[madisgram]

i was not a one timer. i dealt with relapses while struggling to stay sober. to me this phrase certainly applies-we drink because we would rather be drunk than stay sober. the value of the drink is greater than the desire to not drink. this doesn't necessarily mean we will be unsuccessful becoming sober. these tips to look for relapse may be helpful to you. i was told a relapse starts way before i picked up a drink. gratefully i gained long term sobriety. it can be done.

Relapse is so common in the alcohol and drug recovery process that it is estimated more than 90 percent of those trying to remain abstinent have at least one relapse before they achieve lasting sobriety. But a relapse, sometimes called a "slip," doesn't begin when you pick up a drink or a drug. It is a slow process that begins long before you actually use.

The steps to a relapse are actually changes in attitudes, feelings and behaviors that gradually lead to the final step, picking up a drink or a drug.
Attitudes, Feelings and Behaviors

In 1982, researchers Terence T. Gorski and Merlene Miller identified a set of warning signs or steps that typically lead up to a relapse. Over the years, additional research has confirmed that the steps described in the Gorski and Miller study are "reliable and valid" predictors of alcohol and drug relapses.

If you are trying to obtain long-term sobriety and avoid having a relapse along the way, it is important to recognize the following warning signs and take action to keep them from progressing into a full-blown relapse.
11 Steps to a Relapse

Change in Attitude - For some reason you decide that participating in your recovery program is just not as important as it was. You may begin to return to what some call "stinking thinking" or

etc. http://alcoholism.about.com/od/relap...apse_signs.htm

[horseontheloose]

My late husband was an alcoholic. He got treatment through therapy and did very well. It wasn't long after therapy sessions ended on a good note, that I saw the most incredible anger from him. I had read all the material and books he read while in therapy. I remembered a section on this vary thing. So I called the therapist and asked her if I was correct in thinking he needed to go back to therapy. He put it off, and nearly killed my son one day. One more blow and my son would not be here today. He stayed out of our home, went back to therapy, got a clear understanding of what was going on, and went back to school to become one of the best sought after drug and alcohol counselors in two counties. (way to go Joe!)