I come here periodically for a few reasons.
1. I sometimes need reminders of what I went through when I know a friend is struggling and might be reaching out. Reading some of the struggles people are having remind me not to be "to busy" to help people I know who are struggling right now.
2. Its not often, but every now and then I see some people post here who are binge drinking, "high functioning", with periods of not drinking cycles like I used to be in. And I remember how confusing that was that I didn't meet the "classic" definition of alcohol disorder so I offer my experiences with my recovery and maybe it shows that its not unique and special, and therefore, it can be fixed.

I never thought much about why I hang around. So I had to think about it some. It's not just one thing that keeps me here, and it's certainly nothing I need to keep me sober at this stage, but it's a friendly atmosphere and well monitored. I haven't met a troll yet, and in a forum, that's a breath of fresh air right there.

The threads I like the most are when someone comes in and posts a milestone, be it 6 months or 10 years, and explains how they did it in a manner that I can understand that they've nailed the process, and where I think to myself, "I don't need to worry about that guy." I really like hearing about success over addiction to alcohol. It gives me a pleasant rush and boosts my spirits. Why? Be damned if I know. I guess I just think it's important and assume it's as important to others that it is to me.

I read lots of threads, and sometimes I just don't have anything to say. This is not approval or disapproval. If someone is suffering, and something about it rings familiar, I'll respond about myself, how it was for me, and what I did to dig myself out of a similar situation. I hope that I might help someone in some small way. But lots of times, I don't know what to say. Collectively, we fumble about, and hope that through the group, something good comes out of it, and I'm pretty sure that happens.

I've been in other forums. Some are exciting, challenging, and I enjoy them mostly. But what happens here is more than just passing the time of day. This is about people getting better, not about debate or arguments. This is about making lives better, and I can't think of anything more important.

I am sober now, but I come here to keep it fresh in my mind.

Longer periods of sobriety mean that ingrained sober habit keeps people from drinking again easier than shorter periods. It’s just not what we do any more.

but we’re alcoholics, and sometimes I try to forget that, because what if “someday” I wanted to have a beer again, or drink on vacation....I come back here, get the psychological smack upside my head...”hey, you’re a drunk.”

“oh yeah that’s right: I’m a drunk, that’s why I don’t drink.”

once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. I’m as weak after the first drink as the person with one day of sobriety is after the first drink. So I don’t have the first drink, just like the brand new sober person does not have the first drink. Such an inconceivable concept really, that I can’t be cured, except for the fact that it’s true.

Me too. My wife has never drunk alcohol so doesn’t really get how hard it was to quit. No point in talking to her at length about it.

When I cut down in early 2018 before finally quitting 20 months ago, I always assumed I‘d be able to drink occasionally. I was dependent on alcohol so I find it amazing that’s there’s no literature out there to tell me I can never drink again or I’d relapse. GPs don’t say this either. This board did the job that the GPs didn’t. I find the relapse threads harrowing, and I know I’m one drink away from being there.

It’s sort of an analogy, but I remember being sat in a tiny apartment somewhere in Germany years ago. I’d ran out of money for that month and didn’t even have any food. Two years before, I’d been driving a Jeep around Asia on a rich expat contract. Things improved thankfully, but it shows how quickly things can change in life. Things might be good now, but that can change. The opposite applies of course in that bad can change to good. We have no control over lots of events. Who knew a pandemic would kick off? But we can control a lot of things, and we all have a far better chance of happiness for us and our families if we steer clear of booze.

I came here as I felt at rock-bottom and SR became my safety net. I read every day as part of a routine to remind myself of how bad an alcohol problem is and that I don't want to go back there. The site provides a safe place to discuss alcoholism and other addictions in a positive and helpful way. I'm coming up on 3 years (October), not that I'm really counting any more.

It's having people who understand how hard this is and who have kept going and made a sober life....that more than anything has given me the belief that this is possible.

Also, I have grown to really care a lot about the people here and hopefully I can help them out too sometimes.