Hello!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 28
Hello!
Hey everyone!
I registered a couple of days ago but am just now writing my first post.
I had a problem with alcohol which gradually got worse through my twenties and into my thirties, and it reached its worst point during and after my divorce when I was 36. I finally stopped drinking alcohol completely at the age of 38 and was sober for 5 years and almost 2 months. Life was so much better and I was lucky enough to get remarried during this time to my wonderful second husband.
So yeah, I had a fantastic run at sobriety for 5 years and nearly 2 months, which I sadly broke at the end of October 2020. I never imagined I would ever drink alcohol again, but here I was. There are reasons why I think this happened, which I'll explore more in later posts. I drank for two nights at the end of October, was horrified that I had done so and was sober again until the very end of November 2020, when I drank on four nights.
I have managed to stop again, thank goodness, and have now been sober again for a week (my new sobriety date is December 4th 2020 - I had my last drink on December 3rd).
I was really lucky with these relapses in that I didn't go overboard and nothing bad happened, but they absolutely made me realise that drinking alcohol holds absolutely nothing beneficial for me and I just cannot go down that path again. I feel like my resolve to stay sober for good is very strong, but I thought that before my relapses! So I have promised that I will take some action and reach out to people who understand so that I have resources to call on if I ever feel tempted again. I'm really hoping to help other people stay sober too.
I just wanted to introduce myself and say hello to everyone! I am SO glad to be back on the sober bus again! Life really is SO much better sober for people like us.
I registered a couple of days ago but am just now writing my first post.
I had a problem with alcohol which gradually got worse through my twenties and into my thirties, and it reached its worst point during and after my divorce when I was 36. I finally stopped drinking alcohol completely at the age of 38 and was sober for 5 years and almost 2 months. Life was so much better and I was lucky enough to get remarried during this time to my wonderful second husband.
So yeah, I had a fantastic run at sobriety for 5 years and nearly 2 months, which I sadly broke at the end of October 2020. I never imagined I would ever drink alcohol again, but here I was. There are reasons why I think this happened, which I'll explore more in later posts. I drank for two nights at the end of October, was horrified that I had done so and was sober again until the very end of November 2020, when I drank on four nights.
I have managed to stop again, thank goodness, and have now been sober again for a week (my new sobriety date is December 4th 2020 - I had my last drink on December 3rd).
I was really lucky with these relapses in that I didn't go overboard and nothing bad happened, but they absolutely made me realise that drinking alcohol holds absolutely nothing beneficial for me and I just cannot go down that path again. I feel like my resolve to stay sober for good is very strong, but I thought that before my relapses! So I have promised that I will take some action and reach out to people who understand so that I have resources to call on if I ever feel tempted again. I'm really hoping to help other people stay sober too.
I just wanted to introduce myself and say hello to everyone! I am SO glad to be back on the sober bus again! Life really is SO much better sober for people like us.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
You did better than me..
Five years is fantastic! Glad you made your mind up quickly to get back on the wagon. I took a lo-o-o-ng detour, when I drank again in 2017, after over 3 years of sobriety. Since then I have had several quits lasting up to 3 months but always go back to it. I can control it for awhile but it ends up controlling me. I finally made up my mind i have to stop permanently and am back here at SR where I was able to achieve long term sobriety before.
You will find many like-minded individuals here, and excellent support.
You will find many like-minded individuals here, and excellent support.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,746
Welcome to the family. 
I hope we can help you get sober again for good. Lots of support here, just avail yourself of it. Read and post often, especially if you feel like drinking. Post here instead and we'll try our best to talk you out of it. 
I hope we can help you get sober again for good. Lots of support here, just avail yourself of it. Read and post often, especially if you feel like drinking. Post here instead and we'll try our best to talk you out of it. Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,031
Welcome to SR! I will be celebrating five years in January 1st, and reading your post was a good reminder to me of how important it is to stay active in my recovery. Thank you for sharing your story.
This is an incredibly supportive forum, and you will find lots of support on here. Looking forward to seeing your posts and getting to know you!
Delilah
This is an incredibly supportive forum, and you will find lots of support on here. Looking forward to seeing your posts and getting to know you!
Delilah
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,506
Welcome, DarkStranger - so good to meet you. Congratulations for seeing what needed to happen & taking action.
I was once sober for 3 yrs. & decided to test the waters again. Unlike you, I didn't catch myself & vow to quit. I went on for 7 years, trying to moderate & be a social drinker. My life was chaos - worse than ever - dui's & reckless behavior. It was quit or die. That's when I found SR, & my anxiety about the whole thing calmed down. I knew I was among friends who truly understood what I was going through. I found the strength to quit forever. We're glad you're here.
I was once sober for 3 yrs. & decided to test the waters again. Unlike you, I didn't catch myself & vow to quit. I went on for 7 years, trying to moderate & be a social drinker. My life was chaos - worse than ever - dui's & reckless behavior. It was quit or die. That's when I found SR, & my anxiety about the whole thing calmed down. I knew I was among friends who truly understood what I was going through. I found the strength to quit forever. We're glad you're here.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
hey DarkStranger!!! I'm so glad for you!!! The fact that you faced this and took action before it ran away on you is awesome. AWESOME. The fact that you took the action to find this place - as you will discover - is also awesome. Welcome aboard and hey.... THANK YOU for helping me stay sober today (coming up on seven years of sobriety from alcohol)... your story is another of the many, many reminders I always find here that help me keep my commitment to a sober life.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 28
Thanks, guys! I'm doing well, still staying sober and committed to doing so forever.
I'm glad that my posts have already helped some of you, even if just by providing us all with a reminder never to get complacent in this sobriety journey.
I'm glad that my posts have already helped some of you, even if just by providing us all with a reminder never to get complacent in this sobriety journey.
EnjoyingTheJourney
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,847
Originally Posted by Delilah1 
Welcome to SR! I will be celebrating five years in January 1st, and reading your post was a good reminder to me of how important it is to stay active in my recovery. Thank you for sharing your story.
This is an incredibly supportive forum, and you will find lots of support on here. Looking forward to seeing your posts and getting to know you!
Delilah
This is an incredibly supportive forum, and you will find lots of support on here. Looking forward to seeing your posts and getting to know you!
Delilah
So glad you found SR! ^^^Delilah is my sober twin and I second everything she wrote. Take care & stay with us......
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,896
Welcome to SR!
I have a similar story. After years of struggles I finally managed to get sober. I was sober for 5 1/2 years. Then I let my guard down and had a beer with dinner in a restaurant. I really struggled for the next year get sober again. My pattern was typically a 3 day bender followed by 2 weeks of sobriety. This was then followed by another 3 - 4 day bender and on and on. Don't do what I did.
Fortunately, I'm now coming up on 11 years of sobriety.
I have a similar story. After years of struggles I finally managed to get sober. I was sober for 5 1/2 years. Then I let my guard down and had a beer with dinner in a restaurant. I really struggled for the next year get sober again. My pattern was typically a 3 day bender followed by 2 weeks of sobriety. This was then followed by another 3 - 4 day bender and on and on. Don't do what I did.
Fortunately, I'm now coming up on 11 years of sobriety.
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