Beautifully said, @MoCatt - so so much i relate to in this. 
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I always relapsed because I hadn’t yet hit my bottom, although I thought I had many times. I was always trying to feel good now or cover up some feeling but in the end it was a band-aid on a broken arm and all the bullshit was still there when I sobered up. The mind is powerfull. You can tell yourself all day long you’re not going to drink but it takes that small temptation to overpower your will to not drink and Bam you’re off and running.
Step 1. Admit you are powerless over alcohol, or whatever drug. Go from there.
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My will power always just led me to switching addictions. I’d go from dope, to booze, to crack and then back again. The reason I work a program is because it keeps me clean from all drugs and alcohol. Not just the ones I think I have a problem with. Today marks 560 days completely sober. If I still ran on will power I’d be dead.
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I am not weak, yet I needed support. Sometimes our definition of weak needs tweeked. I tried to quit for 22 years. It wasnt until I “grew a set” and asked for help that I started recovering. However, we are all different. And if asking for help and support makes me “weak af” then I will gladly be seen as that
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I will join your “weak af” club then.
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Yep, I think the same 
If you really want it you’ll do it. The mind is incredibly strong.
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Weak af too then and havent used a drug or taken a drink in 2 and a half years, since I admitted my will wasnt enough to control my behavior around addictive substances 
I have an amazing life today still need that support to keep on track though! No shame about it either!
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A lot of people might find it insulting to imply that their continued struggle with addiction and its awful consequences is because they dont “want it” enough. I wanted to be free of addiction more than life itself, all that got me was a suicide attempt when I couldnt stop destroying my life and endangering others. From my perspective as someone in recovery who works professionally in the field of addiction medicine as well, if freedom from addiction was just about wanting it, a LOT more people would be clean today. I applaud people who can stop from willpower alone, but my personal definition of Alcoholic and Addict (12-Step definition) would not include them
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I can’t tell you how many times I really wanted to be sober. Like really wanted to change, but had no idea how to do it. I tried and tried for years. I definitely don’t consider myself weak minded. I am highly educated, have a great (sober) work ethic. I have survived a lot of shit that would kill most people. None of that mattered when it came to getting sober. All the want in the world didn’t mean shit because I literally had no idea how to do it. I reached out and asked for help. I got honest with myself and others. When I admitted that I couldn’t beat addiction my life improved drastically.
And to the people who are struggling who are reading this and thinking you are “weak af”, you are not. You are strong as hell, but you are sick. You need help from other people. Please seek that help.
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Oh, you knowww I can relate to this 100%. Hollah! 
@Aziz_Sofwan_S, two things changed for me this time around, now in my longest stretch of sobriety in many years.
First, I found a program of recovery that wasn’t mine. My best thinking never got me sober, so I needed someone else’s. Accepting that much shifted the game instantly.
Second, I committed to sticking to it no matter how I was feeling, good/bad or otherwise. When I did ask for help before I would get complacent. As soon as I felt better the phrase “I got this” latched on again. Spoiler alert: I did not got this. I got lazy and f—ed it up again.
A change in thoughts/feelings, for me, takes a lot of change in habits and actions over time. Now I try to practice what I’m learning every day.
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I’m struggling like crazy getting clean off of meth, and I just saw your comment about being 450 days clean. It made me both extatic for your amazing progress, and hopeful for mine. But how did you get there? See I’m running out of time, as embarassing as it is to admit, getting custody of my almost 5 month old baby girl Lily depends on it. I love her so much more than I can describe, and I desperately want to be clean. So it is disgusting to me that it even got to this point… I feel like the worst mother in the world. Anyways. I’m sorry for ranting on and on but your post gave me some hope. And I just thought I’d tell you that 
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I have been addicted to opiates/heroin for 16-17 years, I have 76 days sober I’m not working a traditional program but respect the hell out of those who do, I consider myself an addict
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Everyone is welcome to their own definition A lot of my personal recovery program is “nontraditional”/ outside the purview of the 12-steps, and I know folks who has eschewed the 12 step fellowships altogether and have great long term recovery! They found support and guidance other places. Like this website, for example.
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Absolutely I couldn’t agree more we are all welcome to our own definition. I just have a hard time seeing someone point out something they deem insulting then perhaps insulting someone else like myself since I don’t meet their definition but thank you for the nice response 
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Honest question: If willpower alone is sufficient for someone to stop using drugs, why would they stop entirely rather than using in moderation? Especially legal addictive substances such as alcohol, marijuana (dep on location), etc.
I would definitely use my willpower to drink “like a lady”!
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I can’t tell you about alcohol it’s not my thing I just know for me personally any amount of heroin could potentially kill me and I’m not willing to roll the dice anymore.
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To me, that’s where being powerless over my addiction comes in. I have full control over saying no to the first drink. After that, all my will goes out the window and I drink more. For me, I ask what good would ONE drink do? Not a single honest answer I could come up with. I know it wouldn’t be just one and nothing good will EVER come from me drinking.
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Good ole moderation. The unicorn of all alcoholics
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Discussion if people can do it on their own…on an ap that was designed to give people support beating their addiction…Ironic
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So, and I have been debating asking this…if its about “one is mentally tough enough”…then how do you explain someone that can stay off one substance, yet relapse on another. I am not trying to be an ass. If one was tought enough to not relapse on one, wouldn’t it logically be that they could keep from relapsing from another substance?
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