THis is very interesting! Think I tick a few boxes ...!

I dunno Olive......this, to me is kinda like looking up a disease on webmd and self diagnosing. Most people can always find "symptoms" if they're looking for an excuse or explanation....

just sayin....

:)

You know, we all have a fair amount of problems & frustrations in our lives. For me it's about attitude. If I believe that I can weather out tough situations and if I don't let myself cop the attitude that drinking is the only solution, it helps a lot. I remind myself that these feelings will most likely pass. So far, that has worked for me.

Not everyone has the foresight to identify a potential relapse. My intention is to encourage people look at themselves and others they are trying to help for signs. I have been trying to avoid relapse unsuccessfully for a year now. I am slow learner, but I am learning. When I sit in group or AA, I can almost call out those relapses waiting to happen at least with some.

Dead giveaways... IMO

( ) 5. Defensiveness.
( ) 6. Compulsive behavior.
( ) 11. Loss of constructive planning.
( ) 14. Feelings that nothing can be solved.
( ) 15. Immature wish to be happy.
( ) 20. Lack of desire to take action.
( ) 22. Loss of daily structure.
( ) 24. Irregular attendance at 12-Step meetings.
( ) 25. Development of an "I don't care" attitude.
( ) 26. Open rejection of help.
( ) 29. Self-pity.
( ) 30. Thoughts of social drinking/drug using.
( ) 31. Conscious lying.
( ) 32. Complete loss of self-confidence.
( ) 33. Unreasonable resentments.
( ) 34. Discontinues all treatment.

God I ticked many early on lol, and it was awareness of these that helped me to recognise when my behavioural patterns started sliding. It was part of my education phase in sobriety. I learned that relapse didn't begin with the first drink, but well before then. Education was an enhancement to my program of sobriety.

YEAH BABY! This was me when I relapsed back in 2004. I was that word 'delusional' as well. Thought I could handle my drinking again. HA. IT'S THE SADDEST SHIT how the mind really can forget the HELL we and you loved ones had to live with for YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. Perhaps if I had info like this then like I do now that may have been PREVENTED. Thanks for this share Anna. I love you! :))

It's not that complicated - it's the mental blank spot and mental obsession that causes relapse in someone who is spiritually unfit and not working the programme of recovery. Simple.

For me it is important to remember that this stuff doesn't start happening out of nowhere. It would happen as a result of me not doing what I need to do to maintain my recovery.

For my recovery that is to maintain and grow my spiritual condition. If i am not doing that then these things will start to happen.

Also for me, one or two of these things occasionally does not mean I am on the brink of relapse. It is if they are all starting to happen that there is a problem.

As an example I currently have irregular sleeping habits and no real daily structure but they are isolated things rather than part of the progression described above. I need to look honestly at things as a whole because I am never perfect and could easily take every little thing as an indicator I am about to relapse.

I was chatting to my sponsor last week about feeling the need to do more recovery work....why? Because I have my sister and niece back in my life and I was feeling out of sorts as it is bringing many challenges. The great thing, I am able to realise what is going on.

A couple of nights this week I had a bit of 'road rage' when driving behind a trac-tor. In my head I said 'HALT' and had two of the four.

The great thing about being spiritually well is that I can recognise these things when they appear to happen.

a bit more on the subject

What is relapse? The process of becoming dysfunctional in recovery or the process of returning to old thinking, attitudes and behaviors that lead to the use of chemical substances and ultimately, if not stopped, will lead back to regular using. Using is the last phase of relapse.

Relapse begins with "stuck points" in life that are mismanaged - problems at work, at home, unresolved conflicts, resentments, life crisis, death, etc. The chronic relapser experiences a stuck point and does not ask for help. Denial sets in.

Stage I
Return of denial: feeling irritable or "out of sorts" and not talking about it. Individuals begin to isolate. When a person is in denial and does not have the tools to identify it, one does not know they are in denial, because they are in denial. The stuck point is denied and stress is elevated. They go into internal dysfunction, "stinking thinking," can't think clearly, cockiness, complacency, "I can do this my way, I don't need your help, I am fine," etc.


Stage II
Avoidance Behavior: Individuals begin to be dishonest with themselves. They become even more isolated and go into external dysfunction by avoiding meetings, not calling their sponsor, engaging in risky behaviors, and not listening to others all together. They are completely oblivious to warning signs.

Stage III
Crisis Building : Individuals are overwhelmed and feel out of control. There is a severe breakdown regarding their recovery program prescribed, depression and anxiety are taking over. Individuals then resort to self-medicating (drinking, using drugs or acting out in other addictive ways). This brings only temporary relief.


Denial : A group of psychological defenses and maneuvers that addicts use to protect themselves from the realization that they have a substance abuse problem.

The relapse is the return to a state of despair.

Individuals who are functional in recovery get stuck and ask for help. They learn to consolidate their resources at the stuck point and access support systems. They take action. They learn the tools to work through stuck points and identify warning signs to relapse. Recognition of common triggers and high-risk situations is key before the process of relapse begins. Each trigger or warning sign will vary according to each individual.

Isolation and honesty are big ones for me Jim. I know that I am in trouble if I reach a point where I start to hide away and keep things to myself. I am a naturally introverted person so I have to make sure I have at least one person that I am being honest with (usually my sponsor) as it would be so easy for me to be very insular.

I take inventory looking at fear, anger, dishonesty, selfishness, self seeking, whether I am contributing to life, meeting my commitments, doing the things I know I need to for my recovery. I need to change my course as quickly as possible if things are sliding.

Gosh I have never read such a long list of signs, thanks to lots of meetings in my early years and gaining the tools to help with my recovery, I can now say MY HEADS GOING, and start to look at why that is. Doesnt mean my head is telling me to drink just that my thinking is off beam.

One of the most important things for me to remember is to keep it simple.

some of those are definitely relapse symptoms but some just look like life.

Thanks for posting this - both of my relapses followed most of these steps in the weeks leading up to my taking a drink.