Relapse vs Slip
Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zion, Illinois
Posts: 3,411
Both terms are used to lessen the impact of just saying, "he went back out and started drinking again." Kind of removes the responsibility of the conscious act, and make it sound like an accident; like the person didn't mean for it to happen. Truth is, a person doesn't just all of a sudden find himself in a bar throwing back drinks, not knowing how he got there. Not working the steps, not having or staying in contact with a sponsor, not going to meetings leaves only one alternative. THAT NEXT DRINK!!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 108
I think they mean the same thing. Just like shortcomings & defects of character. One in the same.
If an alcoholic and I pick up after a period where I didn't drink, I wasn't following suggestions and went with old thinking prior to actually putting it my lips. The level of willingness determines how quick I get back, if at all.
100 people promised I won't drink if I follow some simple suggestions they make, based upon their own experience ... not their opinion.
If an alcoholic and I pick up after a period where I didn't drink, I wasn't following suggestions and went with old thinking prior to actually putting it my lips. The level of willingness determines how quick I get back, if at all.
100 people promised I won't drink if I follow some simple suggestions they make, based upon their own experience ... not their opinion.
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
Those to words aren't in my vocabulary today.
That, or the insanity which follows after either of those two occuring.
Might add misery to replace those words cause, that'll follow close behind
That, or the insanity which follows after either of those two occuring.
Might add misery to replace those words cause, that'll follow close behind
Black and Yellow
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,359
I was just thinking, maybe a part of weather it is a slip or a relapse depends a little on how much premeditation goes into it. Planning on drinking or using even if it's just once, would, IMO, be more of a relapse than if it were suddenly right in front of your face and the temptation was strong enough to "win" and the person jumped right back into recovery after saying "WTH am I doing?"
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,486
I don't use "relapse" in relation to "recovery"
"slip" is what happens when I accidentally lose my footing and fall down...then everyone can see the slip I'm wearing under my dress.
I agree about the semantics and denial.
I've pretty eliminated the word "relapse" from my vocabulary too. The only time I use it is in discussions such as this one.
It's a choice that requires a decision if I use drugs or alcohol again in any amount.
My recovery is my responsibility.
I'm VERY careful about what I consume.
"slip" is what happens when I accidentally lose my footing and fall down...then everyone can see the slip I'm wearing under my dress.
I agree about the semantics and denial.
I've pretty eliminated the word "relapse" from my vocabulary too. The only time I use it is in discussions such as this one.
It's a choice that requires a decision if I use drugs or alcohol again in any amount.
My recovery is my responsibility.
I'm VERY careful about what I consume.
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by SlvrMag 
I was just thinking, maybe a part of weather it is a slip or a relapse depends a little on how much premeditation goes into it. Planning on drinking or using even if it's just once, would, IMO, be more of a relapse than if it were suddenly right in front of your face and the temptation was strong enough to "win" and the person jumped right back into recovery after saying "WTH am I doing?"
RELAPSE is what happens if your are truly trying to RECOVER.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast US
Posts: 1,340
I never considered calling my drinking episode a little over a month ago a "slip". It was a few hours and I started going to meetings again two days later. However in those few hours I blacked out and called my fiance telling him I wanted to kill myself. (Was too disorganized to actually try to harm myself, thank goodness.) I just can't fathom calling such a disgusting experience a "slip". Makes it sound too inoccuous. I've been calling it a relapse.
It's so hard to come back after drinking. I never want to have to do that again! I'm doing more work this time around.
It's so hard to come back after drinking. I never want to have to do that again! I'm doing more work this time around.
Fulldresser4
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Mid-Michigan
Posts: 531
At a meeting tonight I heard a guy talking about what the old-timers at a meeting he goes to say whenever someone brings up a "slip" and I just love it...
A slip is when you're walking by a bar and the sidewalk is icy, so you fall into the bar just as someone is opening the door. The bartender just mopped the floor, so you slide to the end of the bar, open your mouth to yell out, and just then, a patron knocks over his drink and it goes right into your mouth and down your throat. And then you swallow. That, the old-timers say, is a slip.
He also shared this...
When you woke up this morning,
YOU made the decision not to pray or meditate.
YOU made the decision not to go to a meeting.
YOU made the decision not to call your sponsor.
YOU made the decision to plan your route to get your drink.
YOU made the decision to buy your drink of choice.
YOU made the decision to pay the money for the drink.
YOU made the decision to take that drink.
YOU made the decision to exercise your free will.
It is all on YOU.
A slip is when you're walking by a bar and the sidewalk is icy, so you fall into the bar just as someone is opening the door. The bartender just mopped the floor, so you slide to the end of the bar, open your mouth to yell out, and just then, a patron knocks over his drink and it goes right into your mouth and down your throat. And then you swallow. That, the old-timers say, is a slip.
He also shared this...
When you woke up this morning,
YOU made the decision not to pray or meditate.
YOU made the decision not to go to a meeting.
YOU made the decision not to call your sponsor.
YOU made the decision to plan your route to get your drink.
YOU made the decision to buy your drink of choice.
YOU made the decision to pay the money for the drink.
YOU made the decision to take that drink.
YOU made the decision to exercise your free will.
It is all on YOU.
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,902
I read this today.Just passing it on
We have slips in A.A. It has been said these are not slips but premeditated drunks, because we have to think about taking a drink before we actually take one. The thought always comes before the act. It is suggested that people should always get in touch with an A.A. before taking that first drink. The failure to do so, makes it probable that they had decided to take the drink anyway. And yet the thoughts that come before taking a drink are often largely subconscious. People usually don't know consciously what made them do it. Therefore, the common practice is to call these things slips. Am I on guard against wrong thinking?
I believe the main thing is to be on guard and continue on in the solution,then I won`t drink
We have slips in A.A. It has been said these are not slips but premeditated drunks, because we have to think about taking a drink before we actually take one. The thought always comes before the act. It is suggested that people should always get in touch with an A.A. before taking that first drink. The failure to do so, makes it probable that they had decided to take the drink anyway. And yet the thoughts that come before taking a drink are often largely subconscious. People usually don't know consciously what made them do it. Therefore, the common practice is to call these things slips. Am I on guard against wrong thinking?
I believe the main thing is to be on guard and continue on in the solution,then I won`t drink
Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zion, Illinois
Posts: 3,411
It's been said that I have to act my way into healthy thinking, I can't think myself into healthy action. People who stop action, think too much and that's what gets people into trouble. The path to sobriety for me takes not drinking, going to meetings, having a sponsor, and working the steps. These things imply action. If I stop working the steps, calling my sponsor and going to meetings, there's only one thing left and that taking a drink. My head is like a bad neighborhood. It's not a good idea to get caught there alone. Inaction leads to stinkin' thinkin' and stinkin' thinkin' leads to that first drink being a good idea.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,126
"It's been said that I have to act my way into healthy thinking, I can't think myself into healthy action..."
In my life I have found the exact opposite to be true....: no action can take place without it being preceded by a thought.
"...The path to sobriety for me takes not drinking, going to meetings, having a sponsor, and working the steps. These things imply action..."
Yes, for me also, this is the path I took for sobriety, but in retrospect I see that BEFORE I stopped drinking, I had the thought to not pick up; BEFORE I went to a meeting, I had the thought to pick myself up and check it out; BEFORE I got a sponsor, I had the thoughts regarding to have a sponsor or not.....and....many, many thoughts surrounding picking and choosing someone to ask to be my sponsor, and lastly, BEFORE I worked the steps there were always the thoughts regarding whether to work them or not, or whether to work all of them or only some of them, and of course there were lots of thoughts in making the decision as to what the steps said and how I was to work them...........in other words, there was a lot of thinking. ...and that 'aa saying' about the mind being a bad place to be......I've found that to be just pure hogwash.
In short.........there are no actions in my recovery, heck, there are no actions in my life that haven't been preceded by thoughts of some kind, and I rather doubt that anyone can truly/honestly say that their actions are not preceded by some form of thinking, at least I hope not; we are thinking, rational 'human' beings are we not...........?
In closing I guess I should say that in recovery, as in life, I have found that the ONLY thing I can change is...........my mind............ (o:
NoelleR
In my life I have found the exact opposite to be true....: no action can take place without it being preceded by a thought.
"...The path to sobriety for me takes not drinking, going to meetings, having a sponsor, and working the steps. These things imply action..."
Yes, for me also, this is the path I took for sobriety, but in retrospect I see that BEFORE I stopped drinking, I had the thought to not pick up; BEFORE I went to a meeting, I had the thought to pick myself up and check it out; BEFORE I got a sponsor, I had the thoughts regarding to have a sponsor or not.....and....many, many thoughts surrounding picking and choosing someone to ask to be my sponsor, and lastly, BEFORE I worked the steps there were always the thoughts regarding whether to work them or not, or whether to work all of them or only some of them, and of course there were lots of thoughts in making the decision as to what the steps said and how I was to work them...........in other words, there was a lot of thinking. ...and that 'aa saying' about the mind being a bad place to be......I've found that to be just pure hogwash.
In short.........there are no actions in my recovery, heck, there are no actions in my life that haven't been preceded by thoughts of some kind, and I rather doubt that anyone can truly/honestly say that their actions are not preceded by some form of thinking, at least I hope not; we are thinking, rational 'human' beings are we not...........?
In closing I guess I should say that in recovery, as in life, I have found that the ONLY thing I can change is...........my mind............ (o:
NoelleR
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 1,924
Where is rationality when insanity sets in?
"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink."
"The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost always in collision with something or somebody, even though our motives are good. Most people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way."
...so much for the thought process.
"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink."
"The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost always in collision with something or somebody, even though our motives are good. Most people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way."
...so much for the thought process.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3
1-What to do if you accidentally ingest alcohol while in recovery?
(ie : it was in your food, dessert, drink unknowingly)
2-Does this count as relapse?
3-Is medicine still allowed for alcoholics (ie: Nyquil)?
(ie : it was in your food, dessert, drink unknowingly)
2-Does this count as relapse?
3-Is medicine still allowed for alcoholics (ie: Nyquil)?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zion, Illinois
Posts: 3,411
Originally Posted by LovelyM
1-What to do if you accidentally ingest alcohol while in recovery?
(ie : it was in your food, dessert, drink unknowingly)
2-Does this count as relapse?
3-Is medicine still allowed for alcoholics (ie: Nyquil)?
(ie : it was in your food, dessert, drink unknowingly)
2-Does this count as relapse?
3-Is medicine still allowed for alcoholics (ie: Nyquil)?
2-An accident is not a slip or relapse....IMO. Other people may say it is, but it's my sobriety and I'll call it what I want to.
3-There are other over the counter medications which don't have alcohol in them. Those are the ones I go for. I wouldn't take Nyquil for the simple reason that I might get to liking it. I've found Alka-Seltzer Plus helps with a cold, coupled with Ibuprophen. That's all I need. For a persistant cough, I make sure there's no alcohol, like Delsym.
To me it comes down to being honest with myself. If I'm using Nyquil with the full knowledge that it's loaded with alcohol and I like the buzz, I'm heading for a fall.
Dismember
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The Mitten, USA
Posts: 1,641
I think a "slip" suggests a one-time thing. Just going off the metaphor. If I said I "had a slip on an icy sidewalk" you would probably assume I meant I fell one time.
"Relapse" seems to have a pretty strong connontation to me though. If an alcoholic friend of mine admitted to having a beer two nights in a row, I think "relapse" sounds like too much of an exaggeration.
I'm not even sure what term I'd prefer for my last time off the wagon. I dunno... slip, relapse... I drank and that's pretty much all I need to know for myself.
"Relapse" seems to have a pretty strong connontation to me though. If an alcoholic friend of mine admitted to having a beer two nights in a row, I think "relapse" sounds like too much of an exaggeration.
I'm not even sure what term I'd prefer for my last time off the wagon. I dunno... slip, relapse... I drank and that's pretty much all I need to know for myself.
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