My name is Jason and I am a Recoverd alcoholic.  I have been sober for over 11 months and this question comes up often in the different meetings I go to.  Just curious on your thoughts about this.  When I heard my spiritual advisor(some people call them a sponsor)  the first words out of his mouth was "my name is ___, and i'm a Recovered alcoholic".  I thought wow.  I had never heard anyone say that before.  After hearing his story, I knew I wanted what he had.  He told me that he could guarantee me Permanent abstinence from alcohol in 30 days.  SHOW ME!!   So he took me through a 3 1/2 week book study of the first 164 pages of the big book.  Then I did my steps in 2 days and RECOVERED from Alcoholism.  I'm not saying i'm cured, but I have RECOVERED just like the big book says I can.

I can tell you why I identify as “Recovered".

I am saying something different because I am having a different experience in AA and have had different results from being a member than many others who aren’t recovered and aren’t recovering either.  When I identify with my truth – that I have indeed recovered – oftentimes someone will come up to me afterwards to ask me to explain it to them. That one word is sometimes a walking billboard of more hope than they have yet to hear in a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

“Recovering” is not attractive to me as a real McCoy. A life filled with work problems, divorces, fits of anger fear and loathing, because after all “I’m STILL RECOVERING, I am NOT A SAINT, I AM LEARNING TO LIVE MY DEFECTS” with no alcohol to ease the misery is no offer of hope to me. I wouldn't want it!

“Recovered” on the other hand, is VERY attractive. It may be repulsive to the non-alcoholic who can never recover from a disease he hasn’t got,– but to me as a real alcoholic I want what “Recovered offers.” Not what “always be sick” and recovering offers, which is nothing but fellowship and a lifelong commitment to meeting addiction.

For myself, I prefer "recovering". The book tells me I have recovered from a hopeless state of mind and body, yes, but for me, my alcoholism is much deeper than that. Not to say I don't completely appreciate that I am recovered from that hopelessness!!

I have to be very careful. I'm of the type that if I am "recovered" from my alcoholism, I no longer need to do the work necessary to continue to live alcohol and other drug free. My alcoholism is in my thinking, my behaviors, how I interract with others, etc.  I will never be perfect, but if I remain "recovering" I always have room to do the necessary work that comes up.

The 12 x 12 tells me that my defects are my god given instincts gone awry. In other words, these instincts become defects when I misuse them or over use them.  Fear is a necessary instinct, it is when I lose myself in it that it becomes a defect.  By remaining "recovering" I allow myself to continue to do personal inventory and correct what needs to be corrected.

Disclaimer:  In no way do I think that this gives me the right to use the statement " I'm an alki, of course I acted like that, spoke like that, behaved like that, etc.  ", nor do I consider myself "sick" by any means.

I'm a real alcoholic as the book states and as anyone else who chooses to claim that title in order to change, improve and perhaps save their life.

Thanks for the discussion!

One of the proofs of "Are you a real alcoholic?" usully includes the question "Can you complicate anything you put your mind to?"

For me recovered vs. recovering goes along the lines of coke vs.pepsi and less filling vs. tastes great. Its something we love to discuss but does it really matter?

For me I like to keep it simple. My saying attaached to my icon says it all for me.

hobie

"You're either growing or your dying." John Lennon, I think.

For me recovering and growing are almost synonyms and for me. I have no doubt I'm either activly recovering from my disease or it's killing me.

There was a time that looked mighty grim, I thought it meant having no fun. Today, for me recovery is very much about learning to live life to its fullest, making play as much a part of my life as work and laughter a regular part of my daly bread.

"But we aren't a glum lot... We absolutly insist on enjoying life." BB 132

hobie

Very well said Susan!

One old timer said something the other night that hit home... I hope I repeat it correctly.

it seems that we can chew on this one for ever , if one wants to stay in recovery so be it, but the idea that we can recover is the message of AA

My name is Melanie. I am an alcoholic. I have recovered from the disease of alcoholism.

BIG BOOK-CHAPTER NINE P133.HTML

. We, who have recovered from serious drinking, are miracles of mental health. But we have seen remarkable transformations in our bodies

.BIG BOOK-CHAPTER NINE P132.HTML

We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others. Everybody know that those in bad health, and those who seldom play, do not laugh much

BIG BOOK-CHAPTER EIGHT P113.HTML

 He knows that thousands of men, much like himself, have recovered

.BIG BOOK-CHAPTER SEVEN P90.HTML

 If he says yes, then his attention should be drawn to you as a person who has recovered

7.BIG BOOK-CHAPTER TWO P29.HTML

Further on, clear-cut directions are given showing how we recovered

There are many other references throughout the Big Book.

I believe,, as it tells me in the big book , that I AM recovered.

NO chewing necessary for this gal

Oh, as long as I am tatteling on myself, after that let down I did break down and have a quater of a scone with coffee as confort food  - one addiction at a time guess.

I have chosen to not participate in this discussion any longer because now I am truly insulted.

I am recovered.

I think of it this way -- I can recover from a bullet wound, but that does not make me bullet proof.  I have to take certain steps to make sure I don't  get shot again. 

I have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body, and as long as I maintain a fit spiritual condition, I will remain recovered.  The obsession has been removed, and I don't have physical cravings. To say i am recoverING means that I am still struggling, that the bullet wound has not healed, that the obsession and cravings are still there.

The Big Book gave me that hope -- the hope that I could recover, not continue to wallow in the disease.  It prescribed a way of life that, if practiced, will ensure that I can remain recovered.

May i suggest that you tell whoever is trying to govern your homegroup meetings that the sort of practice you just described is totally against AA traditions... we have no governors in AA, therefore noone can put stipulations on whether or not i'm qualified to speak if i show up there... i may not even believe in God... may not even have a sponsor, but if i'm sober over a year, and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, most any group would gladly allow my story to be heard... to say i'm not qualified cause i don't say something the way you do, is the same as saying i can't come to your meeting unless i agree to close it out with the Lords Prayer... i do believe in God and He is my Higher Power, and i do pray daily for another sober day... but i'm just saying you need to be careful... humility goes a lot further in this game than trying to be a bleeding deacon! may i suggest you read this page from the Big Book... it says a lot in such a short space...

page 164  - - -  Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us. 

According to the fourth tradition a group can run its internal affairs in any way it chooses, as long as it does not affect AA as a whole or violate any of the other traditions.

Read the 4th tradition out of the 12 and 12 Hobie. Your above post just proved my point well regarding bleeding deacons. I could possibly be a grill cook at a McDonalds restaurant and attend a so-called professionals meeting. I can walk in a womens only meeting, and according to the traditions, they cannot make me leave. The examples you posted above can't be enforced, pure and simple. Not in Alcoholics Anonymous anyways. Rule #62. "Don't take yourself too damn seriously."