Good question Mandy and great hearing from you. I can only speak for myself, but stopping and losing the cravings for alcohol only came after I did the recovery work to address my root causes of addiction. I had quit two times previously for a year but relapsed each time because I never addressed these issues. For me, AA was the program that helped me not only with abstinence but the hard work of recovery, and exposing the demons that caused my cravings. That was 4 1/2 years ago and I can honestly say I don’t give alcohol or drugs a second thought now. Obviously there’s a lot more to it, but that’s a summary of what worked for me. Wishing you the best and know a few others here will also have some good advice. Kevin

Alcoholism is a symptom of deeper emotional issues. I suffered from anxiety and depression, plus ptsd and it took alot for me to get to a point where I could feel like I don't need drugs or alcohol anymore so I went through outpatient treatment, followed by 3 months of group counseling. Throughout all the help I received, regular attendance at AA meetings were a requirement.

When I healed the inside of me, I no longer had to worry about what went on outside of me. That was 13 years ago. Today I am happier then I have ever been. I wish the same for you.

Different thinks work for different people. There is a good book called, "The 12 steps for everyone who really wants them which is the AA 12 steps, adapted for EHA (Emothional Health Anonmous) This book helped me alot. If you pm me your address I will send you a free copy or you can buy it used on amazon for a few dollars.

There are also other books you can buy, having to do with healing the inside.
It's work but it's well worth the time and effort you put into it. I highly recommend.

A year is a big accomlishment, by the way and you deserve to have a party since it's your one year anniversary....Congratulations! It's also a time when those in recovery become complacent and stop doing the things that kept them sober so be careful of that.

May you continue on your road to recovery and find peace and happiness along the way.

God Bless

Hi Mandy. I had almost 21 months and I wanted to drink every day. I lived in sober living and it wasn't possible. I got kicked out for unrelated reasons and I relapsed. I was doing the 4th step with my sponsor, and I looked at one of the character defects they said about me and it was "inability to be honest." This is *my* story, not yours. I was unable to be honest.

I did some deep soul searching, a lot of inner and outer transformation and prayer, real prayer this time, and lately my Higher Power has removed the obsession to drink. If nothing, just for today. I have a little over 6 months back now. The difference in my sobriety is night and day. I don't struggle to stay sober now, and I live in a house with alcohol in it, rather than in sober living. I just needed honesty with myself and a Higher Power to help me.

@nopopculture............Congratulations on 6 months! Having alcohol that close is a huge trigger but you sound like you have developed a strong communication link with your Higher Power through doing the steps, so keep up the good work!

Thankyou for being here!

God Bless

I quit for 2 years and “white knuckleed it. I was a time bomb. Waiting to explode.

This time I deal with why I drank.

There is a difference in sober and dry

You've got to move out. Homie sounds like a control freak interested in making others do what he wants over being a friend who wants a person not to be aggravated.

If you got to drink, you got to drink, and he should understand that, even if it leads to your death. If he can't understand that he is acting like a little bitch and he deserves to be abandoned.

Alcohol is great, the whole world should drink it as much as possible, so you're not crazy for wanting to drink it, and being sober a year has it's perks too, but if you're having to go to the depths of plotting to sneak it into the house, "rule breaking", you need to tell that fucker he is acting ridiculous and you need to cut him out of your life is he is that austere.

He's probably not even a real alcoholic if he isn't understanding the need to drink for an alcoholic, year sober or not. If you've got some psychological ailment going on with the alcoholism too, that environment of him controlling you and treating your like a subject or someone inferior to him, is going to make you even more insane, and you'll end up wanting to hurt that bastard, trust me, so I hope it works out for you, but if I was you, I'd write that fool off for lack of compassion and misunderstanding.

I'd either leech off some other poor schmuck who is tolerant of your need to drink, or get my own place. People who really understand are like gold to alcoholics, and there is no price on peace of mind.

Maybe he is trying to help you, maybe he cares enough to set firm boundaries…..

You just gotta go day by day & avoid the temptation & keep yourself occupied with things that make you happy.

I am a year sober & it is harder now, those thoughts creep in & l have to shoo them away, l have too much to lose after coming so far & l won’t give in.

Keep sharing & write it down, we are all going through different stages of recovery-and can all help each other to stay sober.