Relapse can be disheartening. But, relapses are common, say experts at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Addiction is a disease and a relapse can happen in any disease. This does not mean you have failed or that AA does not work.
AA meetings harbor people who are ready to quit drinking. It’s a challenge they are prepared to take. But, there is no guarantee that you will complete the recovery in one go. Keep an open mind; more important, keep a strong determination. Only then can you cope with relapse and take it in a positive stride.
The best thing to do when you relapse
When you relapse the best thing to do is resume your recovery. Start from scratch.
What do you do when you relapse in case of asthma or an infection? You repeat the treatment from the start.
Similarly, you must repeat your recovery process. Relapse is simply an occurrence. Please do not take it personally. Don’t let relapse make you think you are lesser than other recovering addicts who never relapsed.
Using sobriety tools
At this time, you may use tools like Sobriety Calculator to calculate the number of days you could stay sober. This can motivate you to start all over again. Suppose, you stayed sober for 90 consecutive days. Then, you relapsed. Take it as a challenge. Now, you must stay sober for longer and forever.
Are you ready to take up the challenge?
Learning from toddlers
You may have fallen multiple times when you learned to walk as a toddler, right?
You are an adult now. However, you are learning to live a new life without alcohol. That’s the reason you searched for “AA near me.” There are chances of making mistakes or falling in your resolve. Learn from your mistakes and become wiser, so that the next time you do not relapse.
What’s the difference between a toddler and an adult?
A toddler has not yet learned the word “failure!” So, it’s no big deal for her to fall down. She simply stands up again and tries to walk.
Sometimes, when we learn or un-learn things in life we must become a toddler who knows nothing about failing in life.
Does relapse feel good?
At first, you may feel good sipping alcohol after a long time. Yet, once you are into a recovery program and attend an AA meeting in Virginia, drinking is not the same. You may, no longer, feel the fun that you did before. Instead, you may feel guilty about drinking.
This is a good sign. You are changing. Now, all you need to do is restart your recovery. Stay strong. If you succumb to your cravings at this time, it can spoil all your recovery outcomes and make your hard work go down the drain.
If you want, you can share your relapse story in an AA meeting. It’s okay if you don’t want. Meetings are non-judgmental. And everybody knows that relapses are common. Don’t be surprised, if you find a fellow member who had a relapse too!