nez

I was diagnosed as having thyroid cancer 37 years ago. I followed the suggestions of people who were experienced in addressing cancer. Today I am alive and doing well. I don't mind talking about the before, during, and after of my struggles with thyroid cancer, especially if it can help someone else who is facing the same. I don't view my affliction with thyroid cancer as a moral failing, so I have no fear nor shame of being labeled. My history of thyroid cancer doesn't define me, although it did teach me many valuable lessons. It is just part of my journey, I am a survivor.

I was diagnosed as having alcoholism many years ago. I view it the same way I view my experiences with thyroid cancer.

I like words that end in "ing" to describe my journey. "ing" is the present and future. Take "ing" out and you are left with just the past.

I am being, living, and thriving as a sober person today. I am a survivor. :~)

Zencat

What would best describe a wellness maintenance stage better, recovery or recovered? I'll pick recovery I guess. But I choose to say when asked: 'I had an illness that once had me. With a daily wellness plan I can manage my mental health symptoms and maintain a freedom from harmful addictions. How about recovery-ed. Combine the two concepts into a concept of your own

Aellyce

Not sure yet as I'm not even a month sober, definitely in recovery / recovering right now. As far as I can imagine, probably in the long run I would want to say I'm recovered and truly move on from dealing with my past alcoholism, as a non-drinker. I imagine this based on some challenges I successfully dealt with in the past, for example an eating disorder (which is very addiction-like) in my teens and early 20s. I haven't felt much challenge around eating for a long time, don't visit eating disorder communities, don't need to do anything to have a pretty healthy relationship with food and body image now, so I truly feel recovered from it, much like people can recover fully from an accident. Alcohol was definitely a more destructive issue for me, and much harder to beat, so perhaps my long-term relation with this one will be different, can't tell yet. My goal is definitely not having to revisit this all the time after a certain point in the future. I am also not someone who tends to remain attached to and ruminate over past wrongs, traumas, losses and other difficulties much, I definitely like to move on and have a sense of progression, so perhaps "recovered" will feel more empowering for me even though I'm far from such a state at the moment (if for nothing else, because I still experience many cravings). I think a lot of this is very personal and also some semantics - whatever works for everyone.

Mizz

I like the way you think.
I also thought this questioning hovered on semantics. I really want to hear what people have to say and how they are processing.
Its fascinating and also a good conversation. (It might be obvious now to everyone that I am in quarantine. haha!

Mizz

YES! Combining the two makes sense.
I like the Wellness maintenance stage concept. I mean, that is where we find ourselves and it is imperative to stay active in this stage.

I was also thinking about individuals who have dual issues.... GAD and alcoholism or Bipolar and Alcoholism etc and how much we have to put into our Wellness in order to maintain lasting sobriety. Its a real tricky song and dance. One I have seen play out in myself for years. My GAD can send me into a tailspin.... Anyways that is another thread entirely and possibly one for the mental health section of this forum I digress

I like the way you think!

silentrun

That's how it was for me. In the first 2 years of recovery, I was an alcoholic 24/7. It took another couple of years to hold that new pathway. I didn't just get to walk away. As you said, that chapter has ended and my drinking days are behind me. Whew! I learned my lesson. I ain't playing a game I can't win.

MLD51

This is how I play it, also. The words don't really mean that much to me, personally. If I don't allow them to weigh me down, they won't. But owning the fact that I have alcohol use disorder and that I am in a recovery program, and always will be, to some extent (AA) has given me several opportunities to help others understand how really common it is, and that there's hope of recovery.

This really is a personal choice. I know some people who like to say they are recovered, and some who will never say that, because they feel it's a life-long journey and since there's no way to drink safely EVER, saying "recovered" is tempting fate. To each their own!

Zencat

Dual-Diagnosis or Comorbidity Disorders Is what I have. For clarity only (for psych-types nerds )I'm diagnosed with PTSD from childhood trauma, brain damage from 25+yrs of amphetamine daily use, alcohol/drug disorder/personality disorder/depression&anxiety disorder.

Its Maintenance for me and its discovery also, yes. A wellness journey is being the best version of you, you can be. And that is always in progress, you think blessed one

stickyone

I also started a thread not long ago . You are what you label yourself. Has alot of good replies. My personal path I'm in I choose to not label myself a alcoholic. I haven't drank in 8 years but if I pick up that bottle bad things happen maybe fast maybe slower than relapse before. I know that for certain. Today I haven't drank and am working on day 217 off my prescription opiates. If you feel like not saying that your a alcoholic because it has a negative effect in you doing well. Than go for it.