Had a slip

I was sober for 6 months, then had a slip. I mean a SLIDE. I went on a 2 week bender. I’m trying not to feel like a failure. Any tips?

10 Likes

This is all part of the journey and the lessons you learned during those six months, and from this slip, are lessons you can carry with you to start of over for your sobriety moving forward. You can analyze why this happened and what new support you need to put in place. The important thing is that you’re back.

All that said, I know the feeling and it feels awful. Please be kind to yourself :heart:

3 Likes

Welcome back!

As farvas tips. Stand up and start over. What didnt work?

3 Likes

Relapses are opportunities to uncover what God is trying to teach me.

I’m not sure if you ever made it to an AA meeting yet. But according to the steps, the recovering alcoholic needs to come terms that he/she is absolutely powerless over alcohol.

And thus, the alcoholic needs to turn everything over to a Higher Power, God.

Now, I’ve seen a lot of people quit their DOC without completely turning over their lives to God. And I’ve seen a lot of people quit without any help from a Higher Power.

But when all else fails, God is the only thing some have left to turn to. I don’t have any worldly weapons or worldly advice that’s going to guarantee anyone out of an addiction. I can only point to one that has all power, which is God.

5 Likes

They say a relapse starts before the relapse. There were probably signs, shirking your program, uncomfortable feelings, etc. At those times double down on recovery, hit more meetings, check in on here more, etc. YOU are not a failure, even if you have “failed” (so to speak) at this one part of your life. And I am sure you have learned something, so put it to use and get back on the sober train.

5 Likes

Right, you are not a failure so banish those thoughts right now.
You chalked up 6 months without drinking so you know you can do it.
Like @Thirdmonkey says try something different this time.
Check out the relapse thread on here.
Use this ap as another tool in your arsenal. Check in on here and if you feel like lightening your load share how you are feeling. Sometimes it helps just venting and also knowing you are not on your own.
Try a meeting, i used to think meetings were not for me but I tried an online S.M.A.R.T meeting and it definitely helped me at the time.@Ray_M_C_Laren is a big advocate of AA and has something like 35 years of sobriety. Im sure they would welcome you.
The main thing is your here now and want to do something about your drinking.
Dont dispair its not the end of the world and dont give up plenty people here have years of stacking those days up one at a time. :+1:

4 Likes

:heart: thank you!!!

1 Like

Thank you everyone!!! Much love!!! :heartbeat::heartbeat:

1 Like

I think @Misokatsu nailed it, most times before a relapse happens there are signs and I think staying engaged here helps a lot. For me at least, it helps me articulate and better evaluate how I’m feeling, and reading other people’s posts can sometimes flip a light on and help me see what’s going with myself a bit more clearly. Feelings, compulsions, rationalizations can all be complicated and we can sometimes get in our own way when it comes to processing things.

2 Likes

Yip meetings will help or any other program out there , for me only AA at that time saved my life 36 years sober no relapses so it worked for me i wish you well

3 Likes

Almost 2and ahalf years sober an i fell back, time to re set my counter

3 Likes

Sobriety is something that requires ongoing effort and work. There isn’t some magic day that we are all cured from addiction and live happily ever after. Becoming complacent or neglectful of that effort and work is often the beginning of what ends in relapse. There are many forms of outside support available including this app. Only each individual person can decide what works best for themselves.

I just wanted to say that it’s good to see you again.