What excuse is good enough?

What excuse is good enough for you to use?  For me the answer is none.

We want it to be easy.  It's not going to be.  We don't want to feel sick, lose sleep, have no energy, feel depressed.  Not going to happen.

Want recovery.  WANT it.  And make the choice to not let anything stop you.  If you go to a meeting and don't like it, go to 20 more until you find one you do.  If your doctor is of no help (or TOO much help by giving you whatever you want) find another doctor.  Tell those in your life.  It is their choice to be there or not.  You hope they will, but if not know you will still do it, with our without them.  When you feel like you can't face work, school, the kids, a difficult situation... do it anyway.

Is there any excuse good enough to take away your recovery?

[LIZZIE LOU]

great post calijen...it's being commited to sobriety and recovery...doing WHATEVER it takes to get there AND remain there.  no excuses!!!!

[tzt2lady]

The first time I wrote out a 2nd step with my first sponsor she had me list every reason I ever thought up as an excuse to use.

I found that many of them contradicted each other.   I used cuz I was very happy, and because I was very sad;   because it was a sunny day and cuz it was gloomy; cuz i accomplished a goal or cuz i failed.

Upon reading this list to her she let me realize that as an addict I didnt need an excuse.  I used because i am an addict.  I used because there are issues that lead me to become addicted to things.

Your post is great because I think we have to just want recovery more than we want active addiction.  If we want the drugs, we have to fake it till we make it and the desire to live a healthy life will come back and be stronger than our cravings.   Of course this all happens with footwork that we must do.

[uberadtx]

I am 6 years sober and I have yet to find a good excuse.  I lost everything in recovery.  Opposite of what is supposed to happen.  My family HATED that I got sober. They closed the door and I didn't pick up.  I poured my money into my recovery and became poor and I didn't pick up.  I lost my housing in my 3rd year of sobriety and I didn't pick up.  I lost my baby and I still haven't picked up.  The one thing I have learned is that no matter what, don't pick up.  And my worst day sober has been better than my best day using.  I know that no matter what if I don't pick up things change, they might even get better.  But the minute I pick up that drink or drug all bets are off.  I'm not looking for excuses and I don't have time to make them. I have yet to find one.