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Old 12-29-2015, 04:31 PM
  # 277 (permalink)  
Saskia
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 14,280
KIR, I know that feeling well! Having a brief thought and then acting on the idea and drinking. I did that too many times. There actually is enough time to get myself back on track if I act immediately. I've gotten so accustomed to doing this that I no longer even need to think about it.

It goes something like this: I would really like a drink! Wait a second - what would happen if I did? I know I wouldn't be able to stop there, so I'd end up drinking regularly. Whoa - wait a minute, remember how hard it was to stop drinking? I'd need to do either IOP or inpatient rehab, it would definitely not be fun, etc etc etc. by the time I think it through to the end, the craving and/or thoughts are gone.

In IOP they taught us about the relapse cycle and how to intervene at any point. What I described above is the first stage when we are thinking about it. Thinking it through is the recommended technique.

If it goes beyond that to real cravings, the recommendation is to talk to friend(s). Same for an actual slip. Each stage needs stronger intervention so the best is to stop it in the very early stage.

Now that I've done it a number of times, thinking it through is essentially automatic and now I realize that I do have time to do that and it works for me.
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