C23

Everyone,

I am here to tell you that I slipped up and had a 6 pack this weekend. My wife is about ready to throw in the towel and I am really depressed. I am very sorry to all those who had given me the kind words of support and I hope to regain your trust by getting back on the wagon.

I really don't have much more to say.....

least

Forgive yourself, learn from it, move forward again... that's all I can tell you.

bdiddy5522

Hey Chris,

I am so sorry this happened. I can relate, because I have been slipping up too and I think my wife is starting to get sick of it too. I don't know why this keeps happening. We know that this stuff causes absolutely nothing but heart-ache and pain, but yet we keep doing it. Like you said at one point, I wish we lived closer so we could do this together! Hang in there, and please keep me posted my friend.

Brent

Mark75

C23...

You know, I've been worried about you. You really need to tap into the power of a recovery program... I don't think you can do this alone...

But do you, really want to do the deal? Stop drinking? For you?

AA... I know you've not been interested, but have you tried it?

Mark

Sikkisirus

Only thing to do is dust yourself off and start again. One slip isn't your whole life.

jamdls

You recognize the problem, try again. I kept "slipping up" for about 7 years before it finally got through to me. Learn from your mistake, figure out what caused you to drink and work on avoiding the triggers.

C23

I have tried it and I really don't like it. I don't like having to call myself an alcoholic right off the bat. I have some other problems with it as well, but I really don't want this thread to become a pro vs con AA thread.

Mark75

Neither do I... It's just what I have experience in, there are other programs... find one...

I admire your persistence and try and try again attitude... I just want to see you have some success!

Mark

Anna

Hi,

Try to learn from the experience and move forward. Did you go to buy the 6-pack after work? How about going to the gym after work or driving a different on the way home? I found that changing my daily routines and patterns helped me a lot.

littlebluedog

Relapse is part of addiction. Keep working on your recovery.

MycoolFitz

I don't need your apology, I want you sober. Get back on the wagon and enjoy the ride. Its well worth the bumps on the road anbd the motion sickness.

bugsworth

The question you need to ask yourself is "Did I do everything I have learned here at SR to prevent this relapse?"

What tools did you employ to fight the urge?
Did you reach out to fellow SR members?

The tools are available...you need to use them.

keithj

C23,

There really is nothing to apologize for or feel bad about. You are doing what alcoholics do.

I don't know why I'm mentioning this, but like Cubile noted, I too was worried about you. When you made that post about having 7 weeks sober or something, I thought to myself that you were in for trouble. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to sound discouraging, but I've seen it literally hundreds of times. And really, would you have listened to anything I was saying at the time? It's doubtful, because you, just like me, thought you knew exactly what was required to stay sober.

I started to recover for real when I knew that I didn't know.

SomeCallMeTim

This isn't about what we like and don't like, it's about living and dying. Time to make a decision. If you're not willing to admit you're powerless then your addiction is winning. Kick your ego out of the way and accept the help that is there.

coming_clean

i kept slipping up for five years or so, while actively working on my recovery, reading, trying, learning from mistakes...

relapsing is a part of the whole process....forgive yourself, accept ur mistakes and try again...

Astro

I don't think you need to apologize and it's not a matter of trust, we don't shoot or wounded, it's something we see often and we're here to help each other. As long as you continue to come back and try we'll be there to support you.

But I do agree with Cubile. This isn't something I could've ever done alone, I'm so grateful I had the program of AA to see me through this. Any kind of plan or recovery program seems like an absolute necessity to me, otherwise the clock is ticking down to my next drink.

BTW, my wife did throw in the towel. After years of lies and broken promises, she finally had enough.

Quse56

OMG - I HATED AA. Tried it. Left it. Tried it again. Left it. Then I tried every way I knew (and some ways I googled - no lie) to quit in my own. Coming back to AA was about getting out of the way (wah wah - I don't WANT to do it YOUR way). I had to ask myself - Has anything else worked consitantly? How badly did I want to stay sober? Was I then wililng to do anything... even stuff I "didn't like?" to gwt and stay sober and not have to go through this merry go round anymore? It's not about liking it/not liking it; it's about saving my ass. One meeting/step/day at a time.
(hug)

C23

Thanks everyone. I know AA isn't for me but maybe I will be able to find some type of support system somewhere else. I don't think I know everything, I just know what I can deal with and what I can't. I have my first marriage counseling session today and maybe that will get to the root of some of my problems.

Thanks again,

spen71

I have relapsed and feel so ashamed.

keithj

AA really is a take it or leave it thing. One bit of truth from my observations, though. I've yet to meet anyone that recovered from alcoholism by working on their marriage, but I've met dozens of guys that transformed their marriage by treating their alcoholism.