Nowsthetime

This is a much better attitude! Yes, we will choose us today and every day for the rest of our lives. No, we will not start our sobriety date over and we will keep count and be proud and guard it for the rest of our lives!!!

Woo hoo!!!

Soberpotamus

So well said, Dee! Especially the part about how we can get swallowed up by our drinking... for days, months and years. Getting comfortable and accepting relapse is nothing more than the denials and justifications of addiction.

least

It took me too long, too many relapses, until I finally 'got it'. Reading relapse threads makes me sad. Especially those who claim that "relapse is part of recovery". It's not. It's part of addiction, plain and simple.

Thank you for the timely reminder.

LonelyShadow

The struggle for me is the balance between not dwelling on the relapse but also not forgetting it or how dangerous it was. It's important to move forward without forgetting what happened.

SonomaGal

Thanks Dee for your wisdom and truth!

FeenixxRising

Well said Dee. Personally, I finally realized I wasn't really relapsing, rather I had just never made the decision to finally quit for good. I was simply taking a break between periods of drinking.

HockeyGuy

Thanks, Dee. You're very wise, man! I particularly like the line... "fight for yourself, you're worth it"

PurpleKnight

Thatdeliveryguy

Dee74, I am glad my post sparked such response, is this not the counter balance the opposition to my post? Am I wrong friend, I think not.... Some times the opposition and the debate is where the genius lies, love you friend. We said the same thing, but the folks have spoken, and I guess your opinion and mine vary, but hey I guess I need more tact.

Dee74

You may see it as such, but this was not simply a response to your thread. It was a response to many posts recently.

For the record, I don't agree we were saying the same thing.

D

Croissant

TDG. There have been a lot of relapse threads lately - apart from yours. I think some do not realise how triggering they can be for the newly sober. I think this thread is a good counter balance to the unhealthy thinking that can get us back on to the relapse wheel. Let's address that BEFORE it happens again.

Everyone's opinion is valid. I've had 2 slips/ relapses. I did A LOT of work to do my best to make sure they didn't happen again. I knew I had to dust myself off and not feel like a failure - which I think is part of your thread. However, I will NEVER minimise drinking again. This is a deadly thing TDG. As I posted in your thread - maybe it hasn't scared the F--k out of you enough yet to do the work to find out why you drank and stay stopped.

Thatdeliveryguy

Croissant, Dee74, I know relapse well, I wanted and need people to know that they need to forgive themselves, damn right croissant my failure scared me, but I need to learn not to let those thoughts control me. If those thoughts do a minor relapse could become a major one, that is all I said last night and all I meant. Never, will I ever allow a relapse control me again. For that matter, sobriety is my new God, a sober me is my higher power in the program I work.

"Many relapse post lately", I possibly don't know, but do know that 2 hours after my post this post happened. Highly ironic, if this isn't a direct response I would be very surprised, but hey who knows right!

Croissant

Mate, does it matter? Really?

If you want the truth, I actually saw and read THIS thread before I knew yours existed. I knew that if it was started by Dee, there'd be some damn good advice in it.

Jade1224

I am guilty of underestimating relapse. I am back to normal after 3 days of sobriety. I know if I keep drinking my withdrawals will increasingly worsen but Sometimes I don't think about it. Thanks for this dee

EndGameNYC

There are some wonderful stories in this thread that shouldn't be diminished by taking sides on issues from other threads.

Let it go, man. Time to move on.

Windancer

Great post Dee! Like everyone has said, you nailed it plainly and simply.

Sage22

Great post Dee74!
I also like how nigey1 describes the "door ajar" and not thinking you have hit bottom. I fall into that time and again. Alcohol has been the cause of every problem in my life yet I know I feel sometimes I have not hit bottom. I've wasted so many years not fully living!
I have to yell at myself-- "stop now, and start living". Or else it will be 20 years from now and ill be trying to stop then with nothing left.
Day 3 for me

Change4good

Thank you Dee. A week ago I entered detox with a .3 BAC. Tonight I am 6 days sober, feeling healthy, seeking help, and doing well. I needed to read this right now.

Thanks again.

ccam1973

I also didn't see this thread as a direct response to yours TDG. Nor did I interpret the two in the same manner. I think your thread has been addressed and I agree with the SR community in general. Enough said.

Agree with endgame, time to move on.

Lots of great stories and experiences shared here. Thanks to all. I know for me personally I will never take my last, or any relapse lightly. They are not part of my recovery effort and it took everything I had in me to claw back out.

I never want to put myself, my family or friends through my selfish relapses again, period. Any day that I am drinking could easily turn tragic. I'm thankful for 30 days sober today.

Dee74

ok, I've removed one post.

I'll repeat again - this thread does not reference any other particular thread or poster.

Any posts that do in future will be removed.

Dee
Moderator
SR