Being Accused of Relapse
Hello Friends, I am not sure if this is the proper forum but I am curious how those of you that have been sober for a period of time feel about this.
I have a little over 7 months of recovery from alcohol, first time it has stuck with a lot of mental help finally coming to me, discovered I am bi-polar which answered a lot of my questions surrounding my abuse of alcohol.
Generally speaking I am pretty calm, cool, collected, devoted and loving old guy, dealt with unhealthy behaviors for the most part long ago.
I was a closet binge drinker back in the day and as such I always had a stash of booze somewhere, When I sobered up I threw everything I could find out, returned empties or put them in the trash however from time to time I will open a drawer I have not been in, in a long time and maybe find an empty beer can, winter came, empties in my winter boots, although a year since I moved I find empties in some box's that I look in that were not unpacked and recently in the attic looking for things I found empties, I shake my head and throw them in the recycling.
Here is the issue, once in the while my better half will find an empty in the house, we do not live together in a spot I probably haven't been in months and the conversation are you drinking starts, it upsets me a little as I am not guilty, it's discussed and we move on.
Last evening was the exception, this past week I was in my attic looking for old xbox games, hardware etc as I want to upgrade to a new game coming, found some empties and threw them in the recycling, never really thought much about it. She came to our home early yesterday as I was at work and I knew by the way she was acting when I came home something was off, it came out later in the evening she had found empties in the room where I keep recycling, I have no reason to hide them as I am not drinking and I explained where they came from, she insisted I had relapsed although I haven't and although rare I got mad, when I get mad I withdraw and become silent, no mean just silent as I think of how to best handle this, so she left and it will probably be another week before at all before I see her again due to our work schedules.
How do you folks handle this? Its true in my past with her I would lie about drinking and hide the evidence but come to the point while sober I don't see a need to as I do not have anything to hide. I would point out we are an older couple, have an amazing relationship, but there seems to me a lack of letting go of the old me but I may be wrong.
Appreciate your comments,