Rar

I had a slip the other day. I just can't get myself back in the mindset or motivate myself in continuing to remain alcohol free. I don't have the enthusiasm in continuing the journey that I had prior to my slip. I'm depressed, discouraged and feeling rather hopeless. I'm pretty sure others experience this too. Any thoughts on giving ourselves pep talks?

waywardson8260

Rar, I have gone through that as well. For me I just became so disgusted with alcohol and my drinking that I just wanted to quit. I just had to take my life back and getting sober was not just my top priority- it was my only priority. Alcohol is poison that lures us in and then slowly kills us. It just became time to quit.

ALinNS

Been down that road so many times I lost count, each time I would look at what happened, why I drank, how did I recover, why did I want to, take this and tweak my recovery plan and carry on making sure I gave and give thanks every day for my sobriety, in my own case it finally stuck, it's not a perfect plan and I have off days but I stay sober through them.

Behappy1

Hey RAR - I always felt like crap and hated myself after a slip. Just a few weeks ago I was sailing along and doing very well! I made it through some tough times and did so SOBER. Then I lost my job, went on a few day bender and I was so very low after that. Low because of the job, low because of the relapse.

My advice is fake it till you make it. Don't drink - give yourself a few days and that positivity will come back. If you drink, you're only making your lows lower. It may be a quick fix, but the days of misery from the hours of pleasure aren't worth it.

doggonecarl

A relapse is the addiction getting the upper hand over recovery. If you still want to drink, or want to give up your sobriety to drink, then the addiction is still in a position of control. Is that what you want to do? Cede your life over to alcoholism?

You don't have to be motivated to not drink. You just don't drink. But if you want a sustained recovery, you do have to want to live and love the sober life. I hope you can recapture the reasons to be sober.

entropy1964

Hey Rar

I have experienced what you are feeling. It is usually because my slip wasn't 'that bad' but bad enough for my obsession to return. Without really realizing it my addict was driving the bus again. So, IMO, your addiction has control of you now. I would have to drink again until I was low enough to be desperate. Being that I only drink every few months when I'm feeling the way you are (only) I would just be kind of miserable until my next bender....then would have to see how 'bad' I got. That happened 4 times over a year and half...the fourth being bad enough to snap me back into utter desperation.

I hope you don't wait until that point.

thomas11

Most of us have another activity outside of drinking that makes us feel pretty good about themselves. For some its physical (like activity), for some its more mental (like reading an intriguing novel). Maybe tackle one of those things to jump start your mindset.

Leshar

I don't know how long sober you had before drinking again. For me, joining a monthly class has really helped, or you could join the 24 hour class, or both. Just post daily if you can and your classmates will give you help and encouragement.
All the best.

FreeOwl

Here Is The Secret

Soberwolf

I hope this helps

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-recovery.html

soberclover

So glad you are posting and asking for support! I really like the feedback that says to not drink no matter what; it will just make the dark feelings darker.

Rar

Really helps Soberwolf. Resetting my days AGAIN. I'm thankful I didn't binge, but still - drank more than I originally intended. A slippery slope indeed.

tomsteve

Sudden
Loss of
Individual
Purpose

Easy2slip

Learn from your "slips"..... The power is within you to quit for good. It just takes some time to "get it right".

Once you get the "power" it is stronger than anything. My AV is way back of my mind now. I am stronger now.

DuhDave

Rar, I have had many slips and relapses. If I'am sober and practicing my sobriety and drink for 1 Day, and then resume my sobriety, I call that a "slip". Only 1 day! If I continue to drink the next Day...I have relapsed. If I "Slip" 3 days in 30 then I have relapsed.

I give myself a little leeway on a slip and I dont write me or my sobriety off. Slips happen for a lot of different reasons but keep this in mind, slips are never planned ! If I'am going to a function next weekend and I "Plan" to drink...thats a relapse!

Keep in mind a solid foundation to build a lifetime of recovery on is a good plan of recovery. Each time I slipped or relapsed, I learned something new. I gained another"piece of the puzzle" if you will. "Waning Resolve" has snuck up on me a few times until I learned to see it coming and take action to divert it.

The bottom line is this, and I'am sure you have heard it before..."You have to want to be sober, more than you want to be drinking". In my plan, that I'am still working on, stopping drinking is just 1 part of it. What I really want to do is lose a LOT of weight, excercise most everyday, get into excellent fitness and physical condition, improve my cognitive function (brain damage from drinking too much for too long) and be able to physically be able to go and do the things I would like to do and live the life I want to live ! It is THIS I would rather do than drink.

Not drinking is just really, a small part of the bigger plan because my bigger plans will never come to fruition if I continue to drink. It would be impossible to accomplish if I drank! So. I dont put all my mind and time and thoughts into...just not drinking.

Be good to yourself Rar. Easy Does it. Take it one day at a time.

In a nut shell, I'am becoming so busy with implementing my bigger plan, I dont have time or the desire to drink.

Good Luck to you. Get YOUR Big plan together ! You CAN do it !

DD

eyeshake

I had about 70 days of recovery and said to hell with it. 3 months later and here I am on day 3 again for what feels like the thousandth time. I had to confess to people that I was relapsing constantly and going through the motions of the program. My thought process has been, "I'll have one more run, and then I'll quit." This is the insanity of the alcoholic mentioned in chapter 3 of the Big Book that leads some to death. I feel like I have to get this now or never. My life and alcoholism is only going to get worse if I keep it up. I can't control my drinking, nor will I ever be able to control my drinking.

Notimetoloose

Rar, you hear and read about many who have significant recovery and with one slip and unfortunately it is 2, 3, 4 years before they get back....

You don't have let that be you...perhaps, it is time to switch it up a bit, throw every thing you have at it...
Look at all forms of recovery, think about joining all the groups, even if it is not your thing...AA, NA, SMART meetings...The momentum of other can carry you forward while you are finding your footings again.

giveitago

Rar, feel for you. Hard for me to offer any advice as I am a novice and only on day 5 of my journey. But I do understand where you are coming from as I feel a bit down and bored to tears and wondering where this is going. Maybe the solution is to find an alternative to drinking at evenings. I'm still searching to reduce the challenge. Good luck.