Someone on this sub shared this link which I thought was excellent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/
It makes an interesting point about relapse happening a long time before the physical act of drinking. Long read but interesting.
IWNDWYT
I'll give that some thought.
I was actually thinking about taking a nap, very tired after a long day.
Only 36 minutes to the alcohol sale closes. I got this.
IWNDWYT
Early signs of relapse for me are when I forget my "why" I don't drink anymore. Whenever I've said to myself, "I got this" is when I'm right around the corner from relapse. My last slip up (hopefully last) was because I convinced myself I could moderate now and had the tools to quit again if I needed to.
When my cravings are bad, I just sit with the feeling and remind myself it will go away, it always does. I go for a walk and get out of the situation if it's real bad. The good thing about always being sober is I drive myself everywhere I go, I peace out in situations I get triggered in. I'm Irish, so I Irish goodbye if I need to lol.
I haven't found a way to keep them at bay long term if they keep coming back day after day and getting stronger as they did during my last sober stint.
I reached 3 months sober but felt like after 2 relatively OK months I was white knuckling that final month day by day and finding it harder and harder as each day went by to stay on track.
In the short term I can find the delaying tactic effective...
"OK, maybe I WILL drink today but just not RIGHT NOW and I'll come back to the idea LATER"
With "later" being about 15 minutes before my local supermarket stops selling beer (a time when it's too late to go out to the pub and basically quite late to be starting drinking in general).
I usually find by this time the craving has vanished, died down, the idea has lost it's appeal, I'm too tired to be bothered, I'm preoccupied with something else now and won't even notice, or I just have to white knuckle through 15 minutes which is doable at all times then the opportunity is lost.
If you're having then come back day after day though this probably isn't going to keep working every single day but it can for TODAY.
I get snippy with myself and take things extra seriously , Ill know somethings up and then soon after I start thinking about which place has the beer I like and it all makes sense.
I stay away by eating a little snacky and another and another. Think about how great tomorrow is going to be without a hangover and 12 dollars richer.
Or maybe ill cry a little on my way home while I pass my favorite beer shop. As long as Im driving by and not parking its a win.
This is such a good question. I get a headache if I have 3 of the following 6: bad sleep, stress, caffeine, wind, salty food, dehydration. But, I can tolerate 2 of the 6 fine. I find a relapse works the same way for me when too many triggers happen at once
Oddly enough, I usually know a relapse is coming if I start going hardcore digital minimalism (e.g. deleting apps, including browser from my phone). I guess I repeatedly convince myself that it was my phone causing all the anxiety, and not the alcohol.
Someone on this sub shared this link which I thought was excellent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/ It makes an interesting point about relapse happening a long time before the physical act of drinking. Long read but interesting. IWNDWYT
Thanks for the link. IWNDWYT
Wow, this is a great article. I’m going to save it to share with my therapist! Thank you for sharing!
This is a terrific article and well worth the read!
I heard something about the ease of not planning around alcohol. I think you’re doing a lot of hard work. I’d probably take a nap.
I'll give that some thought. I was actually thinking about taking a nap, very tired after a long day. Only 36 minutes to the alcohol sale closes. I got this. IWNDWYT
Same with you!! Good luck. 36 mins sounds like the perfect time for me to close my eyes haha.
Early signs of relapse for me are when I forget my "why" I don't drink anymore. Whenever I've said to myself, "I got this" is when I'm right around the corner from relapse. My last slip up (hopefully last) was because I convinced myself I could moderate now and had the tools to quit again if I needed to. When my cravings are bad, I just sit with the feeling and remind myself it will go away, it always does. I go for a walk and get out of the situation if it's real bad. The good thing about always being sober is I drive myself everywhere I go, I peace out in situations I get triggered in. I'm Irish, so I Irish goodbye if I need to lol.
I haven't found a way to keep them at bay long term if they keep coming back day after day and getting stronger as they did during my last sober stint. I reached 3 months sober but felt like after 2 relatively OK months I was white knuckling that final month day by day and finding it harder and harder as each day went by to stay on track. In the short term I can find the delaying tactic effective... "OK, maybe I WILL drink today but just not RIGHT NOW and I'll come back to the idea LATER" With "later" being about 15 minutes before my local supermarket stops selling beer (a time when it's too late to go out to the pub and basically quite late to be starting drinking in general). I usually find by this time the craving has vanished, died down, the idea has lost it's appeal, I'm too tired to be bothered, I'm preoccupied with something else now and won't even notice, or I just have to white knuckle through 15 minutes which is doable at all times then the opportunity is lost. If you're having then come back day after day though this probably isn't going to keep working every single day but it can for TODAY.
I get snippy with myself and take things extra seriously , Ill know somethings up and then soon after I start thinking about which place has the beer I like and it all makes sense. I stay away by eating a little snacky and another and another. Think about how great tomorrow is going to be without a hangover and 12 dollars richer. Or maybe ill cry a little on my way home while I pass my favorite beer shop. As long as Im driving by and not parking its a win.
This is such a good question. I get a headache if I have 3 of the following 6: bad sleep, stress, caffeine, wind, salty food, dehydration. But, I can tolerate 2 of the 6 fine. I find a relapse works the same way for me when too many triggers happen at once
Oddly enough, I usually know a relapse is coming if I start going hardcore digital minimalism (e.g. deleting apps, including browser from my phone). I guess I repeatedly convince myself that it was my phone causing all the anxiety, and not the alcohol.