Lenina

Yes! For me its much about helping others find a way out of the misery I knew. By comparison, I didn't lose much. Wasn't in trouble at work, didn't have financial problems because of drinking. yet I was totally miserable. I am grateful that the misery was so bad, just from the addiction, I didn't have to get down as far as some do. I didn't drink on the job ever. But I was so miserable with the disease, I don't know how competent I was.

yes, I've been sober more than I've been drunk. Sober and peaceful.

why did I drink after eleven years? honestly. If I cut through all the nonsense, I just wanted to drink again. Things in my life were just Life. But I'd had enough sobriety to know I could get through bad times sober. I knew suffering was just apart of the human condition but the disease convinced me to choose misery again. it's insanity.

I hope this makes sense. I'm not a good writer and don't always explain things very well. I hope maybe someone struggling might be able to hear what they need other them through the day.

Love from Lenina

nandm

is every day sober a record for you now ? Absolutely, The longest stretch I could get before this was one year and that was a white knuckle, miserable year that I did just because I was trying to prove my now ex but then current husband wrong when he told me I was an alcoholic.

and what would you think to be the "key" to your sobriety ? I don't think it is just one thing. It is a combination of having a program of recovery that I work on a daily basis, AA; a strong support group; much gratitude; and never allowing myself to forget that desperation, pain, demoralization, humiliation, and complete loss of hope that came in the last days of my drinking.

CassieK

I'm 50 yrs old and have been drinking since I was 13. Longest I've ever been sober is 7 months; I've only been sober this time for 3 weeks. So, no, it isn't :-) However, I am going to succeed in breaking my 7 month sobriety.

Mountainmanbob

a worthy goal Cassiek
I had been sober a few times before
every time coming back to the Program
I looked forward to the day that I would beat my old sober time record
actually that seemed to be one of my main sober goals
it all happens with time if we are doing the right things

good luck to you
M-Bob

Grungehead

I am coming up on 16 months sober (17th) which is not my longest OR second longest period of sobriety. I first got sober in 1990 for 6 1/2 years before relapsing for a year. I got sober again in 1997 for 7 years before relapsing for 8 years. When I relapsed in 1996 I was going through a separation/divorce, and when I relapsed in 2004 I lost my job after missing 4+ months of work after having heart surgery and then experiencing complications.

The problem was that I didn't have the tools in place to face those challenges. Both times I went to AA for a few years just going to meetings and not working the program. Both times I eventually stopped going to meetings, and I hadn't been doing anything for my recovery (besides just not drinking) for several years leading up to the relapses.

What I finally came to realize (slow learner I guess) is that for me not drinking was doable when life was going my way, but when the SHTF I had no foundation in place to weather the storm. I am doing things differently this time, and my sobriety is no longer conditional upon external circumstances.

huntingtontx

This is my longest time sober. For me it was knowing this time it was over and reaching out for help. I came to SR and hung out in the chat room. Went to chat meetings and read all I could here. I was stuck at home in a body brace, and SR was my only resource. I knew I would not drink again, no matter what. As I sobered up, I began growing up. I am liking the sober person I have become. I never cared for the drunk me, in more ways then one. I love being sober and don't think I will ever take it for granted. Great thread Bob, I have loved reading the replies.

grtgrandpa

Yes Moutainmanbob, 28 years, 4 months, and 6 days today is the longest time that I have been sober in my 82 years of life. I drank alcoholically for 42 years.

What was my bottom? Even with a major in engineering and a minor in chemistry, I was too stupid at age 54 to know that I had the disease/illness of alcoholism.

I went to my first AA meeting on April 6, 1986 to learn about my alcoholic/drug addict/bi-polar daughter. That was my bottom.

I did not slip because I was too busy trying to save her. Then just to put the nail in my egotistical/self-centered/maniacal carcass, she committed suicide on December 31, 1986. New Years Eve, a drinking holiday for amateurs. I drank every day.

I am manic today because Robin Williams killed himself. My dead daughter was crazy about Robin Williams.

How many more will it take to get everybody's' attention that our illnesses want us dead? You can throw nicotine in there too cause that's what killed Bill Wilson.

Db1105

And on the other side of the coin I'm 54 and had my last drunk one month short of my 18th birthday. I owe it all to The Twelve Steps and The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. I've been to far to many funerals over the years to those who have succumbed to this disease. Many who I would of bet the house that they would never drink again. Some where you could feel that they would never make it. And, some who I thought would not make it leading wonderful lives today.

As it says in The Big Book, cunning, baffling, and powerful. The disease of addiction just plain sucks.

Mountainmanbob

I did not even realize that Robin Williams suffered from the addiction disease
he will be greatly missed

those of us who have been around sobriety for a while
have seen so many return to the drink and or drug
only to be dead in a short while

thank God (we) are all sober today

prayers sent out for Mr. Robin Williams and his family

M-Bob

CousinA

Yes, by far. There was a nine month period between 16-17 when I was in a therapeutic community. I was brought to AA when I was 22. I stayed for some reason I still don't entirely understand and haven't had a drink since. It wasn't my plan the day I got sober. It wasn't any different than many of the days that came before, but here I am. Some people call it grace.

-allan

VikingGF

While it's not very long, this is the longest I have been sober in over 10 years. I guess I just finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired.

RevivingOphelia

Definitely the longest since I began drinking in my teens.

Nuudawn

Well this is definitely not my longest (I'm not even 2 months) but it got me thinking as to what was. I actually had to go back in my SR history. My first post here was in December 2006 and it looks like that sobriety lasted until July 2007. That was my longest period of sobriety.

Although my sobriety is still so very new..I really think...maybe that this is the first time that the idea of "always" doesn't really freak me out. In previous sobriety's I know I had to just stop thinking about the future and focus on my "right now sobriety" (which is probably a good idea).

I know that I have always wanted to go to Italy and that the idea of not being able to enjoy wine there always troubled me..

Now..either I can go to Italy without needing wine..or I simply don't go to Italy. And that seem a-okay. With that in mind, perhaps I really didn't want to see Italy..I just wanted to go and drink wine there.

zerothehero

So concise and so true.

I was sober once for a year about 20 years ago. I am now over 7 months. It seems different this time. This is my first experience with "never again" or at least "not today" forever.

Jimboagust

This is a really interesting thread. It is both fascinating, and a bit frightening, to see how many times people need to clamber onto that wagon before finding some sort of peace.

Yes with regards to the question. Six and a half months. Definitely my longest period sober. Though it is looking like it's not going to extend much beyond that.
Still, a pretty good run, for what it's worth.

Mountainmanbob

what's going on Jimboagust ?

Bob

GracieLou

This is the longest I have been sober since October 21, 1990. I know the date because it was the day my daughter was born. I was not really sober though during those nine months, I was just not drinking.

My first attempt at sobriety was in 2003. I lasted 5 ½ months, relapsed and drank another 10 years.

When I got sober this time I resented the 3 month token I got in 2003. I hated that thing, until I got a new one.

Then I held my breath again until I was nine months sober, which I got on Christmas Eve 2013.

I am almost 17 months sober now. Almost everyday I find that amazing. I never thought I could live without drinking. I drank so long that to be honest, I don’t think it ever really occurred to me until I was so beat down that it was the only choice I had to keep me from falling over the edge even more than I had already slid.

To think of the person I was in my living room in almost complete isolation every evening and weekend drinking until I could barley function compared to the person I am today…It is a miracle. By the Grace of God I go.

dwtbd

Longest on purpose? yep
I was born that way ,so until I screwed the pooch the first time was the longest without thinking about it ( so far )

KenCT

Longest for me was 2 years and that was 21 years ago. Started drinking again when I got married. Still married BTW

Two other breaks of about a month each, both due to illness and potential issues with alcohol and the medication I was taking. Both times I never considered giving it up for good, just counted down the days to my next drink. I've been a daily drinker for at least the past 5 years.

16 days now, again due to another medical issue, but this time I have no interest in starting up again.

Jtf7

Question for the people who had long stints of sobriety only to start drinking again, and then stop again for a long stint. When you returned to drinking, did you go overboard or were you a moderate/average drinker?

Also, why go back to drinking when you were sober for so long?