When I first went AA in 1995 I jumped in full bore for 8 years Alanon too. Then I quit going to meetings for 5 years. I came very very close to full blown relapse. It really scared me and I got my butt back to meetings. I have seen it happen over and over. Someone comes back into the rooms and say they relapsed and it ended up way worse than it was before. And they will say the number one reason they relapsed is that they quit going to meetings. I have 18 years but I don't at all think I am an old timer. But ask any old timer and they will tell you the same thing. Right now it has been over a year since I have been to a meeting. I have had very severe depression this last year and a half and haven't even wanted to leave the house. These forums have really helped because I don't have to leave the house. Also I stay in touch with other people by text and facebook. I have really been focusing on treating depression.

I am not kidding myself though, the longer I say away the higher my chances for relapse. Many times it does not happen right away. Relapse is a process. Sometime people drink a six pack and nothing happens and they think they are fine. Unless you intervene somewhere in that process it is gonna end ugly. Sometimes it take five years sometimes 10 but all the time people come back into the rooms and say I relapsed and it got real ugly and worse than before and that they think it because they quit going to meetings and got unplugged. If you were a hard core alcoholic/ drug addict like I was that is just how it is.