27 Years
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,174
27 Years
Another year of sobriety glides by silently, but I'll break the silence. Way back when in my small town, my Friday night AA group would celebrate "Birthday Friday" on the last Friday of each month. Even in what was our largest group of the week, everyone knew who had a birthday that month, but this was the night it was formalized. A friend would stand up an make a short introductory speech about one birthday person and present that person with a chip. Then someone would ask the birthday person how he/she did it, and that called for another short speech, and that routine kept on usually for maybe 5 or 6 times with applause, celebration, and congratulations, until all the birthdays that month were accounted for. We had a birthday cake and coffee, and the meeting was adjourned. I always enjoyed that meeting, and on Birthday Friday, we would have a huge turnout, maybe as many as 40 people. It was always the biggest meeting of the month.
And no, I didn't wait until after the holidays to get sober, at least not consciously. It just happened that my last drink was on Jan 3rd, which was followed by 5 days of climbing the walls and not the best week in my life, but 5 days later things came together when I made a commitment to stay sober for good, and that's the day I celebrate as the actual beginning of my recovery. I had found a group that understood, and I finally accepted that I would always fail in attempts to drink like a gentleman. Yet the last drink is customarily considered one's birthday. And in retrospect that is probably right even if it's followed by a few white knuckle days.
Best wishes to all newcomers, and thanks to everyone else for being here.
And no, I didn't wait until after the holidays to get sober, at least not consciously. It just happened that my last drink was on Jan 3rd, which was followed by 5 days of climbing the walls and not the best week in my life, but 5 days later things came together when I made a commitment to stay sober for good, and that's the day I celebrate as the actual beginning of my recovery. I had found a group that understood, and I finally accepted that I would always fail in attempts to drink like a gentleman. Yet the last drink is customarily considered one's birthday. And in retrospect that is probably right even if it's followed by a few white knuckle days.
Best wishes to all newcomers, and thanks to everyone else for being here.
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Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 528
Congratulations! The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous repeatedly describes alcoholism as a hopeless disease. Thus, every sober birthday celebration is a celebration of miracles in an age that denies their existence. Truly, we realize that "God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves." In addition, our birthdays serve as a beacon of hope. As the Big Book says: "Doctors are rightly loath to tell alcoholic patients the whole story unless it will serve some good purpose. But you may talk to him about the hopelessness of alcoholism because you offer a solution." Thanks for sharing, and God bless! As the "joke" goes: Now the work starts 
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Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,956
Wow, that’s amazing, Dri. Also, the fact you can even now remember the unpleasantness of withdrawal shows how hard this time is and is a reminder to never go back there.
Four years on, I still get occasional minor cravings and tiny triggers, but these are barely noticeable. I’m curious if there are any cravings after 27 years? Amazing 👍
Four years on, I still get occasional minor cravings and tiny triggers, but these are barely noticeable. I’m curious if there are any cravings after 27 years? Amazing 👍
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,612
Congratulations on 27 years Dri Guy.
Thanks too for the support, encouragement and wisdom you have brought to these pages as part of those 27 years.
"Birthday Friday" sounds like it was really good meeting.
Thanks too for the support, encouragement and wisdom you have brought to these pages as part of those 27 years.
"Birthday Friday" sounds like it was really good meeting.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,174
Hodd, I don't remember a craving at all in the last few years, but maybe 5 years ago, after doing a big job in the yard or the garage, I would have this fleeting feeling that it would be nice to settle back with a whisky and ginger. It wasn't so much as a craving as just a nostalgic recall of that same "kick back with a well deserved cool one," that always led to the rest of the day being lost to alcohol abuse. But such thoughts are nothing like earlier sobriety, especially those first 5 days. The later experiences were just manageable thoughts and laughable. I would actually chuckle to myself about the absurdity of such a lingering reflex. But those are pretty much gone, maybe completely gone as far as I can tell.
You're right about remembering those first days of withdrawal. I've never stopped remembering what that struggle was like. It played a large role in sticking with early recovery. I'll never forget it, but now I don't think it plays a role in my sobriety. I just don't drink, and I am happy that way. I don't worry about drinking anymore. It's one part of my life where I'm just a different person.
You're right about remembering those first days of withdrawal. I've never stopped remembering what that struggle was like. It played a large role in sticking with early recovery. I'll never forget it, but now I don't think it plays a role in my sobriety. I just don't drink, and I am happy that way. I don't worry about drinking anymore. It's one part of my life where I'm just a different person.
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New England
Posts: 1,484
Driguy. Congratulations. Thank you for still coming here to offer your thoughts, support and experience to all on their own journey. It means more than words can say. I hope that the younger people here can overcome their addictions now before it does too much damage and becomes too difficult.
Thanks again Driguy for all you do.
Thanks again Driguy for all you do.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 600
Great story DriGuy and huge congratulations. I love the sober birthdays. We sure need those. As for the white knuckling, for me it is so memorable. Someone once asked me about those first days and what did I do to substitute for when I would drink and and I said nothing, for weeks I would just sit in my chair, all my energy going to not drinking. It was all I could do. The rest of the plan came later. And thanks for all your thoughtful posts and helping so many.
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