Why do we count?
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
I'm to the point where I don't count, but keep track.
I quit eleven years and one month ago. I had to just stop and figure that out.
I quit on Christmas Eve, so my quit date is easy to remember.
It gives me comfort to realize that after thirty years of drinking, I'm catching up, albeit it one day at a time, to those thirty years.
And I'm proud of my sober time. It gives me a sense of pride and that I am in the process of achieving something. Something very important.
I quit eleven years and one month ago. I had to just stop and figure that out.
I quit on Christmas Eve, so my quit date is easy to remember.
It gives me comfort to realize that after thirty years of drinking, I'm catching up, albeit it one day at a time, to those thirty years.
And I'm proud of my sober time. It gives me a sense of pride and that I am in the process of achieving something. Something very important.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
Originally Posted by August252015 
^^I think of it in terms of belly button birthdays, too - my first sober bday was 40, and my 10th will be 50! I think that's cool.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 1,486
I only loosely count and I only know cuz I'm on MyFitnessPal and I activated it the day after I quit, I don't know my exact quit date by heart but I know I'm close to 200 days just cuz MFP tells me, counting used to make me self sabotage myself everytime so I try not to focus on it too much and just work on myself and the life I want
Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 674
I definitely counted. At just about 2 years now I still count - but only years and only think about it occasionally. There's a chemical rush we get from accomplishment, and I think it's important in the early days to build that up - our bodies and souls and minds are so beat to hell it's the little things in the beginning that really start spinning us in a new direction.
Thinking about alcohol and it's effects occupy a very small part of my life these days... my focus now is a bit deeper into my health and soul....
-B
Thinking about alcohol and it's effects occupy a very small part of my life these days... my focus now is a bit deeper into my health and soul....
-B
Sober since 10th April 2012
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 6,047
At first I marked the days off on the calendar, then I just marked the months. After a while I stopped but I still had some goals like 6 weeks, 6 months, a year etc.
It gave me a mood boost and a feeling of achievement. Eventually the benefits of sobriety itself took over and I stopped counting.
It gave me a mood boost and a feeling of achievement. Eventually the benefits of sobriety itself took over and I stopped counting.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,583
For me, everday day sober was a day further away from that horrendous last drink and another day of me not putting that poison in my system.
I couldn't tell you how many days sober I am now unless I look at my counter but my sobriety date is 22nd April 2018 so I am 21 months but I don't obsess about it now. I am delighted that I have not put any alcohol into my body since that day and I that I am healing myself physically, mentally and spiritually.
I couldn't tell you how many days sober I am now unless I look at my counter but my sobriety date is 22nd April 2018 so I am 21 months but I don't obsess about it now. I am delighted that I have not put any alcohol into my body since that day and I that I am healing myself physically, mentally and spiritually.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
Originally Posted by August252015
Aww thanks, Ghostlight. You made this insomniac alcoholic smile 
Not only are we recovering alcoholics in the same city, we're both insomniacs
Saw bed about 4 this morning. I've gotten used to it, as much as one can get used to it.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Yeah, I tried it (again) but it didn't quit work. Right now I feel oddly energetic....if y'all catch me loopy this afternoon, this explains it (reference my other post... ).
Dude, and I forgot you are here too! I knew I liked you.
).Dude, and I forgot you are here too! I knew I liked you.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 110
Originally Posted by August252015
Also I think lots of us quit on random days so maybe like me, it helps to keep some kind of track
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
That's funny about remembering or not Gray - I don't think my husband really recalls his is June 9 but it's almost as reflexive to me as my own. He gets a card and present from me, which is mainly because it makes ME happy to give.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 110
Originally Posted by August252015
That's funny about remembering or not Gray - I don't think my husband really recalls his is June 9 but it's almost as reflexive to me as my own. He gets a card and present from me, which is mainly because it makes ME happy to give.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,161
I haven't been counting days but I just downloaded a sober app, mainly out of curiosity cause Ive heard yall talk about them, and realized I will hit a month on Valentine's day and 6 months day before my birthday.
Kinda neat.
Kinda neat.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Originally Posted by GrayJ
It's lovely that you get him a card and gift!
I tend to give as I want to receive so times like bdays, anniversaries, Tuesdays...are reasons! But I know how he flourishes w words of affirmation. We both speak in acts of service which can def cross over in the bigger sense of "gifts."
We're a pretty good team
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 32,382
Originally Posted by Sober45
My longest quit was 53 days. This was years ago but I remember i used to write the # on my wrist every day. It served as a constant reminder and was like a daily reward as others have said.
Funny thing is stopped writing the number on my wrist several days before falling off the wagon. How easily we forgot.
Funny thing is stopped writing the number on my wrist several days before falling off the wagon. How easily we forgot.
Useful tip - thank you!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,474
.
I don't count. It's not as if I'm ever gonna go back to drinking. Any more than I'm gonna 'forget' to not kick our beloved Dog. Just ain't a gonna happen. I don't have Asthma anymore, either. So, I don't count Days since my last Asthma attack. IF someone stills fights the Booze obsession after Years, then they gotta do what they gotta do. I refuse to buy into the false narrative [for me] that drinking again is some inevitability. Nope. See my Signature Line below.
I use a Sober Calculator mebbe twice/Year. Usually when someone here on SR mentions their date, and I've not bothered to calculate my own Sober Time.
I don't count. It's not as if I'm ever gonna go back to drinking. Any more than I'm gonna 'forget' to not kick our beloved Dog. Just ain't a gonna happen. I don't have Asthma anymore, either. So, I don't count Days since my last Asthma attack. IF someone stills fights the Booze obsession after Years, then they gotta do what they gotta do. I refuse to buy into the false narrative [for me] that drinking again is some inevitability. Nope. See my Signature Line below.
I use a Sober Calculator mebbe twice/Year. Usually when someone here on SR mentions their date, and I've not bothered to calculate my own Sober Time.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
