6yrs clean, recent relapse has me thinking I need help
 

Hi, I'm (we'll say B for now) I'm 31 yrs old, I'm a hard working man and a blessed father. I've been clean for 6 years and I've worked really hard to get my life to a normality and to get healthy in which I've been very successful. I recently had a relapse after so long and overdosed. I was pronounced dead on the scene. I've never experienced an overdose as such back in my day and this has scared the **** out of me plus it has come with some consequences. I have no problem saying no to drugs and staying away from them but apparently something triggered this relapse and I'd like to learn triggers. I've never gone to meetings because I don't want to sit there is listen to people talk about drugs. I'm may be willing now but don't want to go alone.

Welcome, B. I'm glad you survived and that you're here seeking support.

It sounds like you know what you need to do to recover. Do you know what led up to the relapse?

I don't. I work long hours every day plus I work out every day, I'm always busy. I guess that's why I want to talk about it maybe shed some light on what triggered it? I don't know, I just don't want to slip again!

In my case, once an addict, always an addict.

I quit drugs a few years before I quit drinking. It was alcohol that brought me to Sober Recovery, alcoholism the reason I chose sobriety. One day walking the dog, I found someone's drug stash in a club parking lot and knew the second I picked it up what it was and what I was going to do. In that instant I yearned for the feeling that the drug gave me. That elusive high that captured me after the first time I took it.

Is that a trigger? I don't know. Nothing triggered that desire except my addiction, which had been lying in wait for over five years.

I've always found my coping mechanisms don't work very well when I feel stressed and emotionally overloaded without 'me time'
When I struggle with my thinking I tend to get busy to drive it away.
Learning new ways to cope with life and learning to reach out when I feel overloaded is slowly teaching me that I am worth it, helping somewhat.

Can you recall if your thinking was different beforehand?

"I don't want to sit there is listen to people talk about drugs. I'm may be willing now but don't want to go alone.'
i havent yet been to an NA meeting and the people just talked about drugs.
i have been to MANY meetings that the discussion was about solutions and absolutely no mention of drugs.
you wont be alone once you get there. please dont let fear keep ya from goin.

could it have been untreated addiction that triggered it?