BrendonM

I went 8 days without drinking and I thought I was so tough, yesterday I bought a 375 of vodka and drank it all. I want to take it back but I can't, I'm back to day 1 and I want to be at day 8 so bad. How do you get over the feeling that you have failed utterly? I just want to be normal

least

You try harder next time. Do something different for your recovery. Believe in yourself.

suki44883

You haven't failed if you get back on the sober wagon. Most of us had fits and starts before we were finally able to rack up some serious sober time. You haven't lost anything. You still have those 8 days. You can start again. xxx

BrendonM

Thanks guys, its really hard not to feel like I'm a complete failure, I'm gonna start over and keep a record of each day I don't drink, each day is an accomplishment.

Goose1

Two things BrendonM - 1.) Acceptance and know that you can 2.) Fail your way to Success. Most everyone here has done the same. You stayed Sober for 8 days, those are days that are not wasted. It proves you can do this. Acceptance will help you continue in Recovery and get you further down the road in Sobriety. Breathe Deep and it will bring you back to the present. Know that you want Sobriety more than anything else, I'm pulling for you.

Nonsensical

You came back.

Every success story on this forum starts that way.

Stick with it. You can do this.

2bhappier

I've had MANY slips. It seems like most of us do before we finally get it. I've gotten great support here and I hope you do too. Try to not lose sight of the fact that you had 8 days without alcohol. That is wonderful. You can do it again. I do like the AA saying "progress not perfection".

mecanix

Those 8 green ticks on the calendar haven't gone anywhere , Add to them .

Work out a way of dealing with whatever it was that dragged you down .

You can do this , seems to me if you can do the last 8 days then the next 24 hours is possible ?

Keep on ,

Bestwishes, m

SeaScape

Hi I have to tell myself all of the time that alcohol is not an option. It just makes me so sick..mentally and physically.
You will have another week if you just start today- focus on now and not what you lost last night.

Bubovski

AA meetings may help, for reinforcement.
Morning meditation re tackling the day ahead.
Reflection on past bad alc/drug experiences.

We don't become whole overnight.
It's very much a work in progress..........

Dee74

Hi Brendon

Many of us drank again and wished we hadn't. All you can do is put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward in your recovery.

Yesterday is gone, and todays the only day we can do anything about.

Learn your lessons from yesterday.
adjust your plan for sobriety accordingly -

do you need more support?
do you need to make more changes to your lifestyle?

and move on

welcome back
D

gleefan

I quit for 15 days last January 2013. I restarted and continued to drink for another year. I stopped again in February 2014, where I made it for 22 days. Last night I drank. Today is another day 1. Although my sobriety started (again) today, my journey to recovery began over a year ago when I realized that I had a drinking problem. I'm hopeful that we get stronger when we take the time to reflect on what caused our relapses, then take steps to fix those problems.

DarrenW

It isn't the fall that is important. It is getting back up, holding your head high, and not drinking again. You do that and the fall will be forgotten.

Bruce292

Failed? I don't see it that way. You went eight days and now it's time to try again using what you've learned from those eight days. It's a process. For many of us (like me) it's a long process. I don't know how many times I relapsed before it stuck. Well, it has stuck for a while anyway. The important thing is to never give up and keep trying.

Randummy

Hi Brendon,

Eight days is an accomplishment and I'd hate for you to let a slip up take that achievement away from you. I'm only on day two and I think to have stayed sober for eight days is brilliant, then to have a lapse, come back on this forum and be willing to try again is even better.

Hevyn

It's a process Brendon. You'll be even more determined now. There's nothing in it for us anymore. You learned something valuable & will benefit from it.

Goldcoastgirl

I love this Darren, thank you. It is so simple but so powerful x

DarrenW

Thank you!

tornrealization

I dislike the word failed. We need to keep trying. It was a setback and please keep trying.

pdub26

I was at 1 day 4 days ago...I don't know if I'll drink again, but I know I'm not going to drink tonight, and I knew I wasn't going to drink today. They say 1 day at a time, but sometimes it's the 1 minute at a time in my world. My thinking is what landed me back on day 1 again, it will be faith and a lot of unlearning that lands me on 1 year. Just read a ton of threads, and keep crawling back, I did. Day 5