Originally Posted by
Spawn 
Relapse is when an alcoholic stops going to meetings and reverts back to old behaviours.
I respectfully disagree. Relapse is when I put alcohol in my mouth and swallow. I make be lapsing back into old, addictive behavior prior to doing so, but I can cut it off (catch it) at anytime before I take that drink, thereby preventing the relapse. If relapse was as easy as having periods of time where I'm not working a perfect program, I'd never get any long periods of sobriety.