Hi, I am an alcoholic. My date of sobriety, or as I like to think of it, my rebirth, is 4/22/2002. The best way I have found for me, myself to enjoy my long time of sobriety is by giving back. By sharing what I have learned and by helping others through their most difficult time. I drank almost daily for 7 years and it took my 4th trip to rehab to remain sober. What made all the difference in the world between all my failed attempts and my ongoing sobriety were two extremely important, for me, but overlooked so easily, changes I made.
The first was one I have heard literally thousands of times, was, You have to quit for yourself. Long term happy and content sobriety in most cases is impossible if you are doing it for someone other than yourself.
The second was and is, Changing how I think. I remember being so afraid 1st to admit I had a problem, because that would mean I would have to take some action. Then when I did first admit it I did so not because I wanted to quit drinking but I thought that if I admitted I was an alcoholic to others then that would excuse my behavior. Worked for a short time. Then rehab, I stayed clean long enough to make it look like I was trying. I did this three times. Then for over a year I was at the point where I could not get up and function without a drink. I fell hard and fast. I was finally sick and tired of trying to figure out where I was gonna get the money for tomorrows breakfast so I wouldnt be sick. All of this was a full time job.
So I went to rehab for me. I not only listened to what others had to say but I heard what they were saying. "On Day At A Time" Wrapping my mind around what those words truley mean made the life and death difference in my life. I had always thought before how in the world can I go the rest of my life without ever having another drink. If I hadnt have changed from thinking in that type of big picture mode, I would have been dead with in a year.
They call it "Stinkin' Thinkin"", and it is one of the silliest sayings I have ever heard, even writing it down here, it sounds silly. The truth though, is this silly, corny slogan saved my life.
So when you hear things like "Stinkin' Thinkin"", "One day at a time", "Easy does it", "To thine own self be true", and hundreds of others, you may want to just sit back and think of what none of these slogans or many of them mean in your life and always remember although we are not unique in our addiction, what works for one person may not for you.
