Look around. This is real this is life absorb all you can for tomorrow! Hugs!

Or Tonight :((
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1704474

Reply#12 Jersey, re my statement "anyone can get sober physically" People get sober physically when they are put in detox or locked up or run out of money or make a decision to stop drinking before they relapse a short while later. In fact you got sober physically, I was not talking about how long it took or the reason for it.

Being physically sober is what it is but how that person copes mentally with their new physiology is often not in harmony with the word's meaning as an adjective.

Oh, wish you had qualified your statement, Antonio,. Anyone can get physically sober if they are in jail or have people holding them down so they can't drink or are on a deserted island where these is no access to alcohol.I totally agree.

IMO, if a person is incarcerated for a year and has no access to alcohol they are sober for that year. They might drink again when they get out. Then they will no longer be sober. But for the year in jail they are sober. I would never think that a person in rehab or jail or sitting at home gritting their teeth in their first weekend of not drinking that they aren't really sober.

But I like clear cut definitions. I consider myself pretty simple minded that way.

I am not sure what you mean when you say, "Being physically sober is what it is but how that person copes mentally with their new physiology is often not in harmony with the word's meaning as an adjective." The word is an adjective (unless it is used as a verb, as in "get sober") in either of these cases:

"Even though he stopped drinking 3 years ago, he wasn't sober because he hadn't dealt with the underlying issues that led to his drinking."

"She made it through her first week sober and was finally able to get a good night's sleep."

In both sentences the word is used as an adjective, even though the second sentence refers to "physical sobriety." (Or what I would call "sobriety.")

But I am going back to sipping my coffee and pondering whether I will ever meet the definitions of sober in this thread. Probably not, but that's certainly not worth drinking over.

Yes, that's the difference - physical sobriety and mental sobriety are two quite different things to me. That was what I was trying to explain.
I appreciate your help with the grammar. Enjoy the coffee!

:) more coffee my dear lol sowwy couldn't resist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_f2Enn8x5s

Billy, such a cheesy movie, and one that absolutely terrified me as a kid. Don't have time to watch the whole movie right now, but got the chills "skimming" though it.

/shiver

Ok! Ill put my blankie away lol scares/d the bee jesus out of me tooo

Billy -- remember when the little girl "wakes up" and turns the trowel on her mom? For me that is the most "nail-biting moment." Forgive the poor choice of words.

It starts at about 1:24:30

/Sorry all for the "threadjack"

The Plane the plane......little people and trowels noooooooooooooooo

Uhm I can relate to both sides of this Like ok I havent drank alcohol or taken up another substance so of course I am sober And if I just stayed like that I would be way better than the drinking drunk me.
I dont smoke never really have so thats not something I have to resolve But I see a lot of people outside meetings smoking Heard a guy sharing the other night he has lung cancer a smoker He's a very good man been sober long time alcohol wise.I feel for him and his family I'm certainly not judging him and wish him a full recovery But these other activities gambling sex shopping lieing to cover up something I know to be unhealthy have ocasionaly happened to me or my addiction has took me down that road But it feels bad might be that quick dopamine fix but ultimately bad feelings like I've broke the golden rule that we all are aware of. So I strive to be decent as possible and when i'm there I feel good within myself

As youve done before ExJerseyGils2, youve taken what I clearly wrote out of context, where others havent. Alcoholics that are abstinent from drinking alcohol, but continue self-destructive behavior arent sober. The key wording for my premise is self-destructive behavior.

The definition for sobriety is not just confined to abstinence from mind-altering addictive substances; it also involves non-substance self-destructive addictive behavior, e.g. workaholism.

Sticking with generally accepted definitions or ideas, which are the common / majority definitions, isnt always correct. Your coffee reply is a good example. For years the vast majority of nutritionists didnt view coffee consumption favorably until it was discovered that coffee is high in antioxidants, as is wine. Wine and coffee are foods.

As an aside, many foods have trace amounts of alcohol.

Re: food, abstinent alcoholics that are obese due to having an eating disorder and continue their self-destructive eating habits, are not sober. This also applies to those that abstinent from an addictive substance e.g. alcohol and transfer to an eating disorder.

Recovery / sobriety involves understanding and addressing self-destructive patterns of behavior, then altering this behavior to be restored to health. Abusing (your word ExJerseyGils2) any substance that has the potential for selfdestruction isnt sober behavior. Its that simple.

Therefore, poly-addicted / cross-addicted people that are abstinent from one addictive substance, but continue the use of another addictive substance e.g. tobacco are not sober. Also, a transfer of addiction(s) from one addiction to another even though one is abstinent from e.g. alcohol isnt sobriety. These behavioral patterns are major reasons for the high recidivism rate.

Well now that I am thinking about this, when someone says that they are sober, or are in sobriety, that is really great and cool, but, it could also mean that they still drink to blackout every night but have not yet started getting drunk yet on that day. But they are sober technically.

But usually it only comes up if one is offered a drink, in which case the answer for me is, "No thanks". Which could lead to "I stopped drinking" which means I am sober. Really when else would it come up except if we are around others like us, in some program or in this forum, where we know that we are all sober to some length, or trying to get sober and not drink.

I have been sober over two years now but am never asked how long I have stopped drinking except from people who knew how much I used to drink, then they are pretty surprised.

This is a confusing topic, except that being sober definitely for me simply means that I do not drink or drug, like ExJersey said.

Seriously does it really matter? Either you are or your not just like being alcoholic.

In response to #28.

Those that are addiction free are sober. Those that are abstinent but not addiction free because they are still addicted to another self-destructive drug e.g. nicotine, arent sober. By the way, tobacco is the #1 killer.

The main reason for abstinence is avoiding problems regarding self-destructive behavior patterns that create physical and mental disease. These self-destructive addictive behavior patterns also affects relationships including employment. If one is abstinent from one drug e.g. alcohol, but continues to use another self-destructive drug e.g. tobacco, theyre not sober.

The definition for sobriety is not limited to abstinence. Having a sober mind or clarity of thought are other definitions of many. Those that are abstinent from one self-destructive drug, but are still using another self-destructive drug, do not think clearly, they dont have a sober mind, therefore they arent sober.