Today, I’m 6 years sober.
That’s 2,191 days since I last had an alcoholic drink.
52,600 hours since I last let the demon on my shoulder win.
Over 3.1 million minutes of me winning the war against the disease of addiction.
It’s my biggest achievement. And I hope that I have millions more sober minutes ahead of me.
It would only take 1 minute of weakness to land me back where I started 6 years ago.
It’s mad really. I could undo over 3 million minutes of progress with 1 minute of madness. But that’s the reality of recovery.
I cannot be complacent, no matter how many years of sobriety I have. I haven’t had a craving for alcohol for a long time, but that doesn’t mean one isn’t hiding around the corner.
Alcohol addiction is powerful. A craving is like an itch that feels like it will never go away. But it ALWAYS passes eventually.
It’s what you do in the midst of a craving that counts. The decisions you make in that moment are the most important you’ll make in recovery.
You can either bottle everything up and eventually crack. Or you can ask for help and ride the wave until it passes.
Asking for help could be as simple as sharing how you’re feeling with a friend or relative. It lifts the weight off your shoulders.
When you bottle things up you’re feeding the addictive part of your brain. It’s a road to self-destruction. And it’s so important I remember that.
As always, thank you for reading.
Bring on the next 6 years of sobriety. Who knows what’s next for the sober version of myself.
Recovery Boy 
Fantastic Toby what an amazing achievement 🎉🎉
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Thank you Michelle 😊
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Congratulations!!! And here’s wishing you many, many more healthy, happy and sober years. You are an inspiration. God bless xx
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Toby
My kind Regards to your success.
My civil partner has just about got to the stage where his memory loss has been confirmed. His brain is older than his age of 68. Degeneration has just been confirmed two days ago
He has an appointment yet again for Wednesday with the Forward Trust. The last time they dealt with him rather badly trying to do things on the phone instead of in person. He became angry and refused to talk to any of them again.
This week when we were with the psychiatrist/Memory specialist I told him that I have been following you and your success. Allan was completely unaware. I shall show him your update.
The 50th anniversary of my Taking him to the post office tower for dinner on his 18th birthday (I was 31) when he asked to move in permanently with me – was Spoiled by his legs getting DVT on our short flight to pick up our cruise celebrations.
It doesn’t help that we enjoyed cruising but now almost every single one is inclusive drinks. It becomes hard to keep track of his drinks paying as you go means you get an account record.
The alcohol consumption has recently dropped significantly but when he goes out like you did today at just before 5 to go across the road to buy potatoes and he still isn’t back yet, You can’t help but wonder.
I’d like to think that when you send your next anniversary update he might be into his first year alcohol free.
Very best wishes Michael, Dover
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