18 years ago today.... (Page 2)

A great accomplishment.   You should be VERY VERY proud.  As we are VERY VERY proud of you.  

Now get out and go for a run.

If I may ask, how did you go about becoming sober ?  On your own, AA, ect.ect.???

As for how...I was a 21 y/o punk (more of a punk than I am currently )  I was a ministerial student who sought to sow his oats in the secular world.  I went from a few beers a night to a case + liquor and eventually OD'ed exactly ONE YEAR from the first time I ever got drunk...a pretty fast progression.  I was a 4.0 student, president of my fraternity, engaged to Miss US Teen Alabama, had my own pad and a decent college job.  Within 24 hours, I lost all of that and was sent packing back to FL for 4 months of rehab.  Did the AA thing for the first 8 years and then moved on with live my life after that.  I broke every rule in recovery and went against pretty much every suggestion EXCEPT ONE...I never drank.  Who knows if I can have a drink today or not.  Frankly, it's not worth the risk to find out.  I have far too much to lose if I guess wrong.

All of that seems like a lifetime ago.  Not drinking is no longer something I have to work on, it is simply a part of who I am...I just don't do it.  I guess it was tough the first 5+ years; definitely scary as he!!, but it's my journey.  Whatever it is in this lifetime I am supposed to accomplish or experience, I needed exactly that chapter in my past in order to get there.

We all have those chapters...mine is certainly no more deserving of accolades than any of yours.  But THANK YOU all for the nods and the responses.  It's pretty cool to share stuff like this amongst friends. 

You may have lost certain things, but the best part is that you did not lose your life.  Many have.  So be proud!

congrats... like I tell people who are new to quitting smoking... you just have to keeping saying "no" forever.

good job!

Congratulations!

I can relate...my husband's been clean and sober from the stuff for 23 years.  

congrats.