Addiction & Recovery
Related: About this forumForty years sober today.
Last edited Tue Aug 12, 2025, 08:11 PM - Edit history (1)
It just crossed my mind. I entered DePaul Rehabilitation Hospital in Milwaukee 40 years ago this evening. No relapses in all that time. I was thirty-eight years old. I am not seeking any sort of recognition, just want folks to know it can be done.
ON EDIT- thank you for all the recs and responses and for not mentioning my stupid typo, now fixed.

SheltieLover
(73,716 posts)



enough
(13,616 posts)Lonestarblue
(12,924 posts)Thanks for sharing. Sometimes life gets hard. You reminded us that perseverance can pay off.
AltairIV
(960 posts)applegrove
(128,221 posts)MIButterfly
(1,292 posts)Good for you! That is quite an accomplishment. You deserve all the accolades you can get!
That's an inspiration for anyone dealing with any kind of addiction.
LoisB
(11,644 posts)wendyb-NC
(4,479 posts)You are an inspiration, I am 19 years sober, and I plan continue.
elleng
(140,782 posts)calimary
(87,843 posts)Congratulations on a truly outstanding accomplishment!
Thats a LOT to be proud of!
I was originally gonna recommend celebrating with some milk and cookies, but your achievement, just by itself, is sweet - and filling - enough!
AllaN01Bear
(27,421 posts)
634-5789
(4,551 posts)And yeah, it can be done. You did great! Keep up the dailies!
Magoo48
(6,612 posts)I just took 41 years on the 7th.
As my wife told me, again, this year, 41 years and still no apparent growth.
May you be happy, joyous, and free my friend.
🐝🐫
hamsterjill
(16,548 posts)But I commend you. That's amazing and whether you want recognition or not, you deserve it. Good for you!!!
greatauntoftriplets
(178,255 posts)
rurallib
(64,141 posts)JMCKUSICK
(3,934 posts)Torrent63
(30 posts)Congratulations.
GreenWave
(11,624 posts)I have obeyed them!
3catwoman3
(27,713 posts)
Wifes husband
(552 posts)3catwoman3
(27,713 posts)
TygrBright
(21,202 posts)gerryatwork
(90 posts)I have a sense of what you accomplished. My 2nd started her sobriety about 15 years ago. I give her a lot of credit. Even though she left me for her future husband she met at AA about 14 years ago.
Congratulations its a great personal accomplishment
Response to rzemanfl (Original post)
Kali999 This message was self-deleted by its author.
4Sitka
(41 posts)
cate94
(3,006 posts)I wont live long enough to reach that goal, but I certainly want to be sober the rest of my life. You are an inspiration!! Thanks for sharing!
ShazzieB
(21,618 posts)
OldBaldy1701E
(9,075 posts)MustLoveBeagles
(13,619 posts)That's quite an accomplishment.
NoMoreRepugs
(11,624 posts)ariadne0614
(2,041 posts)Permanut
(7,551 posts)30 years here, and worth every minute of it.
CTyankee
(67,072 posts)It's just not good for your body. Especially as you get older.
I had fallen in love with Merlot, just loved the taste. Now I get FRE's alcohol free Merlot and I can enjoy the taste of that wine and not worry about harmful effects on my body.

FakeNoose
(38,673 posts)I'll bet your family and friends are so proud of you. Awesome job!
LearnedHand
(5,022 posts)Way to hang in there!
orangecrush
(26,732 posts)FemDemERA
(583 posts)
Rhiannon12866
(243,076 posts)I celebrated 16 years on April 30th also to show it can be done. Those who stood up for me were a dedicated AA member who celebrated 51 years last November and my good friend who came back and now has 3 years.
Dem4life1970
(969 posts)Javaman
(64,493 posts)MLAA
(19,482 posts)
soldierant
(8,946 posts)Congranu;ations, Sugar.
Turbineguy
(39,360 posts)One of my best friends will get there in one more year.
LudwigPastorius
(13,420 posts)But as it is, I've got 5 and half years of sobriety, and I'm not going back.
MissouriDem47
(281 posts)proud patriot
(102,258 posts)Congrats on 40 years
Wifes husband
(552 posts)I have 33 years, and the first year was definitely the hardest. I had several 9 month chips.
So, genuine congratulations. The rest is just putting in the time. Ex
pioche4
(173 posts)Hornedfrog2000
(866 posts)I was almost 30. Had 2 OWIs. I had no drivers license, was only a highschool dropout, and had nothing. It was 2015, and I met someone I wanted to marry, but knew that would never be possible with how i was living. I knew my life was going to be hard, regardless, but I could make it hard on my terms. I was going to work harder than I ever have. I was going to give myself a chance because when I really thought about it, I had always defaulted to, " you cant do that, or you arent good at that", but i never gave myself a chance.
Trump stole the whitehouse with the help of Putin, and I knew I had to get ahead, because they would literally try to steal even more from us (this was literally my big reason for turning my life around). Fastforward to 2025 I am in graduate school for my doctorate, and will be making more money than I had ever imagined.
I used "welfare", grants, etc to get to this point. Without them I would have never had a chance. I appreciate the minute, fractional percentage of help i received from everyones taxes to help me become a productive member of society. I will never forget that I would not be here without charity, welfare, and kindness of others.
I have never been the smartest person, but being succesful sometimes is about finding a way, any way.
Duncanpup
(15,132 posts)Pototan
(2,859 posts)this is a bad time to be sober
Bristlecone
(10,875 posts)Ive heard the 41st year is the hardest
..
I think you win the thread.
Farmer-Rick
(12,076 posts)That's something to be very proud about.
Congratulations!
Pachamama
(17,470 posts)I admire it and know unfortunately the experience of witnessing someone I love who couldnt do it and all the terrible things and destruction that comes with alcohol abuse.
Sending you lots of appreciation and good thoughts for what you have overcome and achieved - for yourself and all those that love you.
TommieMommy
(2,360 posts)johnnyplankton
(566 posts)But I got sober and stayed with meetings and things continue to get better.
RamblingRose
(1,138 posts)restaurants around us are Mexican. I love a margarita w/ my dinner but am staying dry in solidarity.
Congratulations!
WmChris
(403 posts)3/13/82
if..fish..had..wings
(871 posts)Nice going
NNadir
(36,598 posts)I'm glad you celebrate the anniversaries.
Bluejeans
(128 posts)< applause > That's one hell of a record! As we would say in the military, "Keep on keepin' on!"
Ziggysmom
(3,903 posts)they closed and tore down the building around 25 years ago. Im so happy you are sober and a Dem!
rzemanfl
(30,812 posts)If I wasn't a Dem, I'd probably still be drinking and the Secretary of Defense or something.
sinkingfeeling
(56,353 posts)Clouds Passing
(5,803 posts)
No relapses too! Many more continued years of a clear mind ..
berksdem
(847 posts)SpankMe
(3,599 posts)Old Crank
(6,227 posts)I've been lucky not to ever know the demons that this stuff can unleash.
ChazInAz
(2,958 posts)I turned forty-four on the Ides of March.
Life's better this way, isn't it?
BubbaJoe
(25 posts)Oct 10, 1994. Still going. Funny thing is now where I live there are 10 or more bars within staggering distance.
BoRaGard
(7,571 posts)
k55f5r
(489 posts)Also, thanks for reminding me of my upcoming 40 yr sobriety anniversary. 40 yrs September 10th.
vapor2
(3,084 posts)sdfernando
(5,901 posts)Contrats rzemanfl !!!!