RillaWalser

I just relapsed recently, it was a rough 4 day binge. Since I’ve been out of work due to a burn I received I’ve been on and off drinking over the past month. But today I am sober and know that I cannot do it anymore. I will never say I won’t relapse again but I will try harder. I will call someone the next time I get the urge, and do something positive. Now that my foot is healed I can start taking walks and start running again soon. I’m not discouraged I know every relapse just got me closer to sobriety. I start intensive outpatient rehab in 2 days. I pray this time I can kick it for good. Only time will tell with hard work and dedication.
ONE DAY AT A TIME

Hevyn

Hi Rilla. I'm glad you're back and determined to reclaim your sobriety. Good to hear your foot is healed - burns are horrible.

Let us know how the rehab goes. We'll be rooting for you.

Windancer

Just an observation ... in the past thoughts like that have led me to relapse. I know because I've done it many, many times. It sounds as though a relapse is acceptable to you but as long as you try harder, it's ok. I'm not trying to give you heck ... I just recognize that type of thinking and as I said it CAUSED me to relapse.

Best of luck to you! You can do this ... just like many others have as well

Gottalife

My last session was a four day binge too. It was an experiment in line with the AA suggestion, and the therapists suggestion, if I am not convinced I am alcoholic, to try some controlled drinking. (for the thousandth time!) Idea was to have a couple of beers and be homw by six. ade by six, just four days later.

It proved that whenever I drank I enevitably would lose control. This feature of alcoholism is incurable. If I stayed away for years and then drank, I am guaranteed to lose control.
So the idea is to stay stopped for good. That is the only way to survive this malady. To do that, all my attention had to go on ways to avoid taking the first drink, and they had to be much more reliable than the idea of calling someone if I get the urge, because when the urge is upon me, it never occurs to me to call. That's the insanity of it.

The plan that worked for me was 90 days total immersion in AA, meetings, sponsor, steps. Complete willingness to do the whole deal. At the end of 90 days my life had changed completely, and I had a 24/7 defence against the first drink that has proved totally reliable.

I never yet met an alky that just says oh heck yeah, I'll do that. We tend to be more the procrastinating gardener. The garden's full of weeds, I think I'll paint the house, that will make me feel better. Distraction is only ever temporary. All the time the garden is getting worse.

Dee74

I think whoever made up the idea that relapses are a part of recovery has a lot to answer for, Rilla - not to mention the idea that each relapse brings you closer to sobriety.

I understand such thoughts bring some kind of comfort but I think it's bunkum...

I really don't think expecting relapse is a good mindset to have.

There's absolutely no reason why you can't have just experienced your last relapse

Build up your support network, and use it. Make the changes you need to make to reflect your desire to be sober.

Have a good well thought out plan of exactly how you'll stay sober.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html

You will get back what you put into staying sober.,..so give it your all - no thought of defeat!

You can do this

D

Soberwolf

Welcome bk Rilla

DolAndel

Best wishes to ya Rilla. Having that foot healed up might help you minimalize the sleeping problems a lot of us experience early in recovery. Starting to run again might help? I've been nursing some torn foot ligaments while sobering up and can say that being unable to exercise properly is a bummer when it comes to combating insomnia.

FBL

If you're willing to do whatever it takes to get and stay sober, then you'll succeed.

shauninspain

One great thing about AA is that you'll meet many people who will be returning after a relapse and they can tell you what it was like, so you don't have to do it yourself.

I've yet to hear of anyone coming back who said... ''Man, I had a great time it was fantastic''!

waynetheking

If theres one thing I know about relapses is that there are no guarantees you'll make it back into sobriety. The odds are stacked against you. When you realize alcoholism is a raging river of death then you won't have any desire to jump in. It's too risky. When the risk out weighs the reward that's when the desire to stop drinking will occur. Once you're life is on the line that's when the risk becomes huge. Much easier to quit at this point. You're alcoholism will become a thing of the past and then you can get on with life.