Possibly a “recipe for disaster” for some people. Facing challenges, for me, is a recipe for success. Everyone’s sobriety journey is unique to them and I don’t see how saying there is a “one size fits all” approach is helpful.
Terminal uniqueness has been the downfall of many alcoholics.
4 Likes
Pretty gloomy outlook to me. Presumably by “many”, you me “not all”?
Hey if that’s a lottery you’re willing to play then go ahead. 5 out 6 people who play Russian roulette don’t lose. But boy does the person who loses lose big. I value my sobriety far too much to needlessly put it a risk. I have a bachelor party golf trip coming up in a few months. The plan is to go bar hoping on Saturday night of the trip. I’ll be skipping that part. I’m not worried I’d drink but it’s just not something I need to do.
8 Likes
For me a challenge is something I have a fair chance to succeed in. Might be tricky like maybe trying a new route climbing or downhill trail. Thinking of challenging my sobriety gives me a terrible fear. Even thinking of drinking, going through the process of buying the bottle, opening it, pour it in a Glas, sipping, starting to binge, being sick and falling into bed half unconscious, have bad sleep, crawling out of bed all bloated, diarrhea after some days of drinking, having blood vessel spots under my eyes due to the purging,the bad breath, the what-happened-last-night again, it scares the fuck out of me. It is not a feasible challenge for me.
6 Likes
Damn. Full sentence
1 Like
Very well put. I like challenges but not like that. I have plenty without putting myself in them
3 Likes
I know, for me, isolation is one of my biggest triggers. When I’m lonely and bored, that’s when the craving hits the hardest.
1 Like
I didn’t go to those extremes lol but I did allow myself to slowly be exposed to alcohol. Little at a time. Where I live there’s no avoiding it unless you never leave your house. So I baby stepped myself until I was able to be around it and not want it. It was easier to plan an exit route then to be caught off guard.
1 Like
I agree that “testing” by means of exposing yourself to reasonable environments where drinking is going on is appropriate at some point. I feel going purposely to events that center around partying is stupid.
I’d add that the addicted mind can’t be completely trusted to make the call so you need to factor that in. I was 8 months consistently sober and doing great. Did so great that my addict mind convinced me I’d be fine trying to have just one drink. That one drink hauled me down into a month long relapse as bad as I was way back when. I’m 42 days out of that but damn, that test wasn’t worth it!
For me, avoid and abstain are the only way to go. I don’t have the energy to go through the crazy ride again!
3 Likes
My first go at sobriety, I tested it, pretty much in the first month.
Went to a birthday party at a bar, didn’t drink.
Went to a going away party at a bar, didn’t drink.
Went to a buddies house, I drank.
I made it 58 days, 2 days shy of 2 months.
My second go at sobriety, I took what I learnt and my first real outing was at 100 days.
You may think staying home for over 3 months must be boring, and maybe you’re right, but I’ll tell you, I’m still sober and can fucking cook the best meal you’ve ever had!
6 Likes
Damn this is a great thread… Informative and funny
I’m gonna have to end it with the guy I was seeing because he offered me the drink yesterday knowing I don’t want to drink anymore… Risk too great 
Putting me, my life and sobriety first
8 Likes
Ya neh… It’s as if it’s punishing you for abandoning it. You spiral down faster than before 
You’re defending and recommending your hypothesis so strongly when you’ve only been testing it for less than a month. That’s great if you want to try it out for yourself, but promoting it like you’ve already proved it seems unethical.
8 Likes
Eventually is much better 
I had to do that. I was hanging out with a buddy. He knew I was clean and sober. He absentmindly handed me his stash… Just like hey hold this real quick. I hsvent been back. It was an accident. He wasn’t trying to stumble me. But it’s an accident i can’t risk happening again.
3 Likes
Kudos to you… All the best on your sobriety 
1 Like
i havent tested my sobriety to date and i dont plan to. my sobriety is the most important most cherished aspect of my life and if i lose it everything in my life is fucked to the moon and back. absolutely fucked. and man it was so hard to get straight i dont ever wanna go back to my old ways. its a lot easier for me to stay sober than for me to get sober so im not takin chances. but thats me and if you wanna test yourself i say test away 
2 Likes
I test my stupidity all the time by doing stupid things.
My scientifically valid collection of data points indicate I am, indeed, stupid.
7 Likes