Ladybug47

I read an article just now that says the disease of addiction will progress even while you are sober. So if you relapse, it will be even worse than it ever was.

Is this common knowledge? So if you are sober for 10 years and then relapse it's going to be worse than ever before. That is going on my list of things to remember. Just wow. There is no escape. And it only gets worse over time. Whether you are drinking or not.

That gives me a lot of incentive for the long haul.

AnvilheadII

yes. addiction is never cured. at best we can put it into remission and with a strong lifelong recovery program keep it that way.

however, when the addict picks up again, the disease (defect, illness, allergy, insert your preferred term) kicks right back AS IF one had not stopped. this does not mean that the person will pass out drunk after the first drink, but that in short order the beast will be alive and well and back in charge.

and for each relapse after a period of sobriety, getting BACK gets harder and harder.

BeABetterMan

Coldfusion

We alcoholics have this love of making up for lost time.

Natom

Just from my own experience of relapsing this is 100% true. No matter how long I was clean my addict brain would literally pick up where it left off. It was quite scary really. On every occasion I could feel the relapse coming on and when it happened it felt like I was a completely different person.

Recovering me vs using me. It was literally like someone else was taking over my chain of thought and my actions. And over the last ten years it's become much worse. It is progressive.

Natom

Mummyto2

Kaily

Yes if we pick up a drink again the addiction will reignite, the firecrackers go off and sparks will fly. And that's just the first drink.

Downhill all the way from there.

The addicted brain is not to be messed with.

DriGuy

I don't think it is in the general public. It seems to be common knowledge among alcoholics. I first heard about it early in AA. It's not something that is discussed all the time, but people know about it. The phenomenon has even been named.

I can't verify from personal experience that it's actually true. I have no interest in testing those waters, but from my observations, and I have made many in AA, it sure as heck looks like it's true. I've seen a number of people with two or three years under their belts go back out and come crawling back like newbies. And I take them at their word that it was just as bad as ever.

Also, in an attempt to support the accuracy of the claim, all addictions are like that, aren't they? We hear about the same phenomenon with drugs and cigarette smokers who stop for long periods and then take up the habit again and are hooked right away. And most of us have observed this in others at one time or another.

The thing that is hard for alcoholics, even having the knowledge, is that when we start feeling well, we get this nutty notion that we are somehow no longer alcoholics and can drink in moderation. And that certainly defies all conventional wisdom. We know about it. We observe it in others. Yet we feel like the exception. Weird, huh?

RJY9

I've just come back from a relapse after being sober for 1 year. I am totally living proof that IT GETS MUCH WORSE!!
It's been horrendous and I'm so grateful to god that I am now 3 days clean and sober. But not without very bad consequences. It's not worth it!

Callas

I do not have to test this theory. I know in myself that if I drink again I will drink for the same reason as before. To get drunk. It is a no go zone.

snitch

Thanks for this thread. It has helped to keep this alcoholic sober today 🙏❤🙏❤

brighterday1234

downunderdaniel

ColoradoRocky

I'll tell this tale once more in case anyone missed it; also, I never tire of this cautionary tale as a reminder to myself that alcoholism is progressive, for me with my big shot thirty years included.

My sponsor's best friend hadn't had a drink for over thirty years, was married for over twenty to a wonderful woman, had a fine career as a school book publisher, raised children, put them through college, saw them happily married, and he and his wife justly rewarded themselves by retiring to a beautiful house on a golf course in Arizona.

One evening, at a golf course community social event on Thanksgiving, he, for some unknown reason, for some mysteriously insidious reason, after thirty plus years, got the notion that maybe one martini wouldn't hurt. It started with one, and then....he couldn't stop.

He was dead by Christmas. The Maricopa County coroner ruled his death as organ failure due to alcohol.



,

Dee74

I think it's true too.
but I have to add I don't feel weighed down or scared of the inevitable return of my addiction.

All I have to do to keep my addiction permanently at bay is not drink. It helps me to keep it simple like that.

D

ColoradoRocky

I've been asked a few times by normal drinkers (you've heard of them?) if I am an alcoholic. I always say the same thing, "Not as long as I don't drink I'm not."

I know most alcoholics would disagree with that, and that's okay, but I feel I've earned the right to say that.

And it's all they need to know......as long as I don't drink.

As long as I don't drink, it's all good.

SoberRican

Hello there oh yeah thus like they its not the 20th drink that gets us drunk its the first one. Cause all we did was regrease the wheel of addiction. Right now my wheel is collecting dust. Lol with 131 days that will happen however pour some booze in me and the machine will fire rifht up. ✌

Ohbrowat

Keep it up Daniel. You already know what’s down that road. No need to go back.

DriGuy

This supports the progressive aspect of the problem. Progressive meant to me at one time that the problem gets worse. Well, duh?! But then and old timer told me it gets worse, even if your alcoholism has been in remission for 30 years. I said, "You mean it gets worse even though you haven't been drinking?"

His answer was simply, "Yes. It's progressive."

That's hard to believe, until you observe it happening to others. I still have no idea why it happens that way. I'd like to understand it. But it understanding or not, that seems to be the nature of alcoholism.

sugarbear1

yes yes yes yes!! this is so true, which is why it's easier to stay stopped once we stop than to continue on drinking ourselves to death......