steve-in-kville

I was three days sober. Then Friday night I stopped by my favroite tavern for a beer and a sandwich. It was almost out of habit.

On the way home I stopped for a bottlle of VO and spent the rest of the night nursing it. Woke up Saturday around lunch time with the worst hangover in years.

Lesson learned. I am trying to get myself re-hydrated and eat something healthy.

Tamerua

You can do this Orion, but it is a lifestyle change. Stopping at taverns or pubs should probably be avoided for a while.

robgt350

Orion, hay bro, little bump in the road, i think we all had that happen to us. you can do it

awuh1

Reminds me of a story. You can read it here. BIG BOOK-CHAPTER THREE P36.ASP

steve-in-kville

Thanks for the encouragement. I am really surprised I failed. Its like I was in auto-pilot or something!

neferkamichael

Orion, addiction is something kin to auto-pilot behavior. Your brain actually gets rewired to do it.

ElegantlyWasted

Back in the Saddle! You can do this... NeFer is so right.. its all about rewiring. We can be such nasty creatures of habit/programming, not to mention real nasty physical addiction stuff.

steve-in-kville

I can believe that. It seems I go through these cycles where I stop for a few days to a few weeks. Then before I know it I am bringing more home or stopping at a bar, and the cycle starts all over.

I am never able to just stop for "a drink." Never could do it. It always involved waves of booze before I smartend up.

ElegantlyWasted

I started out like that (short cycles). The cycles got longer and longer. My last was a year dry. The only good thing is I have that year as a frame of reference; things were starting to really come together... Now on day 36 I look to that year and know I can do it better this time. I will say that the bad stuff got worse and worse with each cycle... It's a cliche; but, hindsight is 20/20 or better. Point being; it takes a lot of us numerous attempts to get this stuff straight in our heads; so again, Back in the Saddle and onward.

AnotherPaul

The best thing you can do is stop the relapse after a short duration, which you're doing. Next time stopping by a tavern seems like a good idea, force yourself to remember the hangover, the guilt, and whatever other garbage you put up with yesterday that you didn't have to. It's never, ever worth it.

PeppyGirl

Hi Orion,

Since I made the decision to quit in the fall of 2012 I have relapsed many times. I would get several days or even a week here or there and then slip. I finally sought out an addiction counselor. That began to help some but I would still have slips. Then I started attending AA in conjunction with the counselor. More improvements! However, after my last slip I decided that I needed to up my game even more. I am currently in the middle of an Intensive Outpatient Program. It has been a wonderful academic experience explaining exactly why alcoholism is a disease. Have you thought about looking into any of these options? I am completely committed to living a sober life and I will do whatever it takes to get there. Don't give up- take it one day at a time and when you have a slip just start again. Learn from your mistake and do something differently the next time. As I write this I am 22 days sober.

Best to you,

PG

Busby56

Tomorrow will be my one week anniversary of sobriety. I'm on attempt number three (or is it four?)

soberclover

Stay out of taverns and pubs. Nothing good ever happens in there. Once you have some solid time under your belt then perhaps it may be a different story. I think, however, once you have some significant time under your belt you won't even want to waste your time going in there.