I slipped.

[w8liftinglady]

I drank last night.I feel terrible today.I want to say "Never again",but I know I can't make that promise to myself.I work all weekend.Next week,I am definitely going to a meeting.Thanks for being there.

[Justpat]

1. Please go to a meeting

and start getting a support group there in the meetings.

Check in later and let us know how you doing.
Remember, just don't drink today.

And if the days gets too long - don't drink right now.

Love you. OB

[NMDemDist2]

2. we love ya WLL and are pulling for you, but can't help you like someone

face to face

like OldBroad said, please go to a meeting, get some phone numbers to call BEFORE you drink the next time and let some people help you

a day at a time, an hour at a time, some times it's a minute at a time, but you can do it!

Let us help.

:hug:

[idgiehkt]

3. Hi W8lifting lady

It's great that you have posted about your relapse. I had relapsed as well, after almost ten years of sobriety, no less. But it was just that one time, and I've been sober and clean since then, which has been 5 years. If you look up alcoholics anonymous in the phone book, you can call that number and ask for phone numbers of other alcoholics to talk to. That might be a first step in getting some human contact. The person who answers the phone at your local AA office will most likely be an alcoholic themselves, volunteering as part of their 12th step (service) work, at least that's the way it was in my town. That might be a more immediate thing to do now on the path of going to a meeting after your weekend of work is over, if you can't find the time to fit one in. I know it is scary to think about walking into an AA meeting without knowing anyone, but it will be the best thing you ever did. Just take it one day, one hour, one minute at a time. Break the day into manageable chunks of time and mark them off one at a time. One in the men in my meetings always used to talk about his relapse by saying "if I hadn't done it, I'd still have it in front of me". Sometimes a relapse can bring home to us our powerlessness and the nature of our addiction in a real gut-level way. :hug:

[varkam]

4. Happens to the best of us.

The important thing is that you get right back on the wagon. Just because you had a relapse doesn't mean that you've failed. Try to look at the relapse as a learning experience. What was going through your mind just prior to taking the drink? What were you feeling? What happened that day? The previous day? Try to identify what triggered you so that, in the future, you can be more prepared.

One thing that helps me is the acceptance of the following statement - "I cannot stay sober forever". What that means to me is that I can't stay sober for good today. All I can do today is stay sober today. I can't deal with tomorrow, or forever for that matter, until it gets here.

Also, honesty is essential for me in my recovery. If I have a slip, I tell my sponsor, my group, and my significant other. That can be a daunting task for me, but it keeps me in the open instead of slipping back into my old ways of thinking and believing.

We're here for you. :hug:

[Kajsa]

5. I slipped a few times myself, w8liftinglady.

That was in the beginning of my journey.

Get back on track, get to meetings, and please get lots of phone numbers
of members to call. Each time you call, you're helping them, also.

I love you, too.
Someone is always here to help, but you need phone
numbers of people you can meet in person.

We care and we've been there.

:hug:

[FloridaJudy]

6. Hang in there.

Some of the best people I know have stumbled a few times before they finally got long-term sobriety. You've been given some very good advice here: Go to meetings. If you feel tempted, call another recovering addict/alcoholic. Find a good sponsor, and call her daily.

Most of all, don't beat yourself up. The important thing is that you didn't drink today. Give yourself a pat on the back for that.

I've managed three and a half years so far without a slip, but I can't claim moral superiority for that. Sometimes I think the only reason I've stayed sober is that I know I'm too much of a coward to pick up another white chip. Also, the detox was hell; when I hear a glass of Chardonnay calling my name, all I have to remember is how horrible the first few weeks after I stopped drinking were.

Write back. I care about you.

Namaste ---- Judy

[MediumBrownDog]

7. Hey girl, I'm pulling for you 100%

Sorry I'm late replying, I've been out of town. I've tried to stop drinking several times, and those times it didn't "take" were the times I tried to do it by myself. You've done the first, most important step in my opinion -- reaching out to this group of experienced, wise, sober, caring friends. Now, however, you've gotta get to a meeting. (To hear myself say that is quite the out of body experience. If you read my very first post to this group, it was "AA, NO WAY!") Frankly, I'm not a people person, but my dogs can't talk me out of a drink, sooooooo.....

I hope you're doing okay. I know that holding on to the shreds of your sanity feeling all too well. PM me anytime, I'm a newbie, but I'm trying and so are you. Also, since you're obviously someone who likes to work out, I highly recommend yoga if you don't already do it. I prefer hot yoga. It centers me like nothing else.

Take care, w8lifting lady. And when I slip, please be there for me too.

Much love,

MBD.

[NMDemDist2]

8. not 'when' MBD

'if' is a much better word

we get a daily reprieve as long as we're doing the actions

so keep doing the actions eh?

[MediumBrownDog]

9. Okay, "if."

Thanks. Never want to be too self confident, though. Just one day at a time.

[NMDemDist2]

10. someone in my first home group used to say

the further away you get from you last drink the closer you are to your next one

i'm quite a ways away so I don't get too self confident either :rofl:

[demosincebirth]

11. Next week you're going to a meeting?

[NMDemDist2]

12. yeah, I'm thinking yesterday may have been a better idea

:shrug:

[SPKrazy]

13. One day at a time friend!

it's all we can do.

none of us are perfect, we are striving for progress not perfection.

:hug:

when you fall off the horse, get right back on.

:hi: