bigsombrero

In my experience, tapering is an unhealthy way to quit drinking alcohol. I "looked into" this method when I was in deep trouble - only because I had no coping skills whatsoever and in my mind this seemed like a cool option ("hey, I am getting healthy AND I get to DRINK! It's part of the program!")

I was lying to myself. I have never heard of anyone who has successfully done this to the point of quitting altogether, and in my own experience it was just another way to push away the true responsibility and hard work that is needed to transition into full recovery mode.

I wish everyone luck and hope it works, I am just speaking from my own experience and from my own heart on this issue. For me, it was just a bunch of BS that I was feeding myself.

EndGameNYC

The idea that "relapse is part of recovery" has also become part of rehab mythology. Although on some level this makes sense, in reality, many of us will search tirelessly for an "out," both while drinking and during recovery. For many, this credo is a very dangerous weapon when framed as "part of recovery."

I imagine that this type of thinking was co-opted from the mental health treatment industry. People who suffer with anxiety, depression and mania, e.g., can reasonably expect alternating periods of remission and "relapse," but few will actively precipitate a relapse.