Amen brother...congrats and God bless on this great occasion!
Sobriety Thread
- Thread starter zama80
- Start date
What a great thread to see for the first time this morning. I celebrated 7 years of sobriety on July 12, and owe it all to the fellowship which many of you are obviously familiar with. I'm available anytime as well, I wouldn't have gotten this far without a commitment to helping others.
If any sober brothers are ever in KC, I'm your guy to point you in the direction of awesome hipster bartender-created mocktails. It took sobriety to make me realize "normal" drinkers care about a foreign concept called "flavor" in their drinks!
If any sober brothers are ever in KC, I'm your guy to point you in the direction of awesome hipster bartender-created mocktails. It took sobriety to make me realize "normal" drinkers care about a foreign concept called "flavor" in their drinks!
You know what guys? Count me in on this sobriety thing. Celebrating Day One of the rest of my life. I don't think I'm a "textbook" alcoholic. Rather, after careful introspection, I'm seeing that I'm an "everything-holic." I can't have one cup of coffee...I want the whole damn pot. A single cookie doesn't cut it -- gimme the bag! I won't stop at one or two R/C planes; I buy myself a dozen. I go berserk when I'm smoking and buying my sticks too. I'm a ridiculously immoderate human being. This total lack of restraint is made far worse by the addition of alcohol. So I'm done. That's it. I'm going to get some counseling to learn how to cope with this chronic impulsivity; reaching out to the brotherhood as well! Please keep me in your collective prayers.
Celebrating Day One of the rest of my life. I don't think I'm a "textbook" alcoholic. Rather, after careful introspection, I'm seeing that I'm an "everything-holic." I can't have one cup of coffee...I want the whole damn pot. A single cookie doesn't cut it -- gimme the bag! I won't stop at one or two R/C planes; I buy myself a dozen. I go berserk when I'm smoking and buying my sticks too. I'm a ridiculously immoderate human being. This total lack of restraint is made far worse by the addition of alcohol. So I'm done. That's it. I'm going to get some counseling to learn how to cope with this chronic impulsivity; reaching out to the brotherhood as well! Please keep me in your collective prayers.
Find a local AA meeting. In the phone book. I'm done is a big statement. I am done today is much easier to handle and to accomplish. Best of luck.You know what guys? Count me in on this sobriety thing.
8ball
Ruler of Grayskull
Coming over monday brother and we'll discuss. In the end, you are the only person that can determine if you are in alcoholic or not. Im good without drinking now (only 9 months though), but i have to stay spiritual, address my character defects when they pop up and attend AA meetings. Ill be going to meetings for life. If after talking you want to go to a meeting with me, we'll do it. In the mean time, you can go to an open meeting at AA if youd like to check it out, iit'll be good and you can even tell people you are not sure if you have a drinking problem or not. AA has the nicest (mostly, lol) people I have met. Closed meetings are for people that are 100% ready to admit that they are alcoholic.You know what guys? Count me in on this sobriety thing.
Zippo, I wish you much success. Just be aware that AA's purpose is about achieving sobriety and learning how to live life sober One Day at a Time, not other over indulgences. We call it singleness of purpose. But working and living the program can help with a myriad of life's shortcomings. But without sobriety nothing changes.
SoberSmokes
Lets Go Rangers!
8ball
Ruler of Grayskull
So I posted this on another page, but thought I'd share with you guys. What a wave of emotions I've been dealing with, but guys, I'm good and know what needs to be done. It's incredible how our old ways can come back into play when we are "off" and try to do things on our own.
ERIC says:
10/20 at 12:43 pm
This a great read, and something I can share with my wife so she understands what I’m going through. Sober nine months now (fist bump), and I didn’t even know I was on the pink cloud. I experienced a perfect state of euphoria up until now. While still attending meetings, I got into the mindset that sobriety is easy now, life is great, I’ve gone through the steps, and I don’t really need to read the big book. These are dangerous assumptions to make. God blessed me with a person from my past contacting me whom I needed to make amends to. She forgave me but with her life in shambles, I took it upon myself to help her. My ego popped up out of nowhere and I started feeding off her emotions. My own emotions came back quickly and I dealt with an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse for all my actions in the past. I started to combat this with boosting my ego even more. Scary right? Needless to say, I slipped back into my alcoholic mindset. While I didn’t drink, I can see how toxic this is and how if continued could lead to a relapse. The good news is that my sponsor kicked the crap out of me (we need tough love sometimes), and combatted all of the “buts” I was giving him.
So here I am, a wave of emotions, but I know what to do. Read the book, go to God, attend even more meetings. I’ll get back on that cloud and I’m doing what I need to do. BUT, falling off the cloud certainly is traumatic, and it’s incredible how fast our character defects can creep back up if left unchecked. Sobriety is a life long process and I’m doing what I need to. God bless you all and happy recovery!
ERIC says:
10/20 at 12:43 pm
This a great read, and something I can share with my wife so she understands what I’m going through. Sober nine months now (fist bump), and I didn’t even know I was on the pink cloud. I experienced a perfect state of euphoria up until now. While still attending meetings, I got into the mindset that sobriety is easy now, life is great, I’ve gone through the steps, and I don’t really need to read the big book. These are dangerous assumptions to make. God blessed me with a person from my past contacting me whom I needed to make amends to. She forgave me but with her life in shambles, I took it upon myself to help her. My ego popped up out of nowhere and I started feeding off her emotions. My own emotions came back quickly and I dealt with an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse for all my actions in the past. I started to combat this with boosting my ego even more. Scary right? Needless to say, I slipped back into my alcoholic mindset. While I didn’t drink, I can see how toxic this is and how if continued could lead to a relapse. The good news is that my sponsor kicked the crap out of me (we need tough love sometimes), and combatted all of the “buts” I was giving him.
So here I am, a wave of emotions, but I know what to do. Read the book, go to God, attend even more meetings. I’ll get back on that cloud and I’m doing what I need to do. BUT, falling off the cloud certainly is traumatic, and it’s incredible how fast our character defects can creep back up if left unchecked. Sobriety is a life long process and I’m doing what I need to. God bless you all and happy recovery!
Just downloaded the "NOMO" sobriety clock for iPhone. I'm sure some of you non-drinkers are already using it (or something similar). In addition to counting your days of sobriety, you can track how much money you've saved. I'm up to 28 bucks already! . The other great feature is the ability to network with sobriety "accountability partners." Just putting it out there.
. The other great feature is the ability to network with sobriety "accountability partners." Just putting it out there.
8ball
Ruler of Grayskull
I used my counter a lot in the beginning (probably first 90 days or so). Now it's so funny (and awesome) that I don't even pay attention to it anymore. Use as many tools as you can. Great job @ZippoGeek !Just downloaded the "NOMO" sobriety clock for iPhone. I'm sure some of you non-drinkers are already using it (or something similar). In addition to counting your days of sobriety, you can track how much money you've saved. I'm up to 28 bucks already!
Hey guys. I'm brand new to the site. After kind of nosing around here and there for a few days I came across this thread which made me decide to register. I think it's pretty cool. Not only are you helping newly sober people, or people who might be curious about sobriety, but you help guys like me who have some time and are looking for ways to share and connect. So I thank you, and extend my hand and say, "Hi. I'm Jason." (sober date 2 November 1991, feel free to add me to the list)
8ball
Ruler of Grayskull
Welcome brother! The fact that you already jumped in on this just goes to show what a great bunch of people (recovering/recovered alcoholics) we are. It's an awesome way to live and incredibly rewarding.
Welcome bother and fellow FOBW. I am happy that you just jumped right in, that is awesome. With all your sober time, I am sure you will be a great resource. And thank you so much for volunteering to be on the list. Again, welcome to BOTL and especially to the sobriety thread..
I think most of us have gone through similar things. Those a little time and those with a lot. It just goes to show you how insidious this disease is. Great job on recognizing what was going on and taking action. Proud of you brother! Keep up the good work.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thoughts on sobriety and a smoking relapse. I had given up cigars long, long time ago. I can't remember exactly when I had my "last" but it was probably some time around 1999 or so. In 2008 I finally (after countless failures) quit smoking cigarettes/using tobacco or any nicotine products entirely. I did it as I did with drinking: lots and lots of help from a higher power, and the idea that it was going to take being completely abstinent from nicotine to not smoke cigarettes again. After a brutal shift on Christmas Eve last year, and then again on my last day at my old job (end of May) I smoked a cigarette with a coworker outside. That was it for 8 years. Then the idea of enjoying a cigar starts recurring to me a couple months ago. I was talking about it a lot with my wife, and eventually I bought a cigar (ironically while I was at the wine store buying her a bottle of wine to go with the dinner I was making her). I smoked that guy and I was immediately back again and WOW let me tell you about the obsession of the mind! Man, it's all I think about now! Cigars! Cigars! CIGARS ALL THE TIME! So I'm sitting here thinking about how to moderate, how to not smoke at every single opportunity, how to not buy every single thing I want to try or every deal that I find. And in the back of my head I'm thinking that this is like a drinker telling himself that this new social drinking experiment is going to work! This is like my "only drinking natural wines" thing, or something. It was an interesting parallel for me and my alcoholic brain, at any rate. Well, that's it. Just thought I'd share some thoughts.
Man, that's excellent! When I was new I found meeting to be a HUGE help. I would go to two or three meetings a day when I could, just because I didn't know what else to do and it was the only place I could quiet the little worm in my brain that would constantly whisper that I was going to drink eventually and should just do it now and get it over with. Eventually, without actually realizing it, that passed. And I genuinely enjoyed meetings, and had made several friends, and found the place that I felt I belonged.Celebrating 2 weeks today. Going to my first meeting Saturday.
Nowadays, with a few twenty-fours strung together, I don't get to as many meetings. I wish I could do more, but right now I'm a full-time stay-at-home dad of a 2 year old who is absolutely unable to sit still or remain semi-quiet for more than 15 seconds. I go at every opportunity I have, though. I've got a home group and hope to pick up a service position soon. It's been hard to settle in here in this new town with such a full schedule, but I'm getting there. I hope you report back about your meeting! If you have questions before or after I'm sure any of us would be happy to help, either here or in PM. Don't hesitate!
Thanks for the well-wishes brother, I will!