Any Friends of Bill W here @ AudioKarma

[meggy]

I never wanted to "drink like a normal person" That sounded like a waste of time to me.
I wanted to drink to excess.
Now I always remind myself that when it comes to alcohol it's all or nothing.
All leads to an early death and I prefer to live.

Now there's the honesty. Same here. Starting back up would kill me in 3-6 months.

Hey V - once you break through to that level of honesty & acceptance doesn't it seem like being honest about almost anything/everything else in life is so much easier? In a weird way, it's kind of a new ability you gain from living through/with this.

 

[Vusbagen]

Now there's the honesty. Same here. Starting back up would kill me in 3-6 months.

Hey V - once you break through to that level of honesty & acceptance doesn't it seem like being honest about almost anything/everything else in life is so much easier? In a weird way, it's kind of a new ability you gain from living through/with this.

Since it was a matter of life or death I had to get honest about the drinking first. Getting over that hump opened up the way but it's still a lot of hard work getting honest about the rest.

 

[johnny_fever]

A side benefit of me becoming alcohol free is my wife also is done with it. She was no where near the amount that I consumed but still we feel we don't need any of it in our lives. And since she did that she's also been able to kick another nasty addiction.........cigarettes.

Those two nasty addictions seemed to go hand in hand and it appears she's stopped for good this time after so many failed attempts over the past 42 years. I thought for sure losing her mother to cancer related to smoking would be enough but it wasn't. These terrible addictions are just so powerful and destructive.

I love reading the stories here of fellows that have conquered their alcohol problem and have gone on to a much better life.

A question to long time abstainers; do you ever have a dream that you've gone back to it? I did recently and I was so very glad to wake up and realize it was just a stupid dream.

Yes I have had many using dreams. Pretty scary until I wake up. Usually mad in the dream because I was already drinking and didn't have a choice in the matter.

 

[johnny_fever]

You guys are dropping some seriously good stuff here. Speaking of drinking Bleach. A resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other guy to die. I love AA for the stories and sayings. LOL

 

[Old Driver]

January 4, 2026 is right around the corner. It will be 10 years for me. Hard to believe it, seems like yesterday. Keep on keep’n on

 

[johnny_fever]

@Old Driver Thats huge. Congratulations

 

[Rockyhill]

Two years today. Don’t miss it.

 

[johnny_fever]

January 4, 2026 is right around the corner. It will be 10 years for me. Hard to believe it, seems like yesterday. Keep on keep’n on

Thats HUGE. Congratulations Old Driver. Rockyhill Thats awesome. Do something special

 

[nbarber]

I hit 18 months on December 28th and I'm celebrating every milestone.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and for your words of encouragement,

 

[pfcs49]

Congratulations to all of the many who have found sobriety and freedom!

And if you're struggling, don't quit five minutes before the miracle!! (sharing here would help, at least sharing saved my sorry ass!)

 

[parman]

I've been away from AK for a few years but now that I'm back I remembered this thread and so I'm checking it out today. I still see lots of good comments and hope everyone is doing well.

 

[Fury161]

February 2 was the 1 year mark for me. Looking forward to the 400 day mark.

I catch myself on occasion falling into some bad thinking but take a breath a remind myself that there's nothing waiting for me down that road. Longest I've been sober since I was 21.

 

[Mr Boochie]

February 2 was the 1 year mark for me. Looking forward to the 400 day mark.

I catch myself on occasion falling into some bad thinking but take a breath a remind myself that there's nothing waiting for me down that road. Longest I've been sober since I was 21.

Good job and keep the faith!

 

[nbarber]

@Fury161, congrats on your milestone, may it be the first year of many.

 

[xrayspex77]

34 years today of one day at a times

 

[Jeff449]

34 years today of one day at a times

Class of '92.
Me too.

 

[Vusbagen]

Well it's been a great 18 years so far:
February 26 2008 I began a ten day stay in the alcoholic ward at the local hospital. They had a hospital nurse in the hallway 24/7 to make sure we didn't go wandering off looking for a drink somewhere.
I had some pretty serious hallucinations. I was convinced that I had been kidnapped and was being held against my will. I even called the police. The hospital staff finally called my wife and she calmed me down.
I found a local AA meeting as soon as I was released from the hospital.
My new life began...

 

[rajoo]

I celebrated 15 years of continuous sobriety yesterday.
My sincerest gratitude to AA for helping and guiding me on this journey.
Wishing everyone on this thread the very best.

 

[nbarber]

Congrats @rajoo, 15 years is a heck of a milestone!

 

[Mowgli]

I'm 38 years straight/sober as of yesterday and 13 years smoke-free as of a couple of weeks ago.

I went to a few Grateful Dead shows and partied in tent city at a few others a couple of weeks before my sobriety date. Probably unrelated