TnTPoP

I have learned through trial and error is not when your craving alcohol thats the most difficult. Its when you feel great and think you're finally over it and your brain tells you you're cured... go on... "just have one and i'll prove us right....."

myjourney111713

You are sooo right. I quit for 17 days last June. Then my sister and her husband came down for a concert that we all had tickets to attend. They went straight to the wine stand to buy some wine. My husband and I looked at each other and I said, "you know, a drink or two won't hurt us...we have done so well!" 4 glasses of wine and 3 beers later, I could barely make it to the car. I don't want a glass of wine. I want a whole bottle (ok, two bottles). Fast forward to today, I am on Day 6. I haven't even attempted quitting since that time last year. The alcohol got such a strong hold on me after that night. I don't want to do this again!

PurpleKnight

Complacency is a great weapon of addiction, when I was curled up on my sofa, hungover, head pounding and hating myself and my life, Sobriety was a tad easier, I wasn't touching another drop even if you paid me.

But as the days went on and I felt better, the memories of that morning faded and things felt great, the thoughts of "1 won't hurt", "you deserve a drink", "things will be different this time" were harder to resist.

I see a trend of people who come to SR when they are just after a relapse or a complete binge and feeling rough, but what about when things are going alright? they then disappear only to return after another binge.

We need support in both the good times and the bad times!!

Soberwolf

^^^^^^

thomas11

Good point, it is a cycle that I'm sure many have been through far too many times. I know I have.

forabetterlife

Absolutely ... All of it. Im on day 7 and the fog has lifted, I feel great. The problem is I want to feel THIS good AND drink which, of course is an impossibility. I think that there was a time, years ago when I could feel this good and drink. But those days are long gone. As much as part of me wants to pick up a 6 pack of beer right now, the smart, sober me knows where it will lead. Another week or two or more of daily drinking until I've finally had enough of feeling like garbage and I'll have to suffer through that first week all over again.

DitzyDandelion

It was such thinking that blew my ten days. Back up to 7 so far though.

Trees39

I really agree with this. Every time I fell off the wagon is because I forgot or thought I could control it. Who wants to control misery? Not me.

We've got to keep reminding ourselves what we've done to change our lives and way it's so important to keep going

Fly N Buy

It's the only illness we forget we have, yes. That first drink leads to our downfall so many, many times.

Good for you on recognizing it!!!

Foolsgold186

13 months and I thought the very same thing. The eejit that I am. Back with a better outlook and not fighting this anymore.

InTheEnd

Yep. It seems once my head clears and I'm feeling good.....I'm cured! Poof, I'm a normal drinker now.

"Thanks for asking! Sure, I'll just have one please"! And then it begins again......

crisco

I learned the hard way that I cannot use alcohol and prescription stimulants any more. I have attend NA meetings on a regular basis (the majority of my meetings are NA) to remind myself that I cannot use prescription stimulants. And I have to attend AA to remind myself that I am an alcoholic to the core. I will drink and use if I go out again and I will probably no reservations about getting the hard drugs so I can keep my buzz long with the cheap wine that I love to drink. That is why I have to work both programs.
When I just did AA, I always thought that I use prescription stimulants because there were prescribed by my doctor for ADHD. But I abused them rampantly and my last relapse was strictly caused by my desire to take prescription stimulants for pleasure. Going to NA reminds me that I cannot use the prescription stimulants and going to AA reminds me that I cannot drink again because what happens when I drink causes me to take a visit to the county jail and possibly kill somebody.

alphaomega

Yes so very true. I have been derailed many times by the - just one glass song.

MIRecovery

I have found time and time again that today is the most dangerous day. I never know what challenges lie ahead. I never know when the whisperings of alcohol will seem to make sense. I never know when my resolve will weaken. That is why I suit up and show up with my tool kit and sober army every day of my life.

So so many fail because they underestimate our enemy

Katie1985

This is so true for me. I have a friend who has 5 years that describes it like having amnesia. This is actually something I'm kind of scared of because in the past this contributed to the collapse of my sobriety. For some reason when we feel good it's easy to forget that the reason we feel good is because we are not drinking.

escapist

I had 5 years sobriety the last time I thought I could handle it. It took 4 years to get it back.

MIRecovery

For me I'm not kind of scared I'm terrified. The problem is I don't know where the edge is between sobriety and addiction.

I have a program of recovery that keeps me well back from that edge because I never want to be so close thst it only takes one step and over the edge I go to certain death

Mags1

I agree, wholeheartedly. To quote the bible 'it comes like a thief in the night!'

Croissant

I believe this is very true.

What have I read somewhere here before? Something like, "Abstinence does not cure alcoholism."

DitzyDandelion

The problem is our enemy is just as smart as we are, knows all our weak spots and has a single focus and unrelenting determination. It's happy to wait out for any little crack to sneak through.