Max has 2 months!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Eastern US
Posts: 1,386
Max has 2 months!
I have 2 months today. Soon I will have surpassed my longest quit this year and I am not sure that I have been much beyond 3 months very often. For anyone still struggling I would say there is a couple of important things that have not only gotten me to build up quite a bit of sober time overall but gotten me to this quit.
1. Never stop trying. Most of us intend to quit and relapse many times before we get it right. The important thing is to never stop trying. I have been trying to get a good long term quit together for the past 5 years. In those 5 years I have probably been sober for the majority. My issue is quit for a month or 2 and then binge and do it again. Never stop trying and you will get it right eventually.
2. At least for me, because I never stopped trying, I would still get together tons of sober time just not in one chunk. This has made it to where I am mostly used to NOT drinking, it is just that I have to deal with the occasional AV. It also means my withdrawals are not bad. I did this with cigarettes' too until it stuck. By keeping on getting back on the wagon you slowly change the associations in your brain until it works.
This is not to say that relapses are no big deal, just that they are normal for quitters. They need to be taken seriously as any 1 relapse for us could be our death or someone elses.
Finally, The most recent thing that has really stuck with me and made me more successful than ever is the no BS advice that many give which is "YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR QUIT YOUR #1 PRIORITY PERIOD." and "Stay active in your recovery, however that may be"
Thank you for your support everyone!
Max
1. Never stop trying. Most of us intend to quit and relapse many times before we get it right. The important thing is to never stop trying. I have been trying to get a good long term quit together for the past 5 years. In those 5 years I have probably been sober for the majority. My issue is quit for a month or 2 and then binge and do it again. Never stop trying and you will get it right eventually.
2. At least for me, because I never stopped trying, I would still get together tons of sober time just not in one chunk. This has made it to where I am mostly used to NOT drinking, it is just that I have to deal with the occasional AV. It also means my withdrawals are not bad. I did this with cigarettes' too until it stuck. By keeping on getting back on the wagon you slowly change the associations in your brain until it works.
This is not to say that relapses are no big deal, just that they are normal for quitters. They need to be taken seriously as any 1 relapse for us could be our death or someone elses.
Finally, The most recent thing that has really stuck with me and made me more successful than ever is the no BS advice that many give which is "YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR QUIT YOUR #1 PRIORITY PERIOD." and "Stay active in your recovery, however that may be"
Thank you for your support everyone!
Max
Thanks too for a great post that resonates with me.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,100
Congratulations Max! I think your message is an important one for those struggling with relapses. There is no straight line to recovery but as long as we keep trying long term sobriety is possible. On to month 3!
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,945
This is not to say that relapses are no big deal, just that they are normal for quitters. They need to be taken seriously
Oh and well done, Max! You’ve done brilliantly these last two months. Don’t think of that 3 month record, make it permanent.
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