7macelevens

Got out of treatment early August. Have been doing everything suggested. Attending meetings daily, have a sponsor, doing step work, and just being involved in the program. I'll do good for awhile but then I just have that day where I break and then I'm gone. I have everything in my life riding on me staying clean, and I still can't. Unbelievably frustrated. Starting to believe I will die this way. Don't know what else to do.

Dee74

Hi and welcome macelevens

I think having a support system is great - but only if you use it?
do you ever try and talk yourself out of relapse - reach out?

D

7macelevens

Like I've reached out after the fact which obviously isn't going to do anything for me. Idk I'm sure I'm not the only to ever say this but once that thought turns into an obsession, I'm gone. The only thing for me is that sure I can reach out, but it's not like anyone is going to handcuff and tie me down. I have to have some will not to do it, but I lose that battle almost everytime.

Dee74

I used to think that too...I was an all day every day drinker for many years...I had it bad....

but in fact all kinds of things stopped me - I ran out of money, I passed out, I got sick...

You have to start remembering that it's done a done deal - not if you don't want it to be.

It won't be pleasant, but you do have the power to stop, at any point on the journey.

D

MythOfSisyphus

Nothing is pre-ordained. No matter how many times you've failed in the past, that doesn't mean you won't still succeed. You haven't failed until you quit trying. What local resources do you have to help you?

PhotoArtist

Are you reaching out to anyone BEFORE you use? I have been telling my husband this for years, and continue to encourage him to reach out to someone the very minute he feels like he needs to abuse drugs in any way. I made him move out of our house 2 days ago and I am not giving in, not taking him back until he is clean, but today I still told him that if he has the urge to abuse drugs, if he calls me and tells me he feels like he wants to abuse BEFORE he does it, I will help him in any way I can.

I guess this is something every addict struggles with, and it is hard for me to understand why he won't reach out to someone before he uses. And as you said, if you reach out after the fact, it's not really helping you to stop using. I just know that if my hubby doesn't feel like he can reach out to me, he can call my dad or his mom, or anyone who cares about him and tell them that he feels like using, and none of them will turn their backs on him. They would stop everything they are doing and get to him as quickly as possible.

So my advice to you is to reach out to someone, anyone the very second you feel like you want to use. The second the thought crosses your mind, make a phone call to someone who cares about you. Or call a substance abuse hotline if you feel like you can't talk to friends or family. Call someone, ask for help BEFORE you make the mistake of using again. You may be surprised at the length someone will go to in order to help you.

Good luck to you

ExWinoMom

Hey macelevens,
Pray pray pray for the desire to be removed. And commit yourself to things where you can't drink. Help people. Are you on ssri's?
Have you looked into meds that reduce cravings?
Also keep phoning your aa friends, assuming you go to aa? And stay on this forum.
This too shall pass.

ExWinoMom

You have done step one, admitting you are powerless over alcohol and your life has become unmanageable. So get into step two. That you came to believe a power greater than yourself that will restore you to sanity. Lifting the mental obsession. The more you work this spiritual muscle the more it will get stronger. I'm praying for you. Don't give up hope, that's just your disease talking anyway.

least

to SR! You've come to a great place for support in stopping drinking. Post here instead of drinking. We'd love to help you stay sober.

sugarbear1

Get past step 7 soon!!

You can stay stopped, too!!!!

Erratic

The AA meeting i went to some yrs back, was we took as many meetings to help us through and months later when we found ourself more into a stable sobriety is then we worked on getting a sponser and working on the steps. To me there is no rush in sobreity and going to meetings. Rember keep it in the day and when ur comfortable is then work on with sponser.

When i joined there was still drinkers aswell as myself, but we worked through it each t ime. so there shouldnt be any pressure from AA members to do this.

I know, me here i am fighting it and still have problem, but when i did go to AA i gave up for a yr before i picked up again.

You can do this but take it at ur pace, no one should be pushing u.

Good luck and im sure u will struggle on and it will get better from when i gave up. Me i just need to get back into that time, but time to me i have hardly any as im working.l

IOAA2

Hi and welcome to a sober life, if you work for it there are no better life satisfactions. Just think of the words "happy, joyous and FREE." For me it required a lot of work that helped me out of my ism. Being lazy It took more and more pain to see my way wasn't working and I needed a plan to "man up" and start to think of NOT drinking in my thinking pattern. I needed to use my sponsor daily and attend more meetings than I wanted to. The bottom line is I needed to want to be sober than drunk and all that involved. BE WELL

soberclover

Make a list of things that you can do to either keep yourself busy OR it could be a list of things that you will do before you decide to drink/use. I keep this on my fridge where I can easily see it as well as add to it.............

wiscsober

Maybe you have heard before:

call your sponsor, anyone, before you pick up. & if I(we) can do it anyone can.

Please remember sobriety is a journey, a way of life, not an end goal.

Starting to believe I will die this way. That belief is sad and tragic. Does not have to be true. I believed so too.

The majority of people I know in AA/NA have relapsed many times before they got well...and lead a life of continuous sobriety.

you can do it also.