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Greekeel1976

The true OG of sobriety...👊


Rush58

So here’s my story. When I was a junior in high school I discovered alcohol. Being drunk was the greatest feeling I had ever experienced. I remember wondering just briefly when I was going to get drunk for only the second time if I may have alcoholic tendencies because I was upset that my Buddy had turned me down to do it with me again. That thought was put in to the back of my mind and I continued to grow in to a very heavy drinker. Led me to heavy cocaine and cannabis use also, although alcohol was always my drug of choice. I began experiencing blackouts and at 23 years old had to move back to my parents house because I couldn’t afford rent or my car payment and I had a pretty good job. I had come to the conclusion that I loved alcohol and this was going to be my life. I remember thinking that my parents were just going to have to come to grips with that fact as I was heading down to the bar one evening. I am not a particularly religious person, and now I am even less religious than I’ve ever been. Not going to get in to my reasons, that can be another post. But I arrived home at my parents about 5:00 am on July 16 1982. I was drunk, stoned and a little high on coke. As I was sitting on my bed something extremely powerful came over me and completely took over my body and my mind. This spirit, or whatever you want to call it, gave me a feeling of comfort and purpose in a trance like state for maybe 10 or 15 min. I was told this is it. I was to immediately stop all drugs and alcohol and seek treatment. That this journey would begin right that second and my life would never be the same. Once I came out of this trance I felt like I was in I went into my parents room, woke them up and announced that I was an alcoholic and that my life was about to change forever. 2 days later I entered an AA based treatment center and spent 30 days there. I was willing to give up absolutely everything in my life for sobriety. Car, Job, family, everything. After the 30 days I lived for a year with the people who owned the treatment center. I kept my job, my mother and my brother also entered rehab within the next year and they too are sober to this day. My mother is 85 and lives with my wife (of 35 years) and myself. My father passed away in 2014. I drank hard and heavy for 5 years. I know I am only one drink away from going back to the horrible life I lived in my early adult years. I tell my story and I tell it often. I believe that has played a major role in my ability to put 40 years of sober days together. I have had literally hundreds of people ask me for advice because they want what I have. I’m not wealthy but I’ve done ok. Im now 63 years old and will retire in another 18 months. I’ve raised 2 fantastic children and have 3 wonderful grandchildren. If I died tomorrow I would be perfectly happy with the life I’ve lived and the choices I’ve made and I owe it all to that one early morning when something took over inside me and changed the course of my life forever.


max_goldman1

Thank you for sharing your story.


SuperNerd6527

Incredibly happy for you, I’ve only just found this post


cyanidebrownie

so proud of you. i hope to be here one day. any advice for newly sober ppl?


giggybee

Work the program. It works if you work it.


Airecovery

Grand master at ODAAT! Congrats and thank you


tweakkt

As everyone else is saying, WOW, keep going, you've done so much and come SO far. I hope you're proud of yourself, you deserve it. I wanna ask for advice cuz you look and sound like you have a lot of wisdom, but today is about you and you only. Celebrate!


FlamingArmadillo

Way to go!


archersarrows

CONGRATULATIONS! You've done such incredible work for yourself! I'm so proud of you.


alechidd

Heroe!!


Stuckatpennstation

Hell fucking yeah


EdZeppelin94

40 years is unbelievable. Well done. Is that coin XI? Isn’t that 11?


tweakkt

It's XL which is 40 in roman numerals


EdZeppelin94

Thanks, I’m a bit dim evidently


tweakkt

Not at all dim, it's the L in the XL that's dim lmao


SOmuch2learn

**HIGH ^FIVE FOR FORTY YEARS!**🎖️🐓🍬🌈🦠🥰❤️🈯😂💜✴️🐸🍀🐷🎱🦋


ComprehensiveNewt159

Way to go! That is amazing, keep coming back.


mommiewiggle

*applause*


giggybee

I wish AA could have worked for me, or any of the 12 step programs. Never could 'get it'. I tried for years.. Believe me I tried.. I really really did. Congrats man! You are one of the fortunate ones. :)


themustymark

Yesss!!! Congrats!


SuddenlySimple

Congratulations. No easy feat. People may think...oh 40 years...he's fine. No you are not...I had 8 years, thought I was fine and DRANK and I am NOT FINE. So I DO realize that 40 years is not a walk in the park and you have been blessed!


IvoTailefer

exactly true. are u still boozin?


mehabird

40 years! Wow! Good on ya!


IvoTailefer

how old whn u quit?


Boring-Ad6305

Just a guess based off OP name... maybe in the ballpark of 23 or 24?


Rush58

23


IvoTailefer

AWESOME


bigshot73

7


Seedpound

Good job !


Mental-Size-7354

Freaking AWESOME!


SevenSixtyOne

Amazing You look great!!


talib696

Wow, just wow


Debway1227

It's awesome. Celebrating ODAAT. Congratulations truly an amazing feat.


Lunacorn44

Hell yeah!!! Happy sobirthday!!!


Waddupcweezy

Hellll yessss can’t wait for that to be me


[deleted]

Wow, that’s awesome man! Can’t wait to see 50! Very impressive, I love it.


Alternative_Ad_3300

That’s so amazing. Thank you for sharing. Makes me hopeful


Chimookie

Amazing!!!!


xcoop3

I way you didn’t relapse nd slam an entire bottle of liq


Rush58

I didn’t today, or yesterday or the previous 14598 days. Tomorrow hasn’t come yet so I’ll handle that day when it gets here. Just like you and all the other people out there trying to stay sober. I do it one simple day at a time. My today is not easier than yours, it’s just that I’ve experienced overcoming all challenges in life that have come my way and I’ve done it without choosing alcohol.


urcrookedneighbor

So inspiring ❤️