celebrating sobriety???

[premar16]

I have a friend who is celebrating being sober for a little over a year.He was a acholic from the time he was 14 years old and ended up in rehab(because I made go) about a year ago at 21 .So we threw a non acholic party to celebrate .And one of the guest went off on me saying that we shouldnt celebrate a person being sober.she has been sober for years and never got addicted so why werent we throwing her a party.I know what I think about this but I was wondering what you guys think.Is she right or not??? please discuss

[springsgardner]

I think it's something worth celebrating because it is hard work, or so I've been told, to reach such a goal. You can find something that was a real struggle for your other friend that s/he overcame and celebrate that achievement. We all have our challenges. When they're overcome, it can be a real treat to celebrate and support each other. Life is so serious, so why not celebrate more often with each other? JMO

[premar16]

thats true the woman who said this wasnt my friend in fact i dont know who she is .but she did get me thinking.addiction runs in my family so I have seen first hand how it can ruin your life and i like to support people who have decided to make a postive change but i guess some people think that im just glorifying something simple i dont know im confused

[springsgardner]

overcoming addiction is not something simple, IMO. I've never been through it myself, but I've seen others and it's very painful. In a way your other friend/aquaintance sounds like the son who stayed and helped his father and wasn't celebrated the way his brother was when he came home in the prodigal son story. That person probably had it good the entire time and had your support for his/her good choices the whole time. In the mean time, your friend overcoming alcohol needed serious help and support. It is so hard not to return that former life, especially when something inside is telling them to all day long. seriously though, I really think you should celebrate the sobriety and continue to support your friend. She'll need it and appreciate it.

[dreamyxo]

She sounds bitter, selfish, negative, and jealous and can't celebrate or be happy about anyone else's accomplishments because she herself is a miserable person.  Stay away from people like that they do nothing but bring you down into their abyss.

[noirlupe]

A year is a great milestone just like any other number you have to make the first year to get to the next 5, 10, 50.

[springsgardner]

I agree with the last 2 people. Celebrate!

[vmi1991]

stringing together 365  consecutive days of one-day-at-a-times is an accomplishment. Your friend is beating the odds by staying sober with only one trip to rehab.
A brother-in-law just did, or will any day now, celebrate 5 years of sobriety after 30 something years of drinking and drugs. A big help to him are the few family members and friends that had not givn up on him and continue to support him with encouraging words and warm feelings.  Another huge support for him are my two children (soon to be 3). He has said over and over that those and will be the only family members to never know him as a drunk.

So, your friend will need lifelong support.  props to you!

[arkovac]

You're a wonderful friend for helping your friend get sober, for supporting and celebrating the achievement that overcoming addiction is.  This bystander person with negative, selfish comments and thoughtless opinions should be pissed on.  By all means, celebrate!