First relapse HELP

I was doing so good at not giving into craving for 10 days. Me and my husband got into a fight and i didn’t know what to do, so I smoked.
Now I’m more upset with myself for relapsing than the whole fight.
What do you do in sobriety when you get mad that doesn’t make you want to relapse but still calms you down?

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Remember in a sober mind frame you can make conscious decisions the 12 steps teaches us not to make irrational decisions based on our emotions believe in yourself and your higher power

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I repeat the serenity prayer and if that doesn’t work then I call my sponsor and if he doesn’t answer then I telephone the other lovely people from my programme who selflessly hand out their phone numbers so that they can be there for someone that they barely know when they are needed. :+1::slightly_smiling_face:

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go for a run, or to a hot yoga class, take my dog for a long walk and get a coffee treat on the way. you will have some really bad days and some really good days in your sobriety. so for those bad days, start a list of things to keep your mind busy, reasons to stay sober and/or friends to call, etc. you’ll need to reference it sooner rather than later. i have a note on phone for ‘reasons to stay sober’ and have go-to activities like i mentioned above. communicate with your husband, too. even though you guys had a brief falling out, he can still support you by making sure he doesnt cause a relapse with a fight. x

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Smoke is your old coping strategy. For me it was alcohol.
When I was mad I drank,
Wnen I was sad, I drank,
When I was happy, I drank,
Etc.
I had the learn new ways to cope with emotions, whatever they were.
The things that helped me were:
Eating chocolat, talk about my emotions, go for a walk in nature, going to the gym.
Sorry about your relapse, but your here and that counts! :facepunch:
Make it your last day one ever, yes you can!!

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I used to smoke and man, I smoked at everything…congratulatory, mad, happy, bored, anxious, pissed…if there was a feeling, I smoked at it. All I wanted was to not feel…who knew? Seriously, I hadn’t felt an emotion without nicotine for 30+ years. So I hear you.

I had to learn to actually be okay feeling my emotions. They weren’t going to last forever or make me die…emotions come and go. Anger, it comes and goes. We can breathe thru difficult emotions…we can take a walk or run…write it out…cry…meditate…talk. Mostly, I learned emotions are okay. It is okay to be upset at hubby or my own behavior. It is okay to be embarrassed at my behavior. Okay to be sad, devastated even. Smoking or drinking changes none of that
…it only helps us AVOID our feelings. They are still there though, we just tamp them down. They come back when we remove the substance…and it is OKAY. They come, they go. An emotion never killed anyone.

You can do this. Learn to feel what you feel. I had a fight with my husband, my adrenaline is pumping and I want it to stop…
Wait…I will just feel this…I will take a walk and breathe or I will write down what I feel (or both, but not at same time :grin:).

Feel the feelings and know you are making progress. :heart:

Ps…sugar free gum is your friend.

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I hit a heavy bag at home, or go to a martial arts class, either of which brings me peace.

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