hokey

... used to bother me a lot. As in "well everybody slips up so I will too so I may as well drink". Now they are a constant reminder of what I do not want. And the insidiousness of this problem. Now they solidify my sobriety and keep me on the right path. I feel so bad for people when they relapse and hope that they get back on the sober wagon right away, but I truly aporeciate the posts because they keep it real and immediate and remind me that I am only one drink away from desperation. Without SR and AA I would not be creeping up on a month of sobriety. I am grateful for every post I read good or bad. So thanks to all ... we CAN do this ... one day at a time ... and together.
Onward ...

FreeOwl

relapse posts are selfishly one of the biggest reasons that the "newcomers" forum is so powerful for me.

they are vivid reminders for me and they help me maintain my own sobriety.

they also are encouraging in the sense that those who relapse and come BACK in here are fortunate. There are many who relapse and probably are never heard from or are still 'out there' in the midst of their relapse. So, those posts represent an evolution for the posters... they are on a journey and it's a difficult one. Any one of us who has been there (probably all of us) understands that it's only the very, very rare individual who struggles with alcohol and just one day quits and never looks back. Relapse - like it or not - is most often a part of recovery.

I'm grateful for relapse posts because they actually represent hope and strength.

neferkamichael

Hokey, my heart goes out to all those who have relapsed. Did it myself more times than I can remember. I do my best to read most of them. It's like playing the tape all the way through, and yes it is reminder, it could be me. FANTASTIC thread, rootin for everyone.

LBrain

I hope to be one of those very rare people too. So far, so good. But make no mistake about it, I always have to remind myself that I can never drink again.

PurpleKnight

Onwards and upwards!!

Stiv

Great thread and I am glad I came to the forum today, I am one of those that had a good length of sober time and for reasons I picked up, stupid reasons. Almost a year ago.

I also think it is part of recovery in a weird way, when I do get a solid grip on sobriety again, I will know what I wish I knew then.

I haven’t been on the forums for 12 days, just allowing this thing to run my life, correction, ruin my life.

This thread will be my strength to give sobriety serious effort, without relapse, it wouldn’t be hard at all.

I hope other active relapsers read this thread and get the strong message I just did.

mecanix

Sure help me keep on ,

m

HeadLump

Relapse posts have certainly helped me. Without SR, I know I would have tried again and again to moderate. I would definitely have felt (as some of my family did) that I'd 'cracked' it at 6 months sober and gone back out. I would have continued to 'romanticise' drinking.

Relapse posts not only keep me on the straight and narrow, though, they help me to empathise with others and to feel enormously grateful for my own sobriety

forabetterlife

This is a good thread for me because, as an unfortunate chronic relapser, I have stopped coming to SR and owning up because I read that it was a trigger for some. But I know that it is when I am closest to this forum that I have the most success. Of course it all comes down to my own decision to drink regardless of the support, but it's nice to know that I don't have to lurk. Hopefully I won't need to anyway. Doing well this week and just want to keep going .

Mags1

It is a concern I have, relapsing. I've come this far and don't want to drink but I'm convincing myself I'm in control now.

I know this only may be true for one drink then I'm no longer in control. Sorry about the waffling on.

I agree, sad as it is when a friend relapses and we feel their pain, it takes us on that journey in our minds too, a reminder asl brain says, I can never drink again. Wether I believe me, I don't know.

castlefan

relapse posts bug me when the poster seems lacksidaisicle. "I'll drink for awhile and then I'll get sober." Bugs me. i know these are nice people but i'm not sure how those posts are good for this site.
























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Dee74

There's 130 thousand plus members here castlefan - each of them at different points in an individual recovery journey

If you find a thread bugs you, get out and don't click on it again

If you find a poster bugs you, you can use the ignore feature

KAD

Relapses are a reality but they do depress me at times. I've gone through countless relapses and each and every one seems to weaken my resolve and strengthen that of my AV. Almost like it's mocking me. It doesn't bother me in the sense that I give up hope - I don't think I'll ever give up hope - but it makes me a bit sad to see people being so determined and then failing again, because it's happened so often to me and I know how it feels. So, I'm undecided about how I really feel about it. I just know I don't ever wanna go through it again, ever.

Luper

Helps me to read these. I have relapsed several times, but this time I found SR. Keeps it real for me to know just one drink and that could be me. Don't ever want to feel that way again.

chickippo

i have been a serial relapser - often triggered by friends relapsing and feeling resentful that they got to drink and i didn't.

i'm 2 months sober again now and honestly loving it. relapses happen - it's only when you don't learn anything from them that they are really a big problem.

sober life is amazing. the rewards are there - just keep on keeping on.

Vandermast

relapse unfortunately happens..many times to me..8 mths sober and very grateful

MythOfSisyphus

The relapse posts are good motivation for me, and they reinforce my understanding that I never was and never can be a 'normal drinker'. I feel some sadness for the person that has relapsed but I try to encourage them to 'get back on the horse' and try again. We don't fail until we quit trying.

Gottalife

Relapse is a two edged sword. My last relapse was just what I needed to get true knowledge of my condition. It convinced my I was alcoholic and then I got busy doing what I had to do to recover. That's the positive side of relapse.

The negative side plays on the alcoholic mind. Sober at the moment, the alcoholic sees others go out and come back, sometimes repeatedly. It's no wonder that sometimes the thought comes to mind that if they can get away with it, maybe I can too. I have known a few who tried this and didnt make it back. For a start, seven of the nine guys I was I rehab with never made it.

The one purpose someone else's relapse has never served for me, was to keep me sober. Two reasons for this. Firstly, fear never kept me sober for long. Secondly, when that obsession was on me I couldn't remember my own bad experiences, let alone anyone else's.

I am thankful when someone returns from a relapse and my main hope is that the experience will prompt them to search more diligently and with a more open mind, for a lasting solution. And I pray that they may find it. They deserve some joy in their lives.

IOAA2

Reading about relapses reinforces my “Remember When” I had so much difficulties making the “last one” really the last one. Unfortunately the recovery rate for a relapse to make it gets worse each time they go out. I heard recently that only 3% with over ten years sobriety can make it back. Scary!

BE WELL

castlefan

Thank you to the posters who responded. Again, I don't have an issue with relapses (goodness knows how many I've had). I do have an issue with being on a sobriety web-site and being ok with relapsing and drinking. I will drop it now.