ALCOHOLICS: RECOVERY & FITNESS (Serious Only Please)

[GreenWave1]

Great points guys. I'm somewhere in the middle as well. I'm confident that I won't use again, IF my life continues to be as wonderful as it is now. Life can change in a second and I could be thrown back again. In August 2000, my wife was pregnant with our first child (due in October), I was using (abusing) regularly, but was cutting down with the intention of stopping before the child was born. It was going well, I was in a good place and knew that I would be able to quit. Came a Saturday at the end of August when I turned the corner to my brothers place for a visit, to find police tape across the road and my brother dead in the middle of the street, murdered. I plunged fully into addiction and did not come back up until 2004, when I finally got help and quit. I'm 5 years 8 months and 27 days clean. I am confident that it will be another today. IF...

I cannot say that I "used to be" an addict. Not now, maybe never. I don't know.

[Dont Judge Me]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

[thepainter5]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

Happy Birthday and congratulations.

Good Stuff! I am half way thru a 12 step program, and I have to agree. I see so many just admitting defeat and hoping for the best in the future. Hey, it may work for some. For me, I also admit defeat, but I have taken the mind set to take control of the situation and do whatever is needed to stay clean. I took control when I started using, seems only right that it's my job retake control and clean up the mess and make sure it is not an option in the future. Yeah, it's no cakewalk, but it's worth it. Support is the key........ As old and tired as the saying is, "This is when you find out who are your real friends and who was just along for the ride."

I agree with that statement as well as the fact that it isn't a cake walk. I wasted 14 years and had many feeble attempts to quit before 'I' mattered enough to get help and quit. I also found out who my 'friend' was as only one of them remains from that prior life.

Congrats on your accomplishment and your mindset. Stay strong and keep going forward.

Great points guys. I'm somewhere in the middle as well. I'm confident that I won't use again, IF my life continues to be as wonderful as it is now. Life can change in a second and I could be thrown back again. In August 2000, my wife was pregnant with our first child (due in October), I was using (abusing) regularly, but was cutting down with the intention of stopping before the child was born. It was going well, I was in a good place and knew that I would be able to quit. Came a Saturday at the end of August when I turned the corner to my brothers place for a visit, to find police tape across the road and my brother dead in the middle of the street, murdered. I plunged fully into addiction and did not come back up until 2004, when I finally got help and quit. I'm 5 years 8 months and 27 days clean. I am confident that it will be another today. IF...

I cannot say that I "used to be" an addict. Not now, maybe never. I don't know.

I can't imagine going through the murder of a loved one. In fact I have only had one very close person (to me) die and he was my little brother. He died very suddenly & tragically because of alcohol. That event also sent me into a tailspin from which I took years to recover.

The one thing about you that is clear (from reading your signature) is your faith and in that faith, your training partner is greater than all tomorrows, all tragedies and all unknowns. To truly be grounded in that faith gives you even more ability to say never again. I say this because I have the same training partner and He gives me strength to do amazing things. Sadly that strength doesn't include 350lb BB or 750lb DL.

[thepainter5]

I am blessed to have such friends. When I came back to the states after 20 years, I moved in with a couple and their kids and continued to abuse my friendship, staying drunk and basically, continuing the party, yet at their expense. Some tough love and my friends pushy wife basically scared me straight and with their help, got me sober, got my lazy fat ass back to the gym and helped me land the job I am at right now. I owe them an incredible debt of gratitude, one I cannot repay but one that I will never forget. I don't see them so often anymore as the job they helped me get is out of their state but we keep in touch and my buddy comes to my area 2 - 3 times a year on business so we connect then.

Friends like that are very hard to come by. Treasure them as I am sure you do.

[GreenWave1]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

Congrats man! Stay strong!

I can't imagine going through the murder of a loved one. In fact I have only had one very close person (to me) die and he was my little brother. He died very suddenly & tragically because of alcohol. That event also sent me into a tailspin from which I took years to recover.

The one thing about you that is clear (from reading your signature) is your faith and in that faith, your training partner is greater than all tomorrows, all tragedies and all unknowns. To truly be grounded in that faith gives you even more ability to say never again. I say this because I have the same training partner and He gives me strength to do amazing things. Sadly that strength doesn't include 350lb BB or 750lb DL.

I hear what you are saying. Sorry about your brother. It is never easy. Losing him to an alcohol related tragedy is tragic. We all need to be reminded that the possible outcomes of using include many tragedies.

[vindex1963]

I have to be honest, I do not understand the I hope part. You have 8+ years in already and you have learnt that by not taking the first drink, there isn't the need to recover. So why then would you not be able to say, no way in hell am I going to drink tomorrow?

I guess we have to agree to disagree.
My very close buddy Rick is coming up on 5 years, he had 32.
Not all of us are as strong as you.

[chodan9]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

way to go man
huge milestone!

[thepainter5]

I guess we have to agree to disagree.
My very close buddy Rick is coming up on 5 years, he had 32.
Not all of us are as strong as you.

That is something we can do.

Now if I may, let me ask a few of questions for people to consider even if they choose not to respond.

If a person continually says "I think, I hope I can do it" are they not planting a seed of doubt in their own mind?

If that same person, after a period of time (I am not setting a number) says "I know I can, I believe I can, I can" are they not empowering themselves?

Again, I know that this isn't the way it works in the beginning but after we have many victories behind us, shouldn't we start to believe in ourselves and our choices?

If we look at your friend and the fall after 32 years but ignore those who didn't fall, are we not choosing to look at the negative instead of the positive? I don't know your friend but is there any chance that he told himself, for 32 years, that he was one drink away from falling again?

I believe in our human ability to change for the better if we so choose. For all of us who are sober, we choose to be addicts before we chose sobriety. Now I choose to have a positive outlook as well as try to help others do the same. That is the simple reasoning of my questions and again I mean no disrespect for those who disagree with my thoughts/reasoning/ideas.

[vindex1963]

I don't think it has anything to do with doubt. Many of us have complicated your lives to the point of being out of control with our drug of choice. For me to regain my sanity I had/have to make sure I don't drink today.....that's it. Tomorrow morning I'll make sure I don't drink that day and so on. I empower myself every night I go to bed sober. I looked to Rick as an example not as a positive or negative. I didn't choose to be an addict I have a sickness that comes at birth. I was an alcoholic from my first drink. Maybe instead of seeing the shortcomings of AA you should open your mind to the healing side of it...the understanding and not the judgement of addicts.

[thepainter5]

I don't think it has anything to do with doubt. Many of us have complicated your lives to the point of being out of control with our drug of choice. For me to regain my sanity I had/have to make sure I don't drink today.....that's it. Tomorrow morning I'll make sure I don't drink that day and so on. I empower myself every night I go to bed sober. I looked to Rick as an example not as a positive or negative. I didn't choose to be an addict I have a sickness that comes at birth. I was an alcoholic from my first drink. Maybe instead of seeing the shortcomings of AA you should open your mind to the healing side of it...the understanding and not the judgement of addicts.

I don't judge anyone, addicts or not addicts.

As for the healing side of AA/NA, they have helped countless people better their lifes and repair what once seemed unrepairable.

As for the statement that you (or anyone) is born an addict....well let me just say that no one wants my opinion on that.

[GreenWave1]

Guy in the misc has a buddy relapsing into heroin use. Asking for help. I've got nothing. Maybe someone here can give him some suggestions?

Link: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=122825601

[bjc12]

Sometimes I run into friends that have not seen in years, people that drank and maybe sometimes did other things but did not have a problem with drugs and alcohol. I'm talking about people that I new from like 15 to 25, good friends some of them roommates but were always together,hanging out. Well when I run into them they always want to hang out again or go have coffee. I never do because even though we had good times together it was not a happy time for me, I dont remember a lot of things from that time and I'm not the same person anymore. These are good people, but when I got clean and sober some of the thing I used to like I dont anymore, things like music, TV show and things like that and im kind of afraid I might feel the same about them. Its like going to hang with people I once close with and had good times but unsure why or what they were. Anyone else feel like this?

I understand exactly what you are saying/feeling. I too had lots of friends, before I quit, that I never hang with. The person they knew me to be doesn't exist anymore and they may or may not like who I have become. If they are still like they were then what would we have in common?

i was going to type a reply but i think painter said it perfectly.

[bjc12]

I guess we have to agree to disagree.
My very close buddy Rick is coming up on 5 years, he had 32.
Not all of us are as strong as you.

i can understand both sides of the conversation but i agree with vindex. i have five years now and feel that i am a long way off from being fully recovered. i never stopped loving to get high, i just hated what my life became when i did. while i am pretty sure that i won't use tomorrow, i have no idea what the rest of my life holds in store for me. i will ALWAYS be an addict, even without drugs or alcohol it is easy to see how it can manifest itself in other areas of my life, like TNetz mentioned in a previous post of his.

My old sponsor had seven years clean when he injured his back at work and was prescribed vicodan. It is now a year later and he using more than a brick of dope and a couple ounces of coke a day. All i can do is pray for him, but worry that the next funeral i have to attend will be his.

[vindex1963]

i can understand both sides of the conversation but i agree with vindex. i have five years now and feel that i am a long way off from being fully recovered. i never stopped loving to get high, i just hated what my life became when i did. while i am pretty sure that i won't use tomorrow, i have no idea what the rest of my life holds in store for me. i will ALWAYS be an addict, even without drugs or alcohol it is easy to see how it can manifest itself in other areas of my life, like TNetz mentioned in a previous post of his.

My old sponsor had seven years clean when he injured his back at work and was prescribed vicodan. It is now a year later and he using more than a brick of dope and a couple ounces of coke a day. All i can do is pray for him, but worry that the next funeral i have to attend will be his.

Truly a sad story. That's the way it can go sometimes. Hope he find his way again.
I'm a sober alcoholic today and hopefully will be tomorrow. Today is a good day!!!

[bjc12]

My name is Rod and 20 years ago, I was a drug addict.

I am not trying to be a smart ass with this post, just an honest inquiry.

With your rationale as used to being an addict, do you believe that if you were to start using again, do you believe that you could use in moderation?

Honestly, if i ever figured that i was no longer an addict, i would start shooting heroin again but only on the weekends.

[vindex1963]

I am not trying to be a smart ass with this post, just an honest inquiry.

With your rationale as used to being an addict, do you believe that if you were to start using again, do you believe that you could use in moderation?

Honestly, if i ever figured that i was no longer an addict, i would start shooting heroin again but only on the weekends.

I'd be drinking a beer chaser and smoking one if I didn't know I'm still a raging alcoholic I just didn't drink today.

[supy]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

Congrats on getting a grip on things as a young man

[08WVGT]

Congrats on getting a grip on things as a young man

Dude, I hope this thread continues. No matter what the circumstances are, this is great stuff for all of us! Hang in there, and I wish you the best!!!! Sobriety will lead you home!!!!!!! We are all here for each other. To one and all, there is a better choice...........................

[Blacksmith80]

Still sober!
I dont feel any craving for alcohol at all. Few nights ago I had a visit from two old friends who drink on daily basis, they drank more then half bottle of vodka while we were talking, I was drinking juice and didnt feel any craving at all. And I got drunk with them like hundred times in the past. And just one year ago it would be imposible for me not to drink with them. I just want to encourage everyone whose trying and keep losing like I did in the past: just keep trying, one day you will succed for sure, just never stop trying. I didnt do anything special, It just came to me one day.
Good luck!

[thepainter5]

Still sober!
I dont feel any craving for alcohol at all. Few nights ago I had a visit from two old friends who drink on daily basis, they drank more then half bottle of vodka while we were talking, I was drinking juice and didnt feel any craving at all. And I got drunk with them like hundred times in the past. And just one year ago it would be imposible for me not to drink with them. I just want to encourage everyone whose trying and keep losing like I did in the past: just keep trying, one day you will succed for sure, just never stop trying. I didnt do anything special, It just came to me one day.
Good luck!

That is great news and definitely an encouragement to others who are at the beginning of their journey. Keep up the good work.

[billrich210]

4 years sober today guys.

Feels Good Man!

Good job Brother!

[mickdoo]

There is no doubt, those who keep trying will get it. It all depends on how bad you really want it. statistics go like this out of 10 people who enter recovery, 3 will get it right away, 3 will get it in 15 years, 4 will die.

[vindex1963]

There is no doubt, those who keep trying will get it. It all depends on how bad you really want it. statistics go like this out of 10 people who enter recovery, 3 will get it right away, 3 will get it in 15 years, 4 will die.

Sad but probably true. I know new people come in and then you never see them again. Lot of them. I wish there was a way you could reach into their head and let them know how good life can be.

[thepainter5]

Sad but probably true. I know new people come in and then you never see them again. Lot of them. I wish there was a way you could reach into their head and let them know how good life can be.

That would be such a good thing.

[bjc12]

Still sober!
I dont feel any craving for alcohol at all. Few nights ago I had a visit from two old friends who drink on daily basis, they drank more then half bottle of vodka while we were talking, I was drinking juice and didnt feel any craving at all. And I got drunk with them like hundred times in the past. And just one year ago it would be imposible for me not to drink with them. I just want to encourage everyone whose trying and keep losing like I did in the past: just keep trying, one day you will succed for sure, just never stop trying. I didnt do anything special, It just came to me one day.
Good luck!

I would tell you good job if it wouldn't eat at me so much after i posted it. Hopefully it doesn't come off wrong because i only say it because i do not wish to see anybody sink back into the horrors of addiction. I am glad you were able to get through the situation THIS time without drinking but how many times will you be able to.

Part of my recovery has included surrounding myself with people supportive towards my recovery. Your friends may not have been against your sobriety, but drinking a half a bottle of vodka in front of you is not showing much support. Part of many of my relapses started off with me attempting to continue hanging with my old crowd thinking i was strong enough to just not use. They were "supportive" enough to know not to ask me to join them, but i was not strong enough not to ask to join them. It might not have been the first or second encounter but inevitably i joined them. This was not my intentions going into this, i just wanted to be see my old friends. This may not be the case for you, but i urge you to be careful.

Anyone else thinking of the barber shop analogy?

[vindex1963]

That would be such a good thing.

Yes it would but the best we can do is share our experiences.

I would tell you good job if it wouldn't eat at me so much after i posted it. Hopefully it doesn't come off wrong because i only say it because i do not wish to see anybody sink back into the horrors of addiction. I am glad you were able to get through the situation THIS time without drinking but how many times will you be able to.

Part of my recovery has included surrounding myself with people supportive towards my recovery. Your friends may not have been against your sobriety, but drinking a half a bottle of vodka in front of you is not showing much support. Part of many of my relapses started off with me attempting to continue hanging with my old crowd thinking i was strong enough to just not use. They were "supportive" enough to know not to ask me to join them, but i was not strong enough not to ask to join them. It might not have been the first or second encounter but inevitably i joined them. This was not my intentions going into this, i just wanted to be see my old friends. This may not be the case for you, but i urge you to be careful.

Anyone else thinking of the barber shop analogy?

Go to the barber enough times and eventually you'll get a hair cut.

[mickdoo]

having lived on both sides of the fence I can honestly say that being sober minded rocks. Now, everyone I know that still uses/drinks has a ****ty life. Not one is doing well.No not one. Now, everyone that I know that is clean has a great life, everyone. Moral to this is if you want a good life stop using drugs/drink. If you want a ****ty life, go use drugs/drink. We have the power of choice.

[GreenWave1]

Still sober!
I dont feel any craving for alcohol at all. Few nights ago I had a visit from two old friends who drink on daily basis, they drank more then half bottle of vodka while we were talking, I was drinking juice and didnt feel any craving at all. And I got drunk with them like hundred times in the past. And just one year ago it would be imposible for me not to drink with them. I just want to encourage everyone whose trying and keep losing like I did in the past: just keep trying, one day you will succed for sure, just never stop trying. I didnt do anything special, It just came to me one day.
Good luck!

Glad that you were strong this time. I agree with others that you should be cautious. I have yet to put myself in a situation where I have been in the presence of friends using. I may never. Can you spend time with them when they are not drinking?

[billrich210]

I am not trying to be a smart ass with this post, just an honest inquiry.

With your rationale as used to being an addict, do you believe that if you were to start using again, do you believe that you could use in moderation?

Honestly, if i ever figured that i was no longer an addict, i would start shooting heroin again but only on the weekends.

No way I could ever drink in moderation. Never really could.

[billrich210]

Glad that you were strong this time. I agree with others that you should be cautious. I have yet to put myself in a situation where I have been in the presence of friends using. I may never. Can you spend time with them when they are not drinking?

I can be around other people who are drinking for short periods, but I remove myself from the situation as soon as I can.