Does Recovery Work? What are some good tools to prevent relapsing?

I'm writing an article on recovery and relapse prevention. I would like anyone's input (sober or not; positive or negative)

Recovery as in drug and alcohol?

Well, I'm not, but my mom is an alcoholic and she'll be 6 years sober this August.

She took two weeks away from home with her sister and brother in law to clear her head and then she began attending AA meetings daily for I think about 6-9 months, then it changed to 3-4 times, now a days it's about once a week (she goes to her homegroup on Friday nights).

It's VERY important to get a good sponsor, don't make any big decisions (marriage, engagement, quitting smoking, ect.) and take it ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Good luck, Sweetheart.

My mom's sobriety was the best thing she's ever given me. She's incredibly strong and I look up to her for that.

I used to attend AA (Alcoholics Anon) and AA (Amphetamines Anon) a couple years ago. But after a few weeks I thought, this is stupid, and just attended Amphetamines Anon, cos they do all the same stuff but in a quarter of the time... meant I got to the pub earlier...

Thanks for your responses. Both my parents were addicts. Mom died from drug od, and dad is in AA but will relapse occasionally. I occasionally use but don't consider myself an addict.

Eh... I drink... Not nearly as much as I used to but I still like it as much, lol. The longest I ever quit was just under 8 months or so when I was pregnant (didn't know until I was 6 weeks).
They tried to make me go to AA when I was younger, but it didn't take. Great for the people that it DOES work for, tho!
I used to be on meth REALLY bad. What worked? A good support system and getting away from the environment. I'm so incredibly thankful I got away from THAT s***! I know people, a lot I used to call friend, still on it and it's SO sad!

Ok, being serious now, no, I have never been to any kind of rehab. As a teenager, I used to drink ridiculous amounts of alcohol, so much so in fact that my junky mates once sat me down and said they were worried that my 'alcoholism' was extreme, and that I needed help. I was rather offended by that and responded that "I am not an alcoholic, I drink too much."

I gave up drinking for about ten years, but started again a couple years ago. I drink more than I should no doubt (as in, I can drink well over a bottle of bourbon in a night when partying with mates), but I do not think I am an alcoholic. As a teen, I drank to forget s***, now, I drink for fun, and to enhance my guitar playing... No doubt some would call me an alco, but, meh, fukkem.