Now & then a serious drinker, being dry at the moment says, "I don't miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time." As ex-problem drinkers, we smile at such a sally. We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. He fools himself. Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks & get away with them. [ HE WILL PRESENTLY TRY THE OLD GAME AGAIN, FOR HE ISN'T HAPPY ABOUT HIS SOBRIETY.] He cannot picture life without alcohol. Someday he will be unable to imagine life either with or without it. Then he will know loneliness such as few do. He will be at the jumping off place. He will wish for the end.

B.B. Pg. 151/152

I love what Chris noted and I felt it important to note the paragraph following hers. My reason is that at times we can recall the, "feelings," of the despair which comes when we've taken the drink again, not wanting to.(If we live to regret it)
However; (in my opinion only) it is difficult at all stages of recovery, to recall, be aware of, see it coming, however you want to express it, the arrival of the first drink. ( No amount of self-knowledge or time without a drink can make us immune.) The BB expresses it in many ways & many places, for example, 'no mental defense against the first drink, or strange mental blank spot, etc.
Our book is complete with simple explanation, suggestion, & direction which shows us how to best avoid these dangerous experiences of those who've gone before us.
The clue in this paragraph I have capitalized. Usually the only way we can avoid this unhappiness is to have a sponsor to help us in the taking of the steps, which will lead us to a relationship of conscious contact with a Power Greater than ourselves, which will, by Grace, allow us a daily reprieve, & do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
If we allow this for ourselves we can have a contented sobriety, and will not have to experience living with the insanity of dry, untreated alcoholism. We cannot do this thing alone. The steps do not say, "I," they say, "We."
If we do not allow ourselves to become rigorously honest with self, other, and a Power Greater than ourselves, if we do not allow ourselves to get through & over the many fears of being vulnerable, incomplete human beings, who need the assistance of others in this life, most especially as humans with alcoholism, we have limited chance of being successful in this attempt at living life with contented abstinence.
It is a very simple program which is often complicated by the disease. This is a disease which tells you that you are not ill. It is a disease which will tell you that it will be different this time, even tho there is absolutely no evidence to support it. It will tell you that a drink will fix it all when in fact a drink will end it all.
So, this is why we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start, and continue to be vigilant with this behavior on a daily basis. It really does work if we let it.
Thanks for the reminder Chris. I need it everyday. So happy to know I am trudging this road with awesome people like you. Please stick around, I need you!!!!

In Love Light, Truth, & Service
Stubborn T