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  • F350-6

    TGT Addict
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    2   0   0
    May 25, 2009
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    Congrats.

    I'm not in that position, but am curious, does it get easy after a while or do you still have to watch and remind yourself?

    I haven't known too many of the addicted types personally. The ones I have known never made the 12 steps and are no longer with us, so I'm glad you're still around.
     

    easy rider

    Summer Slacker
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    Jun 10, 2015
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    Odessa, Tx
    Congrats.

    I'm not in that position, but am curious, does it get easy after a while or do you still have to watch and remind yourself?

    I haven't known too many of the addicted types personally. The ones I have known never made the 12 steps and are no longer with us, so I'm glad you're still around.
    I can't speak for Roger, but yes. I can be around others or even go to a bar now and not want to drink, but I have thought about drinking. I just know I can't. As far as how long being sober that takes, it depends on the individual. It took me about 10 years to be comfortable around others drinking.
     
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    ROGER4314

    Been Called "Flash" Since I Was A Kid!
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jul 11, 2009
    10,444
    66
    East Houston
    I'm not in that position, but am curious, does it get easy after a while or do you still have to watch and remind yourself?

    Good question! In those 38 years, I evolved to hate booze. I can't stand the stuff and don't want to be anywhere around it! It has nothing to do with fearing a relapse. Still, the thought of sipping a cool brew after mowing the yard, pops into my head. It's a cunning and baffling disease and Mr. Booze never tires of wanting to kill me.

    It's said in the programs that after a relapse, you progress not to the point where you left off, but to the point where you would have been if you never quit. That's scary stuff!

    Flash
     

    F350-6

    TGT Addict
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    2   0   0
    May 25, 2009
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    The problem is that if your brain and craving can convince you to have a drink, it will convince you to have another.

    I get that part, I just didn't know what the cravings or thoughts were like. I dipped snuff for a couple of decades. Not anywhere near the same thing, but the closest experience I've had to it. For the first couple of years, I would still get a craving now and again and have to remind myself I had quit. Having other people around me doing it, or having any offered to me doesn't bother me one bit. I no longer have a desire to do that at all, but I can see Roger's point about if I started again, it would get back to like I had never quit.

    But I'm not trying to compare what I dealt with to anything close to what you and Roger are dealing with. That, in my mind, is an entirely different level of addiction.
     

    easy rider

    Summer Slacker
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    0   0   0
    Jun 10, 2015
    31,489
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    Odessa, Tx
    I get that part, I just didn't know what the cravings or thoughts were like. I dipped snuff for a couple of decades. Not anywhere near the same thing, but the closest experience I've had to it. For the first couple of years, I would still get a craving now and again and have to remind myself I had quit. Having other people around me doing it, or having any offered to me doesn't bother me one bit. I no longer have a desire to do that at all, but I can see Roger's point about if I started again, it would get back to like I had never quit.

    But I'm not trying to compare what I dealt with to anything close to what you and Roger are dealing with. That, in my mind, is an entirely different level of addiction.
    Sometimes listening to others describe a drink and how good it tastes makes it hard. When I quit I don't believe there was anything like Fireball, and that's something I'd really would like to try, but then I remind myself that I can't.

    Whenever I think about drinking, I remember the last time I drank. It was my first trip to Japan, although I didn't drink for the 7 weeks I was there. On the trip back I listened to a coworker, whom I'm sure was an alcoholic in denial, and decided I could drink just one. Just one turned into just two, and just two turned into.... I don't know how many.

    Anyway, my family came to the airport to pick me up, of course back then they could go right to the gate. I remember first seeing them and they were waving and happy to see me, but when I walked towards them I saw their smiles turn to frowns. I vowed at that time I never wanted to see my family be that ashamed of me again. I was about 9 months sober up until that time.

    Don't get me wrong, back then it was tough. My mind could come up with a thousand reasons to drink, but thank God I had that one reason not to drink.
     
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    satx78247

    Member, Emeritus
    Emeritus - "Texas Proud"
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jun 23, 2014
    8,479
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    78208
    To All,

    As a guy who once drank a 1/2 gallon of scotch each day, you stop by finding something that you LOVE more than drinking & "zero in on it" like a lazer.

    I've been "A friend of Bill" & sober since 1985. - Nonetheless, I actively avoid SCOTCH to this day. - It's just too big of a temptation.

    yours, satx
     

    ROGER4314

    Been Called "Flash" Since I Was A Kid!
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jul 11, 2009
    10,444
    66
    East Houston
    Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess! For a guy like me, there is nothing moderate by nature. Unrestrained, I'm gonna jump in with both feet or won't fool with it at all. That applies to anything until using the skills from the "programs" and helped by a Higher Power, I throttle back. Running on automatic is a recipe for disaster!

    I applied throttle back concepts to food selection and consumption then lost 42+ pounds. It took 3 years to do it, but the same steps work perfectly.

    I still fight "excess" every hour of every day. I'm just clean & sober, now. My Higher Power has this under control!

    Flash
     
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