About to head into work with my veins aching in my forearms, a headache, low self esteem, and very sad/disappointed in myself. I know relapses are hard, but… its just hard. It’s all hard.
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Ok, so you start again. Cut your losses and begin again: one foot in front of the other. Remember this feeling —as bad as it is— and don’t let it happen again. Try to determine what it was that caused you to relapse so you can better protect yourself from the same trigger next time. And then, give yourself a break and forgive yourself.
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Make the changes man. Stop going out to the bars with your buddies. Start going to meetings instead and make sober friends that are on the same thinking. You can’t expect to stay sober living the same life you used to live it doesn’t work that way. It takes a lot of change and being uncomfortable.
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Nothing worthwhile really falls into our laps. It all takes work, being uncomfortable. Eventually is becomes habitual.
It’s difficult, but doable. Don’t make it harder than it has to be.
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You’re getting sober for you, no one else. Everyone’s thoughts and feelings are theirs, don’t try and change them, change yours.
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Find sober people and hang out with them. Watch them, how they act. Stop going to old haunts and hangouts. Stop being around people who openly use and don’t have issues with it.
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If you can’t stop relapsing, in my opinion you need outside help. Whether it be AA, Smart recovery, church, psychotherapy or IOP/inpatient. If it was as easy as will power alone, none of us would have a problem stopping and staying stopped.
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The past happened, don’t let it drag you down. Don’t let others use it to destroy your acceptance. You have to own it, use it for the future. Stay grounded in the present. Just make the next right choice, don’t worry about 4 days from now.
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Everybody is worth sobriety, saving from one’s self and that includes YOU. You have value, you can make things better for yourself and those around you.
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Nothing is worth the insanity and physical craving of the first drink. Don’t light the fuse, it’ll exacerbate your craving and make it that much harder.
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I recently relapsed on alcohol. I don’t know if you are religious or a believer. But I left for church this morning feeling very guilty and shameful myself. The message at church could not have been better. The pastor said my sins had been paid for by God and not to live past. But look forward to the future. He said focusing on the past can paralyzing and it changed my outlook just like that. The sun is going. To be coming up again tomorrow so make the most of it! I no how it feels though but you get another chance.
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It’s crazy when it seems the pastor is speaking directly to you. Powerful stuff!! I’m glad you felt it today:)
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It was very cool. Most of what he said pertained directly to things affecting me greatly right now, it was pretty awesome!!!So thanks!
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Relapse happens. Don’t beat yourself up. Just start working your recovery again. I relapsed a week ago, ended up missing a vein and I have lost feeling in my fingers because of it. But thats ok because I am still alive and I’m working my recovery. I am sitting in a meeting RIGHT NOW. If you need someone to talk to, don’t ever hesitate to get on this app and say HEY I NEED SOME FUCKING HELP RIGHT NOW. You have to reach out man. That’s the hardest thing sometimes but it will save your life.
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This!! #truth
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I have also found that I have to live one day at a time, not even four days in the future. The idea of a year of sobriety terrifies me and makes me want to hyperventilate!!! How long have you been sober?
Jessica
90 days on Friday. Feels like forever, just keep working working working on me and everything falls into place
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Good job on your 90 days!
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I will give you a digital 90 coin when I can figure out how… Might take longer than Friday. I’m not tech savvy like some of the folks here. I’m an old man trapped in a younger, bearded man’s body.
I like the chips, give them to my kids. They don’t mean a lot to me really, I measure my milestones by how I feel everyday. Better and better, more sane, rational and empathetic. I know when I get frustrated at something I have work to do, to find the root of that frustration, once found I make an amend and ask God to remove that defect. Usually based on my egotism and impatience, there is still much work to be done.
Well it means a lot to me to see you get one so at least snap a pic of it for us
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Mos def my bearded cohort