Today marks my 6 years of sobriety and, interestingly enough, 1 full year with no nicotine.
In these 6 years I’ve learned there is no magic bullet, or secret potion, in sobriety or in life. The best things in life are always earned. That’s not to say that the price of freedom is suffering because if done correctly sobriety can be obtained without all the pain. However, it does not come without hard work.
I know when I first got sober the task seemed daunting and exhausting. Meetings every day, IOP, sober living, step work, etc. Honestly it was overwhelming to think that was my new life. But I buckled down and followed the suggestion. Not because it was fun, or because I wanted to, but because I was told that if I did then I would have a life beyond my wildest dreams. They didn’t say when it would come, they didn’t promise cash and prizes, but they did promise it would get better, so long as I was willing.
So willing I was. I was told not to hang out in proverbial barbershops, so I didn’t. I was told to do 90 in 90 so I did. Sponsor? 
. Step work?. Pretty much every suggestion I received, I followed, and 6 years later they are still working.
I don’t claim to sit here and have all the answers. I’m not the pre-eminent authority on getting sober. But I am a guy who walked the path of destruction and then found my way out through the rooms of AA. I may come across as harsh, or uncaring, but in reality, through my own experience, I do know what I’m talking about, and these things do work. Same with every other person on this site who is putting together years upon years of sobriety. So when you see us all saying stay out of bars, don’t go to parties, go to therapy, etc, it’s because we know they will work for you, because it worked for us.
I went from suicidal, homeless heroin addict to living a life most normies would not even believe. Not bad for a guy who once thought jumping off a bridge was his best option.
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