Is relapse inevitable???

[angussdundee]

Because relapse is invariably shrouded in shame and embarrassment many myths and old wives tales tend to be heard regarding it.
You may have heard a few of these being quoted from the "AA gospel" at certain meetings; Quotes like "I needed that last slip just to remind myself how bad it really was... ??? or "Relapse cant be prevented"... ??? or how about "If you relapse after a period of sobriety it will take years to hit bottom again"... ??? Now some or all of those may apply to certain individuals but they are not the standard rule.
I have found, through listening to the message of those lucky ones who do return after a drink, is that relapse is an important part of recovery if they were not truly committed to it the first time around - "rarely have we seen a person fail" etc etc etc.
Relapse can be prevented, and the very big majority of AA's who take their recovery seriously do successfully stay sober.
We all accept that alcoholism is a progressive disease and it gets worse, never better. Those who do relapse usualy admit the morning after that they are in far worse trouble than before they took that drink and it generaly takes only a few hours or maybe days to reach bottom.
If a person relapses there is usualy something very wrong with their recovery programme or maybe they're just not serious about quiting in the first place. How many times have we heard it said after a relapse "I didn't get a sponsor" or "I havent tried the steps" or " I drifted away from the meetings" etc etc etc. We must bolt that recovery door firmly shut or the horse will eventualy escape.

God help us all,

Anguss

[IndianG]

We are not cured of alcoholism, what we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual Condition.

[philankh]

seriously...,contingent on the maintenance..., thinking through. A trigger for me is the compulsion to anticipate one day returning to abuse from a place of simply no longer caring about an inevitable demise as in my later years. I know this is insane. These thoughts haven't yet gone away. It affects, as some in in AA have suggested, a lifelong commitment to not drinkin. I find that scary still they persist. I am sober 22 days. I relapsed twice after getting a dwi on August 20 this year. The larger, sane part of me does not drink no matter what. Still these insane. destructive thoughts. I alone cannot make them go away. I believe a power greater than myself can restore me to sanity. I work the steps. I go to averaging more than a meeting a day to make 90/90. I have solid relationships with long sober commited members and will broaden my current relationships. I call at least 3 people a day.
I need help and am using forum for pretty much the same encouragement and hope I get from meetings. I've gone to as many as 6 meetings in a day.
Thank you for your helpful response.

agankh

[WolfM]

Only death is inevitable. Everything else can be dealt with using the program of alcoholics anonymous. My medical conditions can not be cured or treated by working the steps, but having the right mental and spiritual attitude allow me to work with my professional caregivers to help me control my diabetes and other ailments. I too have seen many people go back out and I ask them, "what happened"? Invariably one of the answers is "I stopped going to meetings", which for me means I started thinking for myself in the old way because I am not thinking enough in the new way. Of course I am going to relapse.

[fishdocdon]

At 22 sober ur not even beginning yet...........I've been told a month sober for every yr u drank is physically as sober as u can get........mentally may or may not be longer........don't expect too much too fast.... Good luck and God Bless

[Friend_of_Bill_W]

My name is Mark . . . and I'm a Recovered Alcoholic,

Relapse is certAAinly NOT inevitable . . . and not even likely - if you have done, and DO enough of what the 164 pAAges sAAy WE DO!

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If you have a Re-BirthdAAy coming up . . . let me know at least a month in advance and I'll creAAte a personalized commemoration desktop background and movie for you like the ones below.

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