Snowydelrico

I know getting sober is ultimately an inside job but is so much more bearable with the right help.

Sammy1980

No matter how many days or years we have I believe we must never forget that one drink will lead us back to were none of us ever want to be again. Once you have that precious time of being sober don't ever give it up it is far to hard to get back.

Cornishman

Hi. I know all that feeling all too well. It's always a danger if there's anything left over from the day/night before. It's hard for people who enjoy drinking to understand that we drink not for pleasure, but to avoid not drinking and all that entails. After getting through the misery of withdrawal though, I just can't understand how it all happens again a few weeks or months later. It seems there's a secret agent in the brain who lies low for a while until he can step in and start it all off again.

Cornishman

Sorry - didn't mean to quote that stat as a downer for anyone, just feeling dispirited (forgive the pun) that this just keeps happening. I've given up countless times - sometimes for a month, 6 months, almost a year once - yet here I am again on Day 4!

Mizz

I have had multiple relapses over the last decade. Each relapse has brought me an immense amount of suffering. Sobriety has not been linear for me. Many starts and stops. At first I really felt defeated and I think most of us who relapse do feel that way. Today, I feel a lot of empowerment and a lot of positivity with sobriety. I am grateful and very blessed to be sober again. I am no longer suffering and am content/ happy with where my life is headed and how my brain is working. It takes a lot of inside work to get well. This forum is such a valuable tool. Its nice to come to a place where people understand alcoholism.

Create a plan and build a life that you are happy to be living. You can do this. You have the power to change your life.

Surrendered19

Statistics, math and science can be very motivating. They can also be used as an excuse to keep drinking. Do relapse rates show us how dangerous addictive drinking is? Or do the rates mean that we are simply in good company down at the pub?

Zebra1275

I think the stats say that only 10% of alcoholics make it past 2 years sober.

Which research journal published this study?

I don't mean to be a smart aleck, but statistics can be misleading depending upon a variety of factors. And sometimes "statistics" are not really statistics, but opinion. And a lot of "facts" (especially in the area of politics) are just not accurate.

I am part of a small statistical sample (of only one) but I can tell you that 100% of the people in my study who quit drinking, remain sober after 11 years.

Cornishman

Statistics are unreliablein generally, agree entirely. I honestly can't recall where I read this, but think it was somewhere fairly credible. It stuck in my mind as it seemed to make sense from my own experience - people say it's just will power that you need, but in fact we are battling something chemical, genetic, psychological and anatomical which is strong and difficult to overcome. Bit of will power can do any harm though!

BackandScared

I used to believe I was 'special'. My enthusiastic drinking was part of my overall enthusiasm for life, party, fun! I thought alcohol made more of all those things. And because I refuse to believe I am not special, I decided to be on the 10% side of the statistics! Join the club!

Snowydelrico

’99.675% of statistics are made up on the spot’
Vic Reaves

Steely

Just recalled.

"There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics".

It wasn't a downer Cornishman, everyone looks at stuff like that.

I'm just glad you're sober.

tufty13

All the statistics in the world can't measure the warmth of a smile.

I smile more when I haven’t been abusing alcohol.

Scd619x

AA runs at about 5% success rate nowadays, not sure about other treatment programs. If you are using the term alcoholic as in the way AA uses it then that can be anyone drinking from a beer a month to drinking all day so it's quite a one stop shop kind of program. I think if you looked at programs tailored to the alcohol dependent or alcohol abuser, which is a huge difference then the success rates may differ from the 10% you quoted. A lot of people that are recorded as having an alcohol misuse disorder do stop drinking at some point for various reasons so i think the success rate is actually more positive than we think, good news