[isamuel]

I’m curious (as a recovered alcoholic myself) how you got sober.

[gavinray]

I'll be honest, a lot of it was my wife. And also hitting my lowest bottom after becoming homeless and penniless.

So a combination of looking at what I had done to myself + everyone around me and going "what the fuck." and my ever-vigilant wife who knew I had the capacity and desire to get better.

For me it really took literally losing everything.

[mexicocitinluez]

Recovered opiate addict and for me it was a mix of everything: Some advice I had gotten from NA meetings, finally doing something about the other mental health issues I was dealing with, and most importantly: medications that prevented me from using (methadone/suboxone).

It was definitely a process (that included multiple jail stints and only god knows how many treatment centers), but 10 years later life is pretty awesome.

I think the stigma around methadone is causing a ton of harm. Having a program where you quite literally have to show up every day, take drug tests, and get counseling was really important.

[gavinray]

Hell yeah, congrats on 10 years of living actual life.

[anthonylevine]

Thank you!!! I commented too much on my account and have to use my alt-account, but I appreciate that.

[lawgimenez]

I’ve been > 20 years sober. For me it was just music. I’m obsessed with a band who preaches sobriety in their lyrics and lifestyle.

[stringfood]

the secret is to hate drinking and never drink

[ChrisMarshallNY]

That would make sense, wouldn't it?

"Just say no"?

Sadly, it doesn't work. If you're an addict, you'll end up manifesting in one way, or many ways. Drugs aren't the only way that it expresses itself.

I hate alcohol. I always have. The taste makes me sick. The best way to ruin a dessert, is to pour expensive booze on it.

That didn't stop me from becoming a prize-winning lush, though.

The thing about addiction, is that it just doesn't make sense. It can't be understood, when looked at, through a rational lens.

That's a big reason that Recovery is difficult. It's also often badly supported by family members, who don't understand the mechanisms.

But that's a long story, for other venues. I am happy to read his story, and sincerely wish him luck.

[stringfood]

I am recovering alcoholic and almost have two years sober but I can only imagine how hard it would be to quit if you loved alcohol, I hated it but was just physically addicted or something, just could not stop it was too fun, I have to use thc only now which has its own issues but will not affect my health in same way as alcohol did. Alcohol is too fun for me and hurts my family a lot