[ggtina]

I'm new here. Recently relapsed sobriety date is yesterday
Something that has helped me start over was a gentlemen telling me that I didn't fail because I drank or got high that I just hit a road bump in my recovery.

Previous to this I was sober for 50 days. 30 of it was spent in a hospital/and an inpatient rehab facility.

I just need to remember take it one day at a time.

Were I failed? I wasn't going to meetings. I was not doing the 90 meetings in 90 days. Am not truly convinced that I am an Alcoholic & Addict. I know now that I am. I couldn't resist temptation as everything was so nicely laid out for me.

[Caretaker Leo]

I'm here. Still struggling, but I refuse to give up trying!

[Hearty]

Released frustration and anger by shoveling snow for 5 hours instead of throwing myself into a vat of wine. Some people in my life really know the ingredients and the triggers that make me feel painfully invalidated. And it p!sses me off that I let them push my buttons. Drip, drip, drip...so it goes... Well, at least now I don't have to hire someone to clear the snow around my house.

....not sober

[Caretaker Leo]

How humbling. Today I met a young man who had more than reached bottom. It is amazing he is alive - but he is and OMG, I felt slugged in the brain and stomach hearing his story. If he can do it - for sure I can too!

Day 10 smoke free

[Caretaker Leo]

Congrats Buttercup! I love your "counter" and have been watching your progress. Keep it up.

[RaggedyAnn67]

I am 2yrs 5months sober today (from alcohol), and I have over 2months gambling free.
As for getting this far? It's been a rather long process (longer than the process of becoming an addict...that's for sure.)
The process? First accepting that I had a 'problem' (I wasn't an alcoholic...oh no...yeah right!) Then I starting going into inpatient treatment facilities where they introduced me to books and AA meetings. I had to experience for myself that I was not ready to drink like a normal person after having 30, 60, 90 days clean. I would always go back to the same behavior. So more in/outpatient facilities & meetings until I finally came to terms that I could exist without alcohol. I just focused on that day. I made plans to make sure that I was going to be occupied doing other things. And, that included taking up hobbies that I never thought that I would do, but always wanted to.
Look towards the ultimate goal and when you stumble...don't panic...just pick yourself up and keep walking towards that goal.

[madisgram]

Sober Today!
when i tried to get sober tho i struggled with relapsing. the quote below is exactly what was recommended i do. i needed to follow it to a "T". my therapist gave me these suggestions. he had acquired this knowledge about addictions while getting his PhD because he wanted to help addicted clients/drugs/alcohol. the only thing i would add being bipolar was to be responsible with taking my meds re bipolar. he assured me if i lapsed in any of these areas i would probably drink again. i did do what he suggested and found recovery. i still-after 22 years-am vigilant on this plan. it has worked for me.

What is a relapse prevention plan?

A relapse prevention plan involves preparing for the possibility of a relapse and identifying ways to avoid one. A successful plan entails networking with every available resource. This may include attendance at individual and group therapy sessions; regular contact with sponsors; attendance at 12 Step programs such as AA or NA or other concepts of recovery; family assistance and support, or any measure that can be taken to help keep recovery on track. Most relapse prevention plans involve addressing the following areas:
Adjusting environment of the one in recovery – This many entail changing residence, job, neighborhood, circle of friends and acquaintances, or addressing any environmental factor that may lead to a relapse.
Use the new life skills acquired in therapy – These were presented as a means for addressing and replacing the old behaviors that contributed to addiction.
Identify the shortcomings of the current relapse prevention plan –If an old method did not work, find another one.
Develop a network of support communities – Recovery is difficult alone. Accessing individuals and processes who understand the problems of trying to live a sober will help prevent a relapse.

http://www.burningtree.com/understan...se-prevention/

..well here I go again!....putting the drink down!

I think the best thing about being an alcoholic is that I can stop acting like one at any time I WANT.

I chose to do this again yesterday morning and poured my drinks down the sink....it's been like hell since but I have my mind back now.

I will not give up.

madisgram I will find more reasons this time...make my gratitude list bigger than my thirst!

I am sorry madisgram but during my relapse I didn't believe I deserved any friends and removed everyone from my computer profile thing. I even tried to remove me but had more trouble with that one?....ouch
I regret hurting any body....it would be a priviledge to have you back as my friend

sober today...and away we go...

[madisgram]

DM, we're just glad you're back among the living.

[roads]

I'm really angry, want to quit work--won't, BUT ANGRY

Two nights this week a supervisor from days has left an unhappy client with me just as I'm coming on shift & they're going off, asking me to do xyb for them. In both cases supervisor didn't have complete picture & what they had promised was either not in my authority or against company policy. Both nights I spent 45/60minutes appeasing customer, which took time from other waiting customers. They saw what was going on, but still ...

So we never caught up, either night, with our newly reduced night staff. I got a "thank you"--nothing else--for my efforts.

Till today. My day off. Email an hour ago. Be at work tomorrow 90mins early. Bring documentation supporting decisions/actions taken.

I dont have documentation, i didnt get supervisor's request in writing and of course I won't be paid for that ninety minutes either.

HALT HALT HALT HALT

I'm not hungry or lonely. Hoping I can sleep tonight. HALT HALT HALT HALT ...

[madisgram]

using AA coping skills i learned that anger, a secondary emotion, results from fear, the primary emotion. then it's a process to use the angry emotions and re-direct them to a constructive approach. simply put it's working thru them to minimize the feelings of anger. one finger pointing outwards=3 fingers pointing back at us, as the saying goes. what constitutes our part instead of the other person's part?
hope this helps. seems like you aleady understand some of this already.

[Neurontin]

Originally Posted by dubblemonkey

..well here I go again!....putting the drink down!
I will not give up.
I am sorry...... but during my relapse I didn't believe I deserved any friends and removed everyone from my computer profile. I even tried to remove me but had more trouble with that one?....ouch
.

Keep at it.....you said it .....I Will not give up....I removed everyone from my profile on another site and Im clean...lol....be good to yourself...it will all work out....Peter F

17 days smoke free for me, I can't quite believe that I have kept to it

My cousin came to visit me on Thursday and she smokes I don't like anyone smoking in the house so she went in the garden, I find now that it really does stink, I can't stand the smell of them.

....I'm not gonna say much about it,..

actually I have not even thought about it today.

...but I did think I would check in and report some positive activities!

it's good to be able to sleep, eat well and even do some exercise again.

and most importantly ...function better socially...as good as a madman can anyway.
it always takes time to re-unite with civilisation after a relapse...but it's worth it.

scary....but worth it!

a sober monkey is a better monkey.

[madisgram]

Originally Posted by dubblemonkey

....I'm not gonna say much about it,..

actually I have not even thought about it today.

...but I did think I would check in and report some positive activities!

it's good to be able to sleep, eat well and even do some exercise again.

and most importantly ...function better socially...as good as a madman can anyway.
it always takes time to re-unite with civilisation after a relapse...but it's worth it.

scary....but worth it!

a sober monkey is a better monkey.

glad you are feeling better, j. just take it a day at a time. you already know sobriety can be done. total acceptance of who we are and what we are, are the keys of sobriety. mastering that and resolving to stay sober are absolutes.
hope you'll keep checking in here.

[gma45]

Checking in= I am trying today to like the person looking back at me in the mirror.

Originally Posted by madisgram

glad you are feeling better, j. just take it a day at a time. you already know sobriety can be done. total acceptance of who we are and what we are, are the keys of sobriety. mastering that and resolving to stay sober are absolutes.
hope you'll keep checking in here.

thanks madisgram. yep I am still here...still sober...still fighting the good fight....
taking it a day
sometimes an hour...at a time
sometimes I feel like taking life a week, a month or years at a time

but thats just silly.

things are ok today....I am not at war with myself.
only during these times can I 'see' what a horrible enemy I can be to me,
me and the alcohol working together!...to destroy me.

I won't give up

none of us are anything like as bad as addictions make us believe....and yet the addiction is part of me...and you are right m...this I must accept and master.

J

[madisgram]

gma, my sponsor in AA suggested i do this in early recovery. she wanted me to look in the mirror in the morn every day and say, "i love you". well i thought it a bit unuseful and kinda stupid. i did it however and one day when i said, i love you. i broke out into a grin cause i learned that i meant it!!! oh happy day!!!
i had learned to love myself. you may find this to be helpful too.

[RapidFlyer]

I am sober today. I need to say that. I am abstinent from food and cigarettes as well. I am living one day at a time and staying in the moment to the best of my ability. I will be going to visit family in a week and I have to be careful to protect these three precious things.

My HP can keep me sober, abstinent, and smoke free as long as I do the footwork.

I commit to doing the footwork today. For the next 24 hours.

May everyone have a wonderful sober and clean 24 hours.

[Sanada]

i am here madi,

ty and to pc 4 the help while i go through de-tox

[RapidFlyer]

Still Sober Grateful and Abstinent and smoke free. One day at a time.

Unity, Service, and recovery.

Meetings, Phone calls, and sharing.

Just for today I will work on being spiritually fit, that my sobriety will be safe in my HP's hands.

[gma45]

I am here today Cking in sober. Haven't made a meeting yet I don't know what is holding me back.

10 days sober....

and I went to an AA meeting tonite.
the first one in about 4 years and 4000 drinks.