When have I moved on

Advice & Questions
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I’ve noted, that while I still check in regularly, I am not reading around as much. It’s not that I don’t enjoy hearing from many here, I’m just not sure it is helping my journey.
Now, I’ve been stupid busy and am usually too tired to read at night and I get going pretty early lately.

I’m frightened not being grounded here may let me slip, but I’m feeling good, strong, focused and disciplined in my pursuit. But what if the daily check in and or reading when I get a chance let’s me forget why I am doing this?

Does anyone have any thoughts and or gone through the same thing? Again, I’ve loved this part of my sobriety, but I’m just finding it more difficult to stay engaged here.

Just looking and reaching out to see if anyone else has gone through the same thing? Is it normal? Do you find you “need” to be here? What are the odds of slipping if I don’t return regularly?
This is my only sober support that I engage in. I’ve never felt a need to do anything additional, just stay on course, focused, keep busy and do things I enjoy…this being one of them, but this also is the one I give less time to when I have other things I need to focus on…

Appreciate any and all feedback from the group that I’ve trusted explicitly during my first 4+ months.

:pray::heart::peace_symbol:

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My own participation on this site waxes and wanes…theres no pressure Chevy u come and go as u please…the important thing to remember i think is that if you struggle you must connect with fellow addicts before youd relapse. Its always nice to see u posting but theres no pressure to be here if ur not feeling it that day🫂

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Totally agree! :heart::heart:

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Wow can i ever relate to ur post. I have definitly felt this way. I check in daily but dont read here as often as i used to bcuz well life is busy. Theres been a number of times where ive considered moving on from this app but then i think about being of service to others (I can only keep what i have by giving it away - which I learned from 12 step meetings). Even tho i may not always feel like i need TS, i do know that my experience, strength, and hope is useful here for others. Just like ur posts help others (including myself).

This too is my only recovery based support right now. I used to attend meetings regularly but havent since i moved provinces. I have the same fear actually. That if i completely remove myself from TS, will i slip? I personally dont want to take the chance so i stay here lol But even if u decide to move on, u can always come back anytime. If u feel uneasy or unsure about something, u can always check in. We are always here :slight_smile:

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I know from previously longer streaks of not using that over time my tendency to consider myself ‚healed‘ from my addiction increases. This comes slowly and it sneaks up on me, until I ‚forget‘ the consequences of having ‚just one‘. Usually then some stressful situation comes up, I have let my guard down by considering myself above the problem of addiction and bam I‘m back into active addiction.
This is my first time engaging in a community of people in recovery and I hope that this ongoing connection will help me not to fall into this particular trap.

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I slack off on here when I am busy, definitely. But I have other sober supports. I go to a weekly women’s meeting and keep in touch with my sponsor. It’s important to have a program of recovery that you can work. For some that is checking in on TS. Just feeling good is dangerous for us addicts. What is your program of recovery? What works for you other than just staying focused? What would help you keep that focus?

There’s a saying in AA, don’t let the life AA gave you get in the way of your AA life. It’s really important to keep both.

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I don’t feel I need to be here but it’s helpful to have a place to check in when I need to. I try not to get complacent in life which is difficult at times working so much but I make the time. Is it keeping me sober :thinking: not sure but I know it’s not causing me to want to drink so ai will go with that!

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In my experience, my emotions are signposts to help me guide my journey: they’re like lights and buoys, helping me navigate the waters without running aground. It’s worth reflecting on your fear. Contemplate the fear, speak to it even, like a person: it’s a voice inside you, with a story to share and something to say.

You mentioned you had been meaning to go to an AA meeting; did you ever get to one? It sounds like part of you sees some value in exploring various spaces where you can be with people in recovery.

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Came here 2016 i was 30 years sober i just give some advice AA got me on the recovery path there wasnt any internet or mobiles then (yes there was a time before it was invented lol ) made some good friends since i came here. i sponsor and go to meetings . seen loads of people come here and leave wether they are still sober who knows ? but i wish them well

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Hey Chevy!! I can definitely relate. I have been here and sober from alcohol for 7 years. Over the years I have taken a lot of breaks when life got busy or when I was feeling a certain way about the forum or personalities here. This is my only community support as well. I always come back tho, as I like the support, seeing how others are doing, making new friends, needing to check in and also because of moderating duties. I stayed away for longer periods b4 I became a moderator. The 1st year I was here constantly because I needed to be for my sobriety. This place was vital to my continuous early sobriety.

As time went on, and as others have said…it waxes and wanes depending on how busy I am. What doesn’t wax or wane is my commitment to sobriety.

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@Starlight14 I appreciate that, thank you. I think you hit it on the head, the interest waxing and waning. I mean I love this place and all it’s taught me, I just didn’t know if I was dependent on it or not.
Thanks for the feedback :heart:

@Butterflymoonwoman i hear ya Dana…it’s the taking the chance in the unknown that most concerns me. Like is this my consistent reminder that I need to stay the path. I don’t feel I am in jeopardy of slipping but is that because of this constant reminder or due to my own disinterest in drinking at this point?? I’m not sure. I’d like to think it’s my internal strength but how can you ever know without testing?? More thought needs to go into. :heart:

@acromouse I hear ya aga, I’ve accepted that I’m a problem drinker and with that I accept that being healed is unlikely and not a term I’ve thought of in my sense. Something feels different as I’ve abstained many times before. This time I just don’t have the interest, at least currently… that said, I’m aware that it’s always there… lurking in the shadows and I need to maintain vigilance… :heart:

@Kareness , I have no other supports realistically and have till this point never asked for or required help for pretty much anything in my life. But I do see your point of understanding what has given me and helped me in this opportunity. I’m
Just not sure where that real strength came from. I know I’ve always appreciated the insight, stories and past from all the people here that I drew from, but then I needed to be strong also and put in work and focus, find new things to enjoy more than the drink itself…:heart:

@Steve14 I think you and I are very much the same my friend. We work, we do for ourselves and we take pride in our abilities, but we are humble enough to know we do draw strength from others and respect and appreciate them and that educational awareness. :heart:

@Matt thanks Matt, I have been contemplating that fear for a few days now and will recognize that I need to be ever mindful. I have mentioned AA before, more out of curiosity than anything. I do still have that in my head as well but currently it just isn’t conducive to my schedule of getting up at 3:30am… that said, perhaps I will keep watch on it in case of a time change and or think on it for fall when my businesses turn down… I appreciate your thoughts and memory of my previous references. I need to keep other tools oppts open. :heart:

@Ray_M_C_Laren the consistent Ray. You are the one that has that bug in my ear of getting to AA and I appreciate you speaking consistently of a program that works and has helped so many tens or hundreds of thousands that came before me. I appreciate you and your focused message! :heart:

@SassyRocks the voice of constant reason and understanding. I think much like you that is how I am leaning. I would never give up on this place at all, as I love too many stories, teachings and people along the way. It was a tad of guilt speaking perhaps for not being as engaged as much as I had been, but perhaps that is something I am learning also.
Allow this place to grow and change and come back and be involved and engaged as much or as little as the time dictates. It’s not like I am single handedly saving anyone, though I do like to think a story here or there motivates someone. But those stories will always be here for anyone to read and take from what they want when they want like I did when I spent t countless hours reading and absorbing older threads and learning.
I think I have and will evolve more as I go and understand this place is always here for me when I need, as I will be for it if called on ever. :heart:

As I say all, this place has given me so so much and I adore it and you all for the countless interactions. I will always be here and perhaps engage more at some points than others, and I think that is ok.
My journey changes and evolves like myself. I am loving who I am becoming in these changes and I absolutely give gratefulness to sobriety being the caveat to that great change in me… I am blessed to have this new life that I am digging, even if it means for some strange reason I am in love with manual labor right now and working countless hours… mostly because I feel I can for the first time in my life.
:pray::heart::peace_symbol:

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Why not join a virtual one? There are thousands and thousands of them - search “AA Zoom” or “virtual AA” or something similar and you’ll find them - and they are on 24 hours a day. There’s always a meeting happening :+1:

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Hadn’t thought of that angle Matt. I’ll consider.

Thanks

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From your shares I agree we are very similar. Just keep doin what’s been working for you. I’m not one to push my beliefs on others we all have to find are way and at the end of the day I don’t want or crave or miss the old life and that keeps me going. :muscle:

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And check out SMART recovery if you are not sure about the AA approach. Again they have lots of online meetings each day which you can just join and watch in the early days if you aren’t sure about actively participating

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