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aggiejim70
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AG
28 years ago, almost to the minute, I dropped one of my BQ classmates off at the Houston Airport and was left to deal with the mother of all hangovers and the shame what they told me I had done in a two day blackout. Over the next 11 hours, an incredible set of events took place, and I wound up at the Bellaire AA Club. Haven't had a drink since. AA saved my life.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
K Bo
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AG
Day 24.
RickSawyer
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AG
aggiejim70 said:

28 years ago, almost to the minute, I dropped one of my BQ classmates off at the Houston Airport and was left to deal with the mother of all hangovers and the shame what they told me I had done in a two day blackout. Over the next 11 hours, an incredible set of events took place, and I wound up at the Bellaire AA Club. Haven't had a drink since. AA saved my life.
That is awesome Jim! So long as I don't die or fall off, I will be at 3 years and 6 months in 13 days. Thanks for being an inspiration to all of us!

-Rick
agman08
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9 months today

second time to hit 9 months. This time no relapse
K Bo
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AG
28 days in the books. I'm sure they'll come but even being in situations in which I would have drank in the past I haven't had any real urges.
K Bo
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AG
30 days.
RickSawyer
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AG
Way to go kbo!!!
ptothemo
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AG
I have never really shared my story in detail on this thread, but I would like to today. This is only part of the overall story, but it's the center of the timeline. My desire in sharing is not at all self serving and is simply that someone may read this and feel less alone or more hopeful. My greatest hope is that someone may read it and have confidence to take a step in their own journey based on the common threads of the human existence in and around addiction.

Two years ago today, I woke up completely alone in a hotel room in College Station. I had gotten blackout drunk alone in that hotel room the night before. There had been many, many blackout alone nights over the years, and they had taken their toll on me physically, mentally, emotionally, you name it. I had either alienated or was well on my way to alienating pretty much everyone who meant anything to me and had an increasingly strong feeling of having no direction, no point, and no hope.

Like many other mornings, I had managed in my blackout to leave four beers in the hotel fridge the night before. The four beers that would take the edge off, get the cobwebs out, get me through, pick me up, and whatever other bull**** terms I used to use to justify succumbing to a really dark and daily addiction.

For some reason that is still not 100% known to me but I am ever so thankful for, the talk with myself in the mirror that morning went different than the thousands of mirror talks that had been occurring over the years. I cried, I screamed, I felt lost, I felt scared, I was broken. I knew what I had to do but i didn't know if I had it within me to do it. But something came over me that morning. It had come over me before, but I never had the guts to act on it and always had given into the beast before. That morning, though, I acted on it. Took a shower, got dressed, and left those damned four beers in that hotel fridge.

The very most important thing that I did that entire day was to call my mom crying and simply say, "I need help." Just saying those three words to someone who I trust was an unbelievable weight off my shoulders. It was scary as hell, but it was the beginning of turning a corner.

I vibrated into my first AA meeting an absolute wreck about eight hours later. I found people who cared, I found some structure, I found some hope, and I found some tiny glimmer of light on a way that could be different than what I had known for ten plus years. A whole lot has gone on since then. Recovery has been the most challenging thing I have ever done, but it has been the absolute best thing I have ever done. Life hasn't stopped - relationships starting, relationships ending, death, birth, career change, good times, bad times, a bunch of in between times - but I have done that life without blunting it through a dependence on a substance.

Things are far from perfect, but I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to live that imperfect life unchained. I am eternally grateful to every single person who has supported that journey in some way. By no means do I have it all figured out, but I am grateful for the chance to keep figuring it out in a healthy, positive, clear minded, and full hearted way every day.

My name is Perry. I am an alcoholic. My sobriety date is March 19, 2017.
RickSawyer
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AG
Thanks for sharing!!!
K Bo
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AG
Thank you for sharing that part of your story and great job! Keep it up and I will not drink with you today!
PA24
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AG
On again,off again for years but never been off the booze this long since I had my first drink.

Not a drink in 27 months and never again.

Love being sober and know if I have one, I will have another.

Bad medicine booze is.


Praying for my buddy who needs to put the bottle down.
TXTransplant
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Without going into a lot of personal details (Suffice it to say that I learned this week that someone close to me is an alcoholic and relapsed; I had no clue until it was too late) - does anyone with a severe alcohol problem ever get sober and stay sober?

What's the longest anyone here has stayed sober/known someone who stayed sober?

How many relapses can someone survive?

Can someone who truly hits rock bottom and loses everything ever come back from that?

I know every single person and situation is different, I just need to know if there is any hope. I stared the hell that is this disease in the face this week, and it has shaken me to my core. I feel hopeless and helpless and am unsure how to process it all.
RickSawyer
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TXTransplant said:

Without going into a lot of personal details (Suffice it to say that I learned this week that someone close to me is an alcoholic and relapsed; I had no clue until it was too late) - does anyone with a severe alcohol problem ever get sober and stay sober?

What's the longest anyone here has stayed sober/known someone who stayed sober?

How many relapses can someone survive?

Can someone who truly hits rock bottom and loses everything ever come back from that?

I know every single person and situation is different, I just need to know if there is any hope. I stared the hell that is this disease in the face this week, and it has shaken me to my core. I feel hopeless and helpless and am unsure how to process it all.
Rock bottom is different for everyone... rock bottom is just the point where an individual stops digging deeper.

I am pretty young in my sobriety, 3.5 years, and I am lucky that I have maintained my sobriety through that time by doing therapy, working on anxiety management and healthy coping mechanisms and really flourishing in an alcohol free lifestyle...

I have friends with decades of sobriety without relapse. I know others that struggle around the same time frame every attempt. The key is finding the right path, not one size fits all. There are tried and true methods out here though, Jim is proof of that.

As painful as it is to witness its also healthy for you to see just how dangerous alcohol can be and to be cognizant of your own habits. Good luck to your friend / family member. Its not an easy road to travel.
aggiejim70
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AG
As I've stated many times on here, my name is Jim and I'm an alcoholic. I'm sober today and have been since 2-26-91. I'm nowhere near the senior sobriety member of my home AA group. So, the short answer to your question is yes. I can NEVER have another drink the rest of my life or I'll be back, or worse, to where I was 2-25-91. If your friend wants to quit drinking for good and all we (AA) know we know we have an answer for him. Problem is, you wanting it for him won't work. Good luck to the both of you.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
K Bo
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AG
The longest I have a abstained from alcohol is 55 days. Today is day 56. My intention is to never drink again.

My step-dad has been sober for 6-ish years - I believe he will never drink again. Second to that is my very dear friend Rick, who has been sober for 3.5 years, and I also believe he will never drink again. Jim is also a great example and his experience is a great example of what's possible.

I think a person can survive as many relapses as it takes. I have tried a many times to quit drinking and every single "relapse" has taught me something new and gotten me to where I am today. In the 55 days I have abstained I have had absolutely zero urge and feel much better about my struggle with alcohol finally being over. I am also going to therapy and practice self-care to work more on the causes of "needing to drink" vs just using will power to quit drinking.

Like Rick said, rock bottom is different for everybody, but I believe if someone does the work to figure out the deeper root of their problems and does not want to ever be back in that place, they can come back.

There is always hope but the desire for change has to be had by that person close to you. The best thing you can do is be there for them in whatever capacity is necessary.
RickSawyer
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AG
Thanks dear friend!
wbt5845
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K Bo said:

The longest I have a abstained from alcohol is 55 days. Today is day 56. My intention is to never drink again.
Congratulations my man!
K Bo
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AG
Thank you!
TXTransplant
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Thank you for all of the heartfelt replies. Unfortunately, I learned today that the deception goes much deeper than just hiding the alcoholism/break in sobriety. This was a romantic relationship, and the person was living a double life in several other ways. I'm really struggling to deal with everything myself, but the person is out of my life. I wish you all the best if luck in your journeys.
stick95
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AG
Just came across this thread, love that it started. After 23 months, I went back out for a day on March 4, so my new sobriety date is now my youngest's birthday. I was fully in recovery and I moved back to CS a year ago, and didn't work very hard to get an active program. Eventually, I came believe that I can drink like others and that I might not be powerless over alcohol. Luckily it only took me about 8 hours to prove out that I am, in fact, an alcoholic.

I look at it now as a gift, as I am back in the middle of the boat, reworking the steps. I realize how much I need this program, and not just to stay sober. I really missed being around fellow drunks, and I am now using a spiritual toolkit that enables me to practice the principles of AA in ALL my affairs.
Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.
K Bo
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AG
Day 60
aggiejim70
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Dave from Pittsburg got his 39 year chip at the 5:30 meeting of the Schertz-Cibolo group today. Hang in there Army. You can do it.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
ptothemo
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AG
K Bo said:

Day 60

Well done, keep up the good work!
stick95
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K Bo said:

Day 60
Great job and keep coming back!
Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.
K Bo
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AG
Thank you and likewise!
stick95
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AG
stick95 said:

Just came across this thread, love that it started. After 23 months, I went back out for a day on March 4, so my new sobriety date is now my youngest's birthday. I was fully in recovery and I moved back to CS a year ago, and didn't work very hard to get an active program. Eventually, I came believe that I can drink like others and that I might not be powerless over alcohol. Luckily it only took me about 8 hours to prove out that I am, in fact, an alcoholic.

I look at it now as a gift, as I am back in the middle of the boat, reworking the steps. I realize how much I need this program, and not just to stay sober. I really missed being around fellow drunks, and I am now using a spiritual toolkit that enables me to practice the principles of AA in ALL my affairs.
I picked up my 30 day chip. It's mixed feelings, I should have been picking up my 2 year chip. I know that any chip marking continuous sobriety is a gift, and I truly believe that I needed the wake up call. I have had some things happen in the last month that if I was not firmly back into AA that slip could have been a full blow relapse. But, I had the 12 steps and a great sponsor to help me through some really stressful events.

Even though the 1 month chip was bittersweet, I am so glad that I am back into the program. There was a part of me that was missing for a while and that part of me is in the rooms and around the members of AA. Life is more manageable, I sleep better, I am a better husband and father and just an overall better human, and best of all I am sober, at least for today.
Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.
RickSawyer
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AG
stick95 said:

stick95 said:

Just came across this thread, love that it started. After 23 months, I went back out for a day on March 4, so my new sobriety date is now my youngest's birthday. I was fully in recovery and I moved back to CS a year ago, and didn't work very hard to get an active program. Eventually, I came believe that I can drink like others and that I might not be powerless over alcohol. Luckily it only took me about 8 hours to prove out that I am, in fact, an alcoholic.

I look at it now as a gift, as I am back in the middle of the boat, reworking the steps. I realize how much I need this program, and not just to stay sober. I really missed being around fellow drunks, and I am now using a spiritual toolkit that enables me to practice the principles of AA in ALL my affairs.
I picked up my 30 day chip. It's mixed feelings, I should have been picking up my 2 year chip. I know that any chip marking continuous sobriety is a gift, and I truly believe that I needed the wake up call. I have had some things happen in the last month that if I was not firmly back into AA that slip could have been a full blow relapse. But, I had the 12 steps and a great sponsor to help me through some really stressful events.

Even though the 1 month chip was bittersweet, I am so glad that I am back into the program. There was a part of me that was missing for a while and that part of me is in the rooms and around the members of AA. Life is more manageable, I sleep better, I am a better husband and father and just an overall better human, and best of all I am sober, at least for today.
Sobriety is a marathon. Just because you trip and fall doesn't mean you aren't running the race!!! Great work!

-Rick
Vernada
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AG
I think it doesn't work for everyone - but clearly, it works just fine for others.
K Bo
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Day 69. Nice.
stick95
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K Bo said:

Day 69. Nice.
Congrats!

In the big book, the text talking about taking inventory of your sexual history is also on page 69.
Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.
K Bo
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AG
Double nice.
aggiejim70
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AG
Am I missing something here? Wasn't there a 14th page of back and forth between Stick and someone discussing AA.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
SACR
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AG
aggiejim70 said:

Am I missing something here? Wasn't there a 14th page of back and forth between Stick and someone discussing AA.


Probably best if you just let this go and move on. ~staff
aggiejim70
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AG
Thank you.....
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
reb,
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AG
Just got one year for the first time. That's 365 days (in a row!).
 
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