Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
"They say until they hit 1 yr, they are still considered an active alcoholic, then at 12 mths sobriety, they move to a recovering alcoholic."
I just read this on another group that deals with alcoholics. I have never heard anything of the sort in my years in AA and recovery. Has anyone else heard this?
I just read this on another group that deals with alcoholics. I have never heard anything of the sort in my years in AA and recovery. Has anyone else heard this?
I've always known "active" alcoholic as one who's still drinking.
At eleven months, I don't view myself as an active alcoholic -- I think an active alcoholic is someone who is drinking. But I do think that at a year I'll move out of the newbie stage. I plan at that point to reevaluate what I need to do to continue to live as a nondrinker.
Do others view the one year mark as a next level or stage in sobriety, even if you don't agree with the terms active and recovering that SA is asking about?
I actually have had some trouble believing I am really an "alcoholic in recovery" because I have continued to relapse every month or few for the past year. I am basically an active binge drinker at this point, and my "relapses" have just been continued occurrences of my drinking. The "in recovery" part is certainly arguable because I have made significant improvement - I used to be a daily drinker.
I'm not sure that the time has as much to do with my recovery as my general feelings about it - maybe it's a personal thing. I believe I am "working towards" recovery and I will personally know when I am 'in it".
Peace.
I think if one stops drinking to attempt to achieve sobriety and works a program of their choice, even if it's a personally crafted program then that person is in recovery.
If a person quits drinking temporarily to "feel better" then that's all they are doing is getting to a point where they know they will drink again - not in recovery
If a person quits drinking by force, i.e. probation, etc., i do not feel that this person is in recovery - recovery is a choice, not a force (yes I understand that many people stay sober during this time, but MOST of them have the resentment chip on their shoulder)
If you relapse during your true effort at recovery, then you relapsed and your physical recovery begins from the day you don't drink again, but many times your mental recovery can pick up where it left off, if you allow it to.
Just my view on things.
IMO, I personally have been in and out of recovery for the last year. I have friends on here, however, that were committed to their recovery from day one WAY moreso than I could put into words for myself. So I don't think it is a matter of time as much as degree of commitment to it.
It could always be worse with a guarantee of recovered after one year.
That's a classic and don't surprise me none.
Billy
just heard that tonight...LOL