SEVEN and not counting

First, thank you Smart Recovery.org, I am a proud donor to this organization and I crossed the seven year mark, no celebration, no notation, no acknowledgment with family and friends. And that's the way I wanted it. Original goal was to be free of it without thought or discussion. No weekly meetings, nothing. It's personal. So marking the exact day is not something I want. Especially as I suddenly went cold turkey and into a week of hard shakes starting Christmas day in 2012. I am here to testify that you can quit all at once (but in hindsight I should have been hospitalized). No relapses for me. The only issue I have is that after 18 years free of tobacco I fell back into smoking this year, all it took was one premium cigar in February. The interesting thing is this; having fallen back to nicotine addiction so heavily I was forced to admit to myself that I have addiction issues. And that one beer would be the same as that one cigar, not that I considered it. In the past seven years I don't think I ever fully admitted that I am an alcoholic and dam that is hard to type. I had been joking that since I drank hard for 30 years before quitting that I would stop drinking for 30 years and then decide which was better at age 74. Now I realize, now I admit, that I abused painkillers, dope, and alcohol with the same addictive abusive behavior that let me back into smoking. As bad as smoking can be it is far from the damaging effect of a liter a day of vodka. I still think on that, could down a bottle of vodka like water and be scampering for more. Lol, I laugh at people all crazy about white claw (made from vodka) as it was more efficient to drink vodka straight. I do love that I have my happiness back being sober. I do love being free from the alcohol dependence. I am sad to watch others struggle through the holidays as their clear addiction is obvious. So this is to you, that person looking for help, it can be done, people here know what your going through. You can free yourself. But don't kid yourself like I did. If you're reading this then you need face a mirror and admit your faults. Research, learn, plan and fix it.

My goal, like yours, was to get about the business of living. Congrats on regaining your life. :br

I like your philosophy, QCguy....research, learn, plan and fix it. Good for you and thank you for sharing some of your journey with us. I think it helps other people to learn about all the different ways that people go about staying sober.

Best to you

q7

Congratulations on that 7 years of a life differently lived! :br

Well done on managing your humanness in a very helpful way!

That’s amazing , congrats for 7 yrs of continuous sobriety .
Research , plan and fix it , yes I am doing just that . I love the clarity and confidence .

Great job QCguy!

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I appreciate you for sharing this. All the success stories are different and I appreciate everyone who shares them. You have no idea how far a little hope can go and that is what you have given me. Thank you.

This was so nice to read, smart recovery is so refreshing!

God bless.

Being able to count backwards by a specific interval does not constitute low or high intellect. Honestly, all it takes is a lot of practice as it's using your brain in a way that people using our base 10 counting system aren't usually used to.

As a newcomer, this is very inspirational. I can relate (other than having any time under my belt). Went to my first meeting last night and was happily surprised at how different everything is from 12-step program Going to go again today. I want to learn more and have high hopes that SMART can really help me.

Thanks for your great words!