime's journey for all human beings. I think some folk view normal growth as being in recovery, but it is something all humans experience except perhaps the still suffering alcoholic.
Claiming to have not recovered seems often to be used as a cop out, a way of blaming bad behaviour on "my disease". "Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program" (plenty of them around) The program promises I will recover, asks me to introduce my self as recovered when working with the newcomer. I will do that and bear witness to God's Power because I have completely given myself to the program.
It is a good question, probably a hot topic. We can create an odd impression with the never recover deal, which is really a rehab repeat business consrtruct. An employer friend of mine was quite stunned, when he called AA and asked for a recovered alcoholic (he had read some of the big book) to visit a worker with a problem, to be told they didn't have any recovered alcoholics i.e. nobody had recovered, just some recovering ones. Didn't make a lot of sense. How much hope does it give the newcomer to tell him he can never recover, and how do you explain the inconsistency against the big book?
I was then free to develop and grow emotionally, spiritually, intelectually, materially, which is a lifetime's journey for all human beings. I think some folk view normal growth as being in recovery, but it is something all humans experience except perhaps the still suffering alcoholic.
Claiming to have not recovered seems often to be used as a cop out, a way of blaming bad behaviour on "my disease". "Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program" (plenty of them around) The program promises I will recover, asks me to introduce my self as recovered when working with the newcomer. I will do that and bear witness to God's Power because I have completely given myself to the program.
It is a good question, probably a hot topic. We can create an odd impression with the never recover deal, which is really a rehab repeat business consrtruct. An employer friend of mine was quite stunned, when he called AA and asked for a recovered alcoholic (he had read some of the big book) to visit a worker with a problem, to be told they didn't have any recovered alcoholics i.e. nobody had recovered, just some recovering ones. Didn't make a lot of sense. How much hope does it give the newcomer to tell him he can never recover, and how do you explain the inconsistency against the big book?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,966
Yeah.. I'm only a bit over a year and I know I'll never be able to drink again and I've accepted that,but I wouldn't really call that "recovered". It just isn't something I do anymore because we don't get along well together anymore(probably never did) and that's cool. I'm also not big on labeling things...
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 57
I think it's semantics. I'd worry about saying "recovered" not as a cope out to other life issues, but to a false sense of "well I've gone 3 months, 1 year, 5 years...I can obviously drink again now moderately." The answer is in the posts and stories you hear of people with that many years sober or longer who relapsed and then died. Alcohol changes your brain over time...and some changes simply cannot be reversed. So I think I'll always call myself "recovering" but what it really means is that I'm growing, becoming more healthy and more of the person God created me to be--every day that I am sober! But really it's just semantics.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,408
For me personally recovered is what is the right definition. Recovered but not cured. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic where consumption of alcohol is concerned. But the way the book AA describes being recovered from alcoholism fits how I think and feel exactly.
For me once I was recovered from alcoholism then I’m like anybody else just trying to live my life and do the best that I can with the obvious exception that I have a program of living that I adhere to. If I stopped adhering to this program of living then I have no doubt that I would slip gradually from being recovered to spiritually sick and then the solution to the feelings, emotions, and hopelessness I would feel would be to get drunk.
For me once I was recovered from alcoholism then I’m like anybody else just trying to live my life and do the best that I can with the obvious exception that I have a program of living that I adhere to. If I stopped adhering to this program of living then I have no doubt that I would slip gradually from being recovered to spiritually sick and then the solution to the feelings, emotions, and hopelessness I would feel would be to get drunk.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Perhaps my best way of answering your question is with how I would express my ESH (AA term for experience- what it was like - strength- what happened and what changed- and hope - for the future):
I finally decided I didn't want to die from drinking. I chose an uncertain future - physically, especially, in the short term as I was very VERY sick and quit cold turkey from a handsome vodka habit- over a certain death by drinking the day my liver dr told me and I actually listened, that I had a year- 18 mo if I kept drinking like I was. My years of alcoholism - active drinking and the progressive disease, and all the wreckage- were what I then had to begin to recover from.
I committed fully to AA and began a life of recovery. For me, quitting drinking was simple, a one time deal and a permanent choice. Gradually I began learning the program and as my head cleared and my body healed- that was a long process for me, compared to many, from immediate and awful withdrawal then significant PAWS- and my life in recovery began and it continues. I don't envision a permanently "recovered" finish line except dying sober. My commitment to my journey and growth and putting my EMOTIONAL sobriety first is the path- because from that emotional balance comes physical sobriety and everything else.
I say that I am in recovery, or that I'm a recovering alcoholic. I am proud of that. I am so proud and grateful for the life I have now. Peace, strength, clear-mindedness, better ability to deal with things and make decisions, a daily program for trying to be my best self.....that's what recovery is to me. And from the specifics (like an amazing in recovery partner) to the general (feelings of hope and excitement and a future), I'd wish my life on anyone.
I finally decided I didn't want to die from drinking. I chose an uncertain future - physically, especially, in the short term as I was very VERY sick and quit cold turkey from a handsome vodka habit- over a certain death by drinking the day my liver dr told me and I actually listened, that I had a year- 18 mo if I kept drinking like I was. My years of alcoholism - active drinking and the progressive disease, and all the wreckage- were what I then had to begin to recover from.
I committed fully to AA and began a life of recovery. For me, quitting drinking was simple, a one time deal and a permanent choice. Gradually I began learning the program and as my head cleared and my body healed- that was a long process for me, compared to many, from immediate and awful withdrawal then significant PAWS- and my life in recovery began and it continues. I don't envision a permanently "recovered" finish line except dying sober. My commitment to my journey and growth and putting my EMOTIONAL sobriety first is the path- because from that emotional balance comes physical sobriety and everything else.
I say that I am in recovery, or that I'm a recovering alcoholic. I am proud of that. I am so proud and grateful for the life I have now. Peace, strength, clear-mindedness, better ability to deal with things and make decisions, a daily program for trying to be my best self.....that's what recovery is to me. And from the specifics (like an amazing in recovery partner) to the general (feelings of hope and excitement and a future), I'd wish my life on anyone.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
I think words are powerful. My brain is highly suggestible...that's why positive mantra's, daily intention setting, meditation etc are so effective in changing the way I think. That is also why negative thinking, victim thinking, negative mantras are also so powerful for me....and I have to catch myself when I find myself 'going there'.
I haven't a clue what I 'call' myself. I guess an addict in recovery. But like any part of a healthy lifestyle (eating right, exercise, sleep, spiritual development) it is a practice. So it happens daily. Otherwise the practice becomes weak.
I haven't a clue what I 'call' myself. I guess an addict in recovery. But like any part of a healthy lifestyle (eating right, exercise, sleep, spiritual development) it is a practice. So it happens daily. Otherwise the practice becomes weak.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,065
I think newly recovering is learning and putting new practices in place to create s sober life. I think recovered is living those principals.
I have a weird, I Don't call it rare, blood disorder. I will always have it, if I am not careful I will suffer from it again, but compared to when I was sick and being treated/learning to manage it, i am recovered. I will always be an alcoholic, i am learning how do live without booze, eventually i will live the practices i am learning withput even thinking about it. I will then be recovered, but like any illness, physical or mental, still susceptible to relapse. Maybe we should use remission when talking about active alcoholism.
I have a weird, I Don't call it rare, blood disorder. I will always have it, if I am not careful I will suffer from it again, but compared to when I was sick and being treated/learning to manage it, i am recovered. I will always be an alcoholic, i am learning how do live without booze, eventually i will live the practices i am learning withput even thinking about it. I will then be recovered, but like any illness, physical or mental, still susceptible to relapse. Maybe we should use remission when talking about active alcoholism.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,518
Personally I don't label myself .
I know that if I drink alcohol my life is in danger .
Someone with a nut allergy isn't in recovery or recovered or cured .
He knows if he eats nuts his life is in danger
I don't delve any deeper that that .
I know that if I drink alcohol my life is in danger .
Someone with a nut allergy isn't in recovery or recovered or cured .
He knows if he eats nuts his life is in danger
I don't delve any deeper that that .
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