How Do We Stay Away From Drinking

[MajestyJo]

For me it was, don't pick up just for today, go to meetings, get a sponsor, get a group, and get active in that group. It was important to get phone numbers and build a support group. I couldn't do it alone and I had to learn to pick up the phone in good times as well as in the not so good times.

I had to fill the hours with positive things. Go out in nature. Go to the library. Go to the coffee shop with recovery friends, not hang around with friends who were still using. I even had to detach from family for a while. I loved them dearly but.... My sobriety had to come first. Without that, I had nothing. Using was not an option, for me to use was to die. I had to give up everything, pill (for some of my friends pot) and food maintenance to stay sober didn't work. A drug is a drug and it takes you back to your drug of choice. The drug is but a symptom of my disease, the problem is me. As the slogan in Al-Anon says, "Let it begin with me." When I started looking at my issues, instead of those of the people, places, and things around me, I started to heal.

As the picture indicates, willing to go to any lengths and do what ever it takes to stay clean and sober in today.