Hi All,

Alcoholism is not the only condition/addiction that uses recovered/recovering.  Maybe therein lies the confusion.  I always thought that people who truly understood their illness and were striving to overcome it day by day, used the word "recovering".  "Recovered" seemed to be another denial.  I am not part of either group by grace or heredity so I am no expert.  Thought maybe the voice of an outsider might help.

 - al68

Not to offend anyone, but by some of the words written here it seems to me to be a lot of judgmental comments and down right mean. If I consider myself to have recovered from the effects of alcoholism - the craving and obsession for alcohol, then I consider myself recovered. This is not self righteous or egotistical but a state of mind and body in which one finds themself. I believe this for me because those who had input into the writing of the BB said so. If Mike is off the mark, according to some opinions here, so are those first 100 members and many, many others who came after. Who are we to judge the life and actions of another, especially when they are in accordance with what is written in our literature.

If I'm working with a suffering alcoholic, (s)he is not worrying about the semantics but they are wonder if they will ever recover from this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. I tell them yes! Definitely because I have! This is not ego but fact! I further tell them that while they have an illness that has no cure they certainly do recover as long as you do the necessary daily suggestions layed out.

We may be looking at the same side of the coin. If you truly consider yourself still recovering after a while in the program you might want to look at either how you are viewing the idea of recover/recovering, are you still suffering from the effects of that seemingly hopeless state, or maybe look at how you work the program. At some point you should become a happy, joyful, contented individual. That is being recovered! This has nothing to do with a factitious or higher than mighty attitude but reality for those who consider themselves recovered ...

With that said, others may and do live the same or better program as I and experience even higher level of well being, and consider themselves still recovering. But in my opinion and others, and we may be wrong with your thinking, but this may not be an accurate description of one's state of mind and body. You are no longer in a state of hopelessness.

Today, are you suffering from a state of craving - which, by the way, can only exist only if you have alcohol in your body? You can't be 'recovering' from a craving if you don't consume alcoholic for you don't have a craving! Part of being an alcoholic is craving 'if we drink'. If we don't drink we do not have the craving, therefore, we are recovered from that part. Also, when we were drinking it gave us the power to function on a daily bases by solving our difficulties, if but for a short time. In recovery we find another power some call GOD, which is even greater and takes the place of alcohol. The obsession for alcohol leaves within a period of time. So then, we are recovered from that situation as well. What's left?

I guess now the question that remains ... What would we be recovering from???

Doesn't "recovered" go against the whole "one day at a time" thing?

Oct 7, 2009 -- 1:26PM, piecesofthewhole wrote:

Doesn't "recovered" go against the whole "one day at a time" thing?

In some people's eye - it sure does .

However,  I ask this question. Why can't someone be recovered one day at a time?

The answer, of couse, is there is no reason why that isn't possible. But, as in everything, that is a question for each individual to answer for themselves, in the light of their experience and circumstance.

Oct 7, 2009 -- 4:54PM, mikeincolorado wrote:

However,  I ask this question. Why can't someone be recovered one day at a time?

I suppose they could be, and I would vouch for those I know who I do believe are recovered...30 plus years sober with what I feel is very solid sobriety... but they still feel the need to go to meetings regularly.  Why?

I just believe that it's a matter of a daily reprieve... and therefore it's recovering.  Not recovered.  Recovered, to me, sounds like, all done.  I'm good, thanks...move on.  Maybe it's just me.