Sober - For the long haul.

Tom Thorne

Hi,
At 35 I've realised I want to give up booze full time. If I'm straight with myself once Ive had a couple of drinks I don't know how it will end up e.g full weekend session, blackouts, spending all my money, missing work etc. Lots of times none of the above will happen but lots of times they do and its the unpredictable nature of it all that kills me. This has tormented me for years. So Ive decided there is never a good time for me to drink I just have to stop full time. Didn't go out this weekend so am over a week off the sauce but not getting overexcited as I have gone 3- 4 weeks before. But this time I'm in for the long haul. I'll be honest it feels quite daunting as it will be a change of weekend lifestyle of 15 years and how people perceive me (which will be positive). It will mean interacting with people on a different level socially which will be a big challenge. Difficulty is I am single (due in part to a partying lifestyle) so tough to stay in on my own.
Anyway, Id appreciate any advice, posiitve experiences of having given up or any words of wisdom to help me along.
Thanks
TT

Best advice I can give for the first few weeks is to take it easy. Rent DVD's, order nice food to the house on a friday/saturday night etc and just relax and soak up some endorphins. Treat yourself.

The next step is finding other things to do. I'm sure you'll be able to head out to pubs etc eventually (don't try this straight away) and not drink but I'd say you'll end up leaving early when people start getting messy. But until this happens you should have a look around at other hobbies, getting fit etc that will take up your time and fulfill that weekend need to do 'something'.

It might be worth dropping into an AA meeting tbh from the sounds of your drinking. You don't have to drink every day to be an alco, it's what happens when you drink. This is just a suggestion btw, I'm not accusing ya!



Just want to add, fair play for giving up the drink. I quit a few months ago myself. I don't mean to sound condescending but there is something inherently pathetic about seeing people who are late 20's+ drinking their heads off and making fools of themselves like they are still 18 or 19. I mean you call it the 'party' lifestyle... is it really much of a 'party lifestyle' when half of your mates are married and bald? lol

Tom Thorne

R- thanks for the reply.
Went out for friends celebration drinks with bunch of the lads. Had two soft drinks. No problem not drinking but when I was leaving and arrived home had a strange sense of loneliness. However i know I am doing the right thing and I must be prepared to meet these challenges.

enaekleon

same story
i am 33 with very similar story to urself. off 4 days but need to learn to live without for ever. seems hard but it must be done.

e.

Tender Hoop

Hey Folks, I'm in a very similar situation. Same age, same reasons for quitting. I think most people expect you to have to be swigging from a flagon on the street to need to quit.

The fact is I got drunk every time I drank. No always legless but I could never have just one. I blacked out at least once a week and often more. Drank for 2 or 3 days no stop etc..... but so did all my friends so why should I have stop???

The reason I had to stop was because my friends could pick their fights so to speak. They could time their benders so they could still function.. work, relationships etc... For me I could not. I would go out for a quiet pint with no intention to go nuts and have responsibilities the next day or whatever and end up out of it. Miss my next days appointment or else turn up still pissed from the night before. Whereas my mates could have quiet nights and know when to stop. I couldn't and that is the difference between a 'heavy social drinker' and a problem drinker. This difference can be very subtle especially in Ireland where everyone gets wasted. When you do stop you can really see it.

Basically after the first drop touched my lips I had no control of what would happen. Sometimes I would get merry and go home and get up and do what ever it was I had to do .. No problem. Nights like these would leave me to believe I was grand and had no problem. But time and time I would get fcuked up and fcuk up.

I lost jobs, lost girlfriends and started to lose my mind. I realised I had to stop five years ago but only managed to stop properly six months ago. Properly meaning for good.

They say that admitting you have a problem is the first step but to be honest that did not mean much as I kept drinking for another five years knowing that I had to stop and started to hate myself for not being able to stop.

I did what you did at first. Said "enough is enough i'm done" and stayed off it for about six weeks then started again for a year or so then stopped again and continued with this cycle.

I went to AA a few times but hated the 'God' bull****. But I would go back anyway because there were young guys my age (20s/30s) who were doing the same thing and lots of them were managing to stay off it.

I got sick of this cycle of being on and off so I had enough and went to a treatment centre. For me this changed everything. It was serious this time. I was pissed off to find it was based on the AA program because I still hated the 'God' stuff (and still do).

I have not had a drink for six months now. I feel good. Not great but ok. I was also very social and found missing the pub scene very difficult. There is no doubt about it.... it is very very difficult at the start. I just had to grin and bear it. But I do have support. I go to AA (and just don't do the God thing). This has really helped. Things are getting better too. I watched the match tonight with my mates down the pub. I still feel a bit awkward around drinking but its getting easier.

The reason I wrote such a long reply is that I would have written the exact same post as you did the first time I quit. I didn't manage it then because I really did not want to ask for help because I felt was not that bad. But I did ask for help eventually and now I have stopped. I would hate to see you or anyone else go through the same cycle I did and wait for years before you got help.

My advice to you would be to talk to someone who knows what they are talking about. You don't have to go to rehab or AA but you should talk to someone. A doctor or councilor or someone.

Its good to not be drunk anymore.

Best of Luck.

That really is an excellent post tender hoop. It really deserves to be stickied because it's an answer to a lot of posts with similar situations to the OP's .

CDfm

i quit over 2 years ago -keep it up cos it gets better

Tom Thorne

All - thanks for the responses.
THoop - great post - very informative.

This is my second weekend off the sauce. Really feel I'm in this for the long haul. Went out on Tuesday night with my mates and drank soft drinks. Felt no desire to drink but did feel a bit strange and somewhat lonely when I went home.
Feel good all the same plenty of time in gym etc.

CDfm

Plenty of Coca Cola and Chocolate keeps the edge off at the start. When you go out do only as much as you feel comfortable.

booksale

i dont drink but from time to time i do feel loneliness after meeting friends.

drinking would help you to cover the issue instead of dealing the issue (of feeling lonely).

last night after work, i got on luas back home mid night. a lot of young lads talking rubbish, shouting at each others, acting like idiots. i feel awful for them.

be happy that now you no longer look like an idiot. stick with your choice.

seriously, the drinking culture in ireland is very bad. i hope you guys can change it by modelling yourselves a good habit of drinking...

hahha, am i putting a lot of pressure on you now?!:p

OP, i wish you all the best in quiting. and admire your bravery to face your loneliness instead of covering it up with alcohol.

enaekleon

ya good to see this thread getting to repsonses as it makes me feel less alone. i guess i am at the moment a teeny weeny bit scared of the future without drink.

i ll give a little background to my situation. i am currently done up with injuries as a result of my last binge. i am in crutches for the next 5 weeks and have huge conscience and regret about my lifestyle and my life choices to date.

i have more or less resigned myself to the fact that the whole drinking thing has gone to the point of like this is becoming life or death. i am a perfectly sane and sound and reasonable person the vast majority of the time (and that includes when i am drinking) but every so often on a hard binge i go way OTT and my mind just loses it. i become a complete nutter and dont care if i or for that matter others live or die. i pretty much just will do anything that comes into my head if i think it will give me a kick or sick buzz. it can end in violence, accidents, mishaps, crashes, crime, vandalism, bingeing on drugs, exhaustion, verbals, insults, ranting, roaming, reckless sexual encounters, loss of belongings, money, phones, blackouts, courts, compensation, as so and so on. u name it.

despite all this i will still probably return to full health when my injuries heals this time but i guess i am afraid of the future. i really am afraid that if i cant stop this its gonna be a sad ending and you know sometimes i often think i dont actually care to much about me getting killed i am more concerned of the upset it would have on my parents and siblings.

so i will make a real effort and hope that i can stay stopped. i am goin to try a support group. i like the idea of lifering and will give that a shot.

i would like to meet people of a similar age in a similar position who really want to stop and make an effort to find new ways living without alcohol.

so here goes..

wish me luck.:)

hdcott

I decided to 'give up' about 4 months ago, I haven't been completely sober and have had many slips but the days that I don't drink are far, far better than the ones that I do. I go to aa also and have met many wonderful people there. I always had this image of aa being full of 'crusties' but it's so not like that in any way! It's full of people from all walks of life.

I've decided that the only way to really tackle this problem is to go to a treatment centre so I'm going next week. I'm so nervous.

Also have been seeing someone for a few months now and when I told said person s/he was completely supportive and very understanding but now said person has announced that they're going to Oz for a year in Sep which really frightens me as s/he has become so important to me recently and I thought that I would continue to have their help when I come out of treatment. Any advice from sbn who has gone through a similar experience?

CDfm

keep your pecker up -they havent gone yet

you are the person stopping drinking not your friend and you are doing it for yourself.

man up & you will get confident

Tom Thorne

so i will make a real effort and hope that i can stay stopped. i am goin to try a support group. i like the idea of lifering and will give that a shot.

Would be very interested to hear anyone's expereinces of Lifering and what it involves.

enaekleon

Tom Thorne wrote: »

so i will make a real effort and hope that i can stay stopped. i am goin to try a support group. i like the idea of lifering and will give that a shot.

Would be very interested to hear anyone's expereinces of Lifering and what it involves.

i have been lookiing for an alternative to AA
and was given a link to the website.

i like the approach/philosophy on first inspection from the website and so am gonna try a meeting sometime next week in dublin if i feel i am physically up for the trip. i may have to wait another week till my injuries are healed more but i will give you my feedback on here when i manage to get to a meeting.

here's the link btw.

http://sites.google.com/site/liferingireland/

CDfm

@anaekleon & tom thorne.

Don't you think you should probably discuss the options with your GPs as if you are seriously weighing up the options you need something to check it against.

There are some HSE funded programs which are free and if you are serious about it you should be accessing them.

There is nothing wrong with any treatment as long as it works but dont procrastinate because if you are commited to quitting there is no time like the present.

What works for one may not for another.

Good luck with it.

enaekleon

CDfm wrote: »

@anaekleon & tom thorne.

Don't you think you should probably discuss the options with your GPs as if you are seriously weighing up the options you need something to check it against.

There are some HSE funded programs which are free and if you are serious about it you should be accessing them.

There is nothing wrong with any treatment as long as it works but dont procrastinate because if you are commited to quitting there is no time like the present.

What works for one may not for another.

Good luck with it.

sorry but what can kind of options can i expect from my gp?

the hospital referred me to my gp actually but i kinda disregraded it for some reason coz i just thought he would say rehab centre, aa, or happy pills?
i wont do rehab centre or aa coz of the model. happy pills i would prefer avoid....

commmon sense support fro like minded people on same journey seems the most practical for me and lifering is the only thing that comes close.

can u elaborate or comment on my thinking so far or am i missing something u were driving at?

tnx btw.

CDfm

The reason anyone goes to a GP is that they are unwell and to discuss treatment options. Nothing more & nothing less.

Your GP is effectivelly your interface with the Health Services so it helps to have them on side.

It is the doctors job to get you physically well and if they think you need medication or whatever - then you should listen to them.

If you are not physically up to a trip to Dublin you probably should have a medical.There is a huge waiting list for all Rehab Centres unless you have VHI or can afford to go privately so that is probably not an option for you straight away.

I had a back injury a few months back and could hardly walk - my GP got me X rayed -blood tested the lot and for the type of injury you get 30% chance at full recovery -which I got. So I'm well ahead. I also got my blood tested for cholesterol & even PSA for prostate while I was there so if I needed anything else it would be picked up at the time.

As for the treatment model/options available to you - well you should judge them by results or chances of success & whats available in your area and the best person to discuss that with is your GP.

Your job in all this is to look after your health and to get better and by dismissing any treatment option without discussing it with your medical advisor/provider is putting the cart before the horse. If you have an addiction you are better of getting all the help you can from inside the systen rather than outside it. Normally, the easiest way to do that is via your GP.

All you are doing is having a discussion and as it stands you dont know what the doctor will say.

enaekleon

i guess you have a point. i shall discuss with my gp as it cant hurt at worst and at best may throw up ideas i dont know of aswell of course as the other reasons you mention

enaekleon

enaekleon wrote: »

sorry but what can kind of options can i expect from my gp?

the hospital referred me to my gp actually but i kinda disregraded it for some reason coz i just thought he would say rehab centre, aa, or happy pills?
i wont do rehab centre or aa coz of the model. happy pills i would prefer avoid....

commmon sense support fro like minded people on same journey seems the most practical for me and lifering is the only thing that comes close.

can u elaborate or comment on my thinking so far or am i missing something u were driving at?

tnx btw.

Just wondering, have you tried AA/Rehab before?

CDfm

i guess you have a point. i shall discuss with my gp as it cant hurt at worst and at best may throw up ideas i dont know of aswell of course as the other reasons you mention

It really is down to improving your quality of life and the enjoyment you get out of life.

Some people are happy going along as they are.

zero_nine

One of the biggest things to get over when quitting is other people. If you're not naturally assertive, it can feel awkward (but really satisfying) saying "fcuk you, I don't have to drink for anyone" not your gf, your parents, your brother. People hate to dissappoint, but sack it sir, its your life.

ballyharpat

Been sober for nearly seven years now, been in the USA for 11, I left Ireland 'cos of my drinking. Now I am returning back, I am amazed at how many people consider drinking their only outlet in Life. I am preparing myself for it, and hopefully will stay strong. I have checked out where the AA meetings are and I plan on making a few. If it is too overwhelming for me, I may just up anchor and head abroad again, but I would like to be able to stay in my home country without worrying about being accepted even though I don't drink.

I will do the same at home as I did hear, I will go to any lengths to stay sober-without my sobriety I don't have a life.

A few things for those newly sober:

Accept the past, live in the present and prepare for the future.

What keeps me sober might get you drunk.

Life will continue to get better if you don't drink, eat sweet stuff, alcohol is full of sugar and your body craves it.

H hungry
A angry
L lonely
T tired

Watch out for the above, they are most likely to mess with your head and drive you mad, the solutions to the problems there are self evident.


I was bouncing along the bottom for years, but realized, I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I had been drinking-see the difference?

Good luck, If i can be of any help to anyone, please feel free to PM me,

Tom Thorne

"I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I had been drinking-see the difference?"

Ye - I hear this. The level of trouble has seriously decreased over they years but still the odd bit which was more than enough. With regard to HALT - for me def the "lonely" aspect especially around 7-10pm on Sat are my withching hours which if I get through I'm alright. I want to get to a stage where I will go out on Sat as normal but just not drink.

Agree with ZeroNine regarding other people. Its already racing through my mind what other people will say when i say I'm not drinking. But I intend to man up and face these challenges head on.

enaekleon

"I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I had been drinking-see the difference?"

great line and so true for me.

i ve been stuck in my house hobbling around on crutches since i got out of hospital. i am already getting the euphoric recall associated with my drinking and partying. this evening i listened to some new house music mixes fresh from the white island and it got me thinking about being in the sun getting beers and goin dancing and all that. i had said to myself leavin hospital that i prob need to curb all triggers to drink and for me even listening to music gets me in the mood for drink and party. i turned off the music after an hour guilt-ridden almost and watched he wolrd cup highlights. man i am worried about how i am gonna follow through with this. i am afraid i'll just let myself forget the negative consequences of drink gradually again and slip back into the 'fcuk it, you're only young once, here for good time not long time and all that stuff' mindset and just end up back on the merry-go-round.

arrgh. i hate myself.

e.

enaekleon

enaekleon wrote: »

"I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I had been drinking-see the difference?"

great line and so true for me.

i ve been stuck in my house hobbling around on crutches since i got out of hospital. i am already getting the euphoric recall associated with my drinking and partying. this evening i listened to some new house music mixes fresh from the white island and it got me thinking about being in the sun getting beers and goin dancing and all that. i had said to myself leavin hospital that i prob need to curb all triggers to drink and for me even listening to music gets me in the mood for drink and party. i turned off the music after and hour guuilt-ridden almost and watched he wolrd cup highlights. man i am worried about how i am gonna follow through with this. i am afraid i'll just let myself forget the negative consequences of drink gradually again and slip back into the '**** it, you're only young once, here for good time not long time and all that stuff' mindset and just end up back on the meery-go-round.

arrgh. i hate myself.

e.

Mate, find a local AA meeting and give it a go. Just go the once and see what it's all about before you knock it.

ballyharpat

I want to get to a stage where I will go out on Sat as normal but just not drink.

Why is it such a big deal to go out on a Sat? can you stay in and do something early on a Sunday morning, just curious?

ballyharpat

enaekleon wrote: »

"I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I had been drinking-see the difference?"

great line and so true for me.

i ve been stuck in my house hobbling around on crutches since i got out of hospital. i am already getting the euphoric recall associated with my drinking and partying. this evening i listened to some new house music mixes fresh from the white island and it got me thinking about being in the sun getting beers and goin dancing and all that. i had said to myself leavin hospital that i prob need to curb all triggers to drink and for me even listening to music gets me in the mood for drink and party. i turned off the music after an hour guilt-ridden almost and watched he wolrd cup highlights. man i am worried about how i am gonna follow through with this. i am afraid i'll just let myself forget the negative consequences of drink gradually again and slip back into the 'fcuk it, you're only young once, here for good time not long time and all that stuff' mindset and just end up back on the merry-go-round.

arrgh. i hate myself.

e.

Keep it green,-This is what I say to myself when I start to think I can drink, I just recall where I ended up, the last time I decided to have some "craic".
Think the drink through, not the good time, but the after effects.

I had a hard time listening to Pink Floyd when I got sober, I started listening to other music instead, stuff that was not too big a trigger for me.

I agree with the above poster, give AA a shot, if it doesn't succeed, they will gladly refund your misery.

Tom Thorne

ballyharpat wrote: »

I want to get to a stage where I will go out on Sat as normal but just not drink.

Why is it such a big deal to go out on a Sat? can you stay in and do something early on a Sunday morning, just curious?

Sat night is the night that my friends would go out and socialise which is nine times out of ten in the pub. By staying in I would be really isolating myself. This I don't want to do.

jimmycrackcorm

I'd suggest also taking up a new hobby trio occupy your mind and soul. Once you're back in health then take up the gym for example so that not only are you getting the benefit out of giving up the drunk but getting fit and having something to benefit with also. It also gives you something to occupy your time and makers it easier for you if you do go to the pub with your mates and have soft drinks if you're swapping to a new healthy lifestyle and it will give you a purpose to refuse to take a drink.

Tom Thorne

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I'd suggest also taking up a new hobby trio occupy your mind and soul. Once you're back in health then take up the gym for example so that not only are you getting the benefit out of giving up the drunk but getting fit and having something to benefit with also. It also gives you something to occupy your time and makers it easier for you if you do go to the pub with your mates and have soft drinks if you're swapping to a new healthy lifestyle and it will give you a purpose to refuse to take a drink.

Ye agree need to occupy time better. Already go the gym 3 times a week. Sat night (and where it leads to) is the stumbling block but have started running on Sun mornings want to keep this up so should be useful distraction.

hinault

I decided to cut out alcohol because I found that my tolerance levels began to diminish in my late 30's.
I found that even a moderate amount of drink left me feeling drunk/tired and depressed.
Until then I consumed relatively moderate amounts of alcohol twice/three times per week.

How did I stop?
I just took the decision and adjusted my lifestyle accordingly.
My wife agreed to take the same decision which was a great help.
I started to fill the weekends by reading/listening to music initially.
When I felt strong enough to go out for a night on the town and to maintain my abstenance, I found that being the designated helped take the pressure off as well.

Do I feel like having a drink?
No.
My physical health has really improved - even giving up the small amount of pints I used to consume, seriously helped my fitness levels.
My emotional/psycholohical well being is such that I never get the "down" I used get after a few pints.

Hope this helps

derealbadger

hinault wrote: »

I decided to cut out alcohol because I found that my tolerance levels began to diminish in my late 30's.
I found that even a moderate amount of drink left me feeling drunk/tired and depressed.
Until then I consumed relatively moderate amounts of alcohol twice/three times per week.

How did I stop?
I just took the decision and adjusted my lifestyle accordingly.
My wife agreed to take the same decision which was a great help.
I started to fill the weekends by reading/listening to music initially.
When I felt strong enough to go out for a night on the town and to maintain my abstenance, I found that being the designated helped take the pressure off as well.

Do I feel like having a drink?
No.
My physical health has really improved - even giving up the small amount of pints I used to consume, seriously helped my fitness levels.
My emotional/psycholohical well being is such that I never get the "down" I used get after a few pints.

Hope this helps

I am glad that your life is improved but the difference between an alcoholic and a heavy drinker is that when it is affecting your life in a bad way you can stop still not easy but has to be done unfortunately for one that has lost control this is not an option they may stop for a period but the inevitable happens and with us we go right back where we left of or worse and another thing in parting I am sober since 20 may 09 but i don't think about being of drink for the rest of life as that would totally overwhelm me its one day at a time i couldn't do it any other way and if it weren't for A,A i would be dead

A.A does slowly what alcohol did quickly

seanio23

Im only 21 but because of my drinking i now have stomach ulcers! Needless to say- im far too young for this carryin on but its been a blessing. Diagnosed with ulcers last spetember and had to boycott drink, ciggs, choclate, spicy foods, caffiene, fast/ greasy foods, fun and my sanity!! 1st month of college woz horrible to say the least.. ||From going to the life of the party to being the sober guy who left his own party to read his book!! Itz good though- makes you realise how heavily the irish rely on drink for socializing.. Itl be a good experience for ya!

sobervillage

Hi Guys

I see that last you you were all trying to give up alcohol and some of you didnt want to go to AA meetings and others wanted details onhow to stop drinking.

How are you all getting on

Clare

Sober Village Spain

sobervillage

How it going Tom?

Have you some sobriety behind you now?

Have you quit drinking

Clare

Sober Village Spain

tunguska

sobervillage wrote: »

How it going Tom?

Have you some sobriety behind you now?

Have you quit drinking

Clare

Sober Village Spain

+1. Would be interested to know how you're getting on. Hope you're still off the sauce Tom.

I gave up the drink in 2002 myself. Just had enough of the same old bull****, weekend after weekend. Its an empty, desperate existence, the drinking culture. You dont realise how desperate it is until you actually stop though, thats when the blinkers come off.
Not saying its easy, its not. Not drinking results in a lot of social awkwardness........well at least what happens is the alcohol no longer protects you from the social awkwardness that already exists. Loneliness and feeling isolated is a big one too. Its like everybody is in on a joke except you. Maybe it wouldnt be so hard if you were married or had a girlfriend, somebody who you could talk to, or who you could go to social events with and not feel like such a leper. But thats an ideal world scenario and you cant wait around until you're in the perfect situation to take action.
After a while though there comes a point where you have a choice: Go back on the booze or be done with it for good. I know very few who stayed off it, most crack and start drinking again. And thats not down to the substance itself, thats down to not being able to handle the feelings I described above. Once you make that decision though it gets easier. It becomes automatic, you dont even consider drinking an option any longer. Personally I think its a great thing to give up drinking because by not drinking you're forced to confront yourself. You're forced to remove a buffer between you and reality, and when you do this you learn so much about yourself, thats the reward, and that reward is worth every bit of effort.

tunguska

tunguska wrote: »

+1. Would be interested to know how you're getting on. Hope you're still off the sauce Tom.

I gave up the drink in 2002 myself. Just had enough of the same old bull****, weekend after weekend. Its an empty, desperate existence, the drinking culture. You dont realise how desperate it is until you actually stop though, thats when the blinkers come off.
Not saying its easy, its not. Not drinking results in a lot of social awkwardness........well at least what happens is the alcohol no longer protects you from the social awkwardness that already exists. Loneliness and feeling isolated is a big one too. Its like everybody is in on a joke except you. Maybe it wouldnt be so hard if you were married or had a girlfriend, somebody who you could talk to, or who you could go to social events with and not feel like such a leper. But thats an ideal world scenario and you cant wait around until you're in the perfect situation to take action.
After a while though there comes a point where you have a choice: Go back on the booze or be done with it for good. I know very few who stayed off it, most crack and start drinking again. And thats not down to the substance itself, thats down to not being able to handle the feelings I described above. Once you make that decision though it gets easier. It becomes automatic, you dont even consider drinking an option any longer. Personally I think its a great thing to give up drinking because by not drinking you're forced to confront yourself. You're forced to remove a buffer between you and reality, and when you do this you learn so much about yourself, thats the reward, and that reward is worth every bit of effort.

That's extremely well put. I was off it for 6 months and as you described I ended up going back on it in a moment of madness. Back off it for a month now. The blinkers do indeed come off after a few months and that's why I'm back off it now, because I've seen how good life can be without booze.

Sunnyisland

IMO People get in trouble when they let their guard down after their early-abstinence success. It is important that you not take your sobriety for granted and that your recognize the power of your addiction. Maintaining a recovery-oriented attitude is critical.
It is also important your participation in support groups and that you remain honest with yourself and others about your feelings and thoughts. Changes in attitudes, feelings and behaviors can quickly lead you to a relapse.
A relapse does not begin when you pick up a drink . It's a gradual process marked by negative changes in your attitude, feelings and behaviors. If you find yourself in the downward relapse spiral, do something different! Go to more support group meetings, spend time with others who support your recovery, maintain a healthy structure in your life, make sure you are in a drink-free environment and avoid external triggers. Take positive action to resolve any relationship, personal or work-related problems that are causing you stress.:)