It's more like a matter of speech, I doesn't mean your alway's going to be Recovered. I don't think of myself and maybe recovered. AS far as I'm concerned, I have done my program and I will have to keep going to meetings and using my Recovery tools, But, I don't have to call myself a recoverying addict, (If I offends me)??? You can say whatever makes you feel good. If God cured you of your Addiction totally and truly. YES, then you have no doubt been wiped clean of all Addiction past,present & future. BUT, did God tell you himself of this. I know people who had all the church lay hands on them and they were magically received God at that moment and never had the desire to use drugs & or alchohol again. BUT, I am different from them, I asked God to help me, he did by giving me the strength to stop using after 34 yrs of Addiction to drugs & Alcohol. SO, as far as I am concerned I asked He didn't point to me and cure me with his powers. SO, I could still slip someday cause I am not Born Again, when I am in the future. MAYBE then I will cured, if you want to be saying that. It makes no difference to me about the WORDING OF IT??? If you don't plan on Using ever again then STAND by your words and DON't Relapse and make the mistakes from the PAST? I relapsed 2 times. But, that was before I asked for Gods' help in my Addiction lifestyle. NOW I am drugfree for 2 yrs straight. I feel good as gold. But, I am not Born Again YET??? I will be someday when I get Baptized okay, I hope this helps a little bit. IF YOU WANT TO Talk let me know my name is DEBRA Rincon LOPEZ (Debrinconcita) here on Beliefnet.com or Email me.  GOD BLESS US ALL WITH GODS STRENGTH & LOVE WE WILL BE SOBER FOREVER MORE!!!

Apr 15, 2012 -- 10:07PM, Brian4567 wrote:

Before the table of contents in the Big Book it reads, "Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism" That seems pretty cut and dry.

Exactly!  And it continues to say that was the reason for writing the BB, so we too could recover.  To boot in ch 5 at the beginning of each meeting we read, "Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program ..."

Also page 89 - "Life takes on a new meaning. To watch people recovery ..."

In working with new comers we read pg 90 - "If he says yes, then his attention should be drawn to you as a person who has recovered ...."

 But then, I believe there are people who spend years in AA and never really recover ...

Apr 16, 2012 -- 4:22PM, Brian4567 wrote:

First, I want to apologize for not introducing myself as the new guy on the forum. My name is Brian. I've been visiting belief net for a while but ran across this forum and thought I'd post. Good day to everyone and glad I can be here.

Well the site hasn't be very active for a while now but with your postings maybe??

It is such a shame that few people read and understand the terminology in the big book,or the english language for that matter.Look in the first page of your big book.That would be the page with the copyright printed on it.What does it say? - "How many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism" Look also in the forward to the 1st edition.What does it say? "To show other alcoholics precisely how we have RECOVERED is the main purpose of this book."(My first edition has recovered in big bold type,by the way) Now look in the forward to the second edition.What does it say? "Alcoholics anonymous has mushroomed into nearly 6000 groups whose membership is far above 150000 RECOVERED alcoholics.Now turn ahead a few pages to page x Why does it say that? vii.What does it say about AA number 3 ? "Their very first case,a desperate one,recovered immediately and became AA number three.Now look on page 132.What does it say? "We have RECOVERED and have been given the power to help others" Now,what is it that we have recovered from ? Not from being an alcoholic.That is obvious.Not from having to live the 12 steps.That is also obvious.Go back to the forward to the first edition.What do you see ? "We of Alcoholics anonymous are more than 100 men and women who have RECOVERED from a SEEMINGLY HOPELESS STATE OF MIND AND BODY.So,for those who call themselves "Recovering" I hope you get out of what seems to be a hopeless state of mind and body.That is the purpose of our AA book,and our program.Bill Wilson told my sponsor this many years ago.

Jun 9, 2012 -- 8:01AM, Estacia wrote:

  Speaking for myself, I have been sober for 3 years. I am now in a life recovery phase where I am recovering from EVERYTHING in my life before I BECAME an addict. I need recovery from those expirences as well.

 

I agree with Kev.  Not having experience with drugs so I'll be referring to alcoholism.  The AA big book in the doctor's opinion tells us an alcoholic is one who has a craving when drinking and because of what alcoholic did in covering up our problems when we were faced with stressful situation it created an obsession that told us we needed a drink.  So back to that 1st drink with set up the cycle again.

The obsession is not caused by character defects but not dealing with these defects allowing them to grow beyond the norm.  Then we can't cope and think we need something to relieve the stress.  Alcohol has always worked in the past.  Once we begin to work the AA steps we find the power (some believe this power is from God) to deal with these life situations without the use of alcohol.  Once we realize that we no longer need alcohol to solve our problems the obsession goes away.  Without the obsession there is no need for that 1st drink.  The cycle is broken and we are recovered from the awful state of mind and body. 

As to after 3 yrs sober you are not relying on alcohol to solve your problems you are recovered but not cured - imho!  Recovering from everything we've done during and before drinking is part of living life and dealing with it as a human being trying to do better and clear up the wreckage we're responsible for.  If we don't need to rely upon alcohol we are recovered and are doing what normal people do.  And if we don't, the guilt and remorse will lead us back and I'm sure we will find ourselves, once again trying to recover from the awful state of "mind and body" ...