Staying sober.

[Yeoman Randi]

I've been seeing quite a few posters mention that they are recovering alcoholics or addicts.

I've been clean and sober since 1988 although i had a tough time with pain meds a few years ago when i had to have surgery. Getting through the recouperation period without those meds would have been impossible.

I'm not going to lie. Every single day is a struggle even after so many years.

My dad was an alcoholic (the last 20 or so years he was in recovery) other family members are alcholics or addicts, or in the process of recovery.

How long have you been clean? Is it a daily struggle? What do you do to help yourself stay sober?

 

[KimMH]

I love cigarettes. I don't smoke regularly but did for years. Quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done and I have kids and have been married 22 years so I know hard. I still have an occasional one here and again but I know it's nothing compared to alcoholism and the victory so many people have had to conquer. Kudos to those of you who have and best wishes to those of you who are trying!

 

[John Picard]

Rehab is for quitters.

 

[Shazam!]

I've found that not drinking booze is a sure fire way to stay sober.

 

[Timby]

Is it a daily struggle? What do you do to help yourself stay sober?

I don't worry about tomorrow, next week or next month. As long as I don't drink today, I won't get drunk today, and that's all that counts.

 

[John Picard]

I've found that not drinking booze is a sure fire way to stay sober.

I drink to make other people interesting

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Is it a daily struggle? What do you do to help yourself stay sober?

I don't worry about tomorrow, next week or next month. As long as I don't drink today, I won't get drunk today, and that's all that counts.

I find that to be very true. For me, some days it isn't even "today" but getting through "the next hour". Although for me it isn't alcohol. I have no problem staying away from that anymore. These days it is the pain meds that i have to fight to stay away from.

Addiction is not a joke.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Pain medication is a challenge for many recovering addicts. A friend of mine who has been sober with the help of a twelve step program and was dealing with the effects of botched cranial surgery (which mercifully eventuall turned out to be easily reversed; a device to drain fluid had been installed wrong) put it in this perspective: "It's a problem but I've seen a lot more folks go out and drink because of pain they couldn't stand than because of medication."

 

[John Picard]

Is it a daily struggle? What do you do to help yourself stay sober?

I don't worry about tomorrow, next week or next month. As long as I don't drink today, I won't get drunk today, and that's all that counts.

I find that to be very true. For me, some days it isn't even "today" but getting through "the next hour". Although for me it isn't alcohol. I have no problem staying away from that anymore. These days it is the pain meds that i have to fight to stay away from.

Addiction is not a joke.

Neither is cancer; however, as a survivor humor sometimes helps.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

DENNIS: It is. I really have no problem not drinking anymore. Staying away from the pain meds (from both kidney surgery and hand surgery) is another matter. It truly is a minute by minute struggle sometimes. Some days are much easier than others. Some days are hell.

John Picard: i agree. My comment wasn't meant against anyone. I just meant it as a truth for me. Sorry if it came across as something other than that.

 

[John Picard]

DENNIS: It is. I really have no problem not drinking anymore. Staying away from the pain meds (from both kidney surgery and hand surgery) is another matter. It truly is a minute by minute struggle sometimes. Some days are much easier than others. Some days are hell.

John Picard: i agree. My comment wasn't meant against anyone. I just meant it as a truth for me. Sorry if it came across as something other than that.

No problem I use humor to look at 99% of life in general. That tends to upset all of the uptight ninnys out there who would would accuse me of being "insensitive"

 

[Yeoman Randi]

DENNIS: It is. I really have no problem not drinking anymore. Staying away from the pain meds (from both kidney surgery and hand surgery) is another matter. It truly is a minute by minute struggle sometimes. Some days are much easier than others. Some days are hell.

John Picard: i agree. My comment wasn't meant against anyone. I just meant it as a truth for me. Sorry if it came across as something other than that.

No problem I use humor to look at 99% of life in general. That tends to upset all of the uptight ninnys out there who would would accuse me of being "insensitive"

Personally, i love sarcasm!

 

[T'Baio]

Nobody likes my "insensitive" sense of humour, either. My family hates it when I say I'd rather have cancer than diabetes. I mean, at least the first syllable of cancer is one of positivity. Diabetes, however...

 

[Scout101]

Thankfully, never had much of an addictive personality. Can drink what i want, but never really became an issue or crutch. Had a smoke on occasion (usually just when drinking, keeps the bugs away, you know ), but never an urge to smoke a pack or anything. Gamble on occasion, but no obsession there. Lucked out that way, i guess.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Jeez, i remember the days when the word cancer was actually whispered!


SCOUT101 this is very true. You are lucky! I have to say i have NEVER had a problem with gambling but I did date a guy that did.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

We were brought up in a climate of drink fueled anger on a weekly basis, so i hate drink with a passion.

So i have no problems with not drinking.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

We were brought up in a climate of drink fueled anger on a weekly basis, so i hate drink with a passion.

So i have no problems with not drinking.

I did too. I mean, my dad was a raging alcoholic, (except for his last 20 or so years) so you'd think i would have stayed away from it. But in my teens and 20s i didn't. My problem with alcohol is that i don't have a cut-off switch. So i just don't drink at all anymore. Besides, the after effects were never fun to live with. I didn't have that problem with the pain meds. That may be why they are a harder struggle for me.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Since you mention pain meds, I watched this documentary a couple days ago, crazy. I used to think all drugs should be legalised, but that made question that opinion - although the drugs in that documentary are legal mostly.

 

[Nick086]

I remember my two uncles would spend the whole week drinking from ten in the morning up until ten at night. The only time they would go anywhere was to the store to get more beer. We didn't do much as family together on vacation. It came to point we stopped going on vacations because of this. I guess that was their idea of a vacation.

 

[TheBrew]

Thankfully, never had much of an addictive personality. Can drink what i want, but never really became an issue or crutch. Had a smoke on occasion (usually just when drinking, keeps the bugs away, you know ), but never an urge to smoke a pack or anything. Gamble on occasion, but no obsession there. Lucked out that way, i guess.

I am pretty lucky in that arena too. This last weekend I was in Vegas with friends. I did a lot of drinking, smoking, etc. in excess over the weekend. Now that I am home and back to work, I can easily step away and stay sober as a dog.

My addictive qualities only come out in my competitiveness where I will just not quit (to my own detriment) sometimes when I am involved in contests (like gambling).