Honesty..how many relapsed after the first time they quit their DOC?

[worried878]

How many here have relapsed after their initial quitting of their DOC?  or any drug thay may have used thereafter..I used after my detox..stats say only 3% make it on the initial try...what r ur thoughts on this stat?  and did u relapse after ur initial  detox?  What advice can u give people who r just now trying to get clean?  How many used aftercare?  How many ept posting/if they were a poster at that time??

just curious as 3% sounded a bit low...i do think there r perhaps people out there who never relpased?  maybe not and this could ring true..I did not post this to be dismal/to be negative/just to show there r many who made it to cleandom who did relpase once or more...it is unusual to make it the first go around///and keeping on keeping on can pay off....always knowing in the back of ur head that this is going nowhere...that u were happier when u were clean/and realizing using fixes nothing..and that addiction can only get better by letting go

[MysteryPrognosis]

Your poll doesn't really make sense, but you have a point. I am guessing if you click "how many have relapsed" you are saying you have. And if  you click the other, you are saying you haven't?

I had a brief addiction to pain meds about 5 months...and got clean with Suboxone. Bout 2 years clean(since taking my last Sub...sorry I considered being on Sub as being not clean...just my opinion)...Never relapsed since...but am alway vigilant.

[Ella789]

  I have never tried to detox before, Feb. 16th. I took my last 1/2 tab. of lortab at 6:30 a.m.  with the help of my good dr. with clonidine prescription, and one of my sons with 3 10mg tranzene and the arsinile of immodium, otc pain relievers, milk of mag, tums, benadryl, and I think that;s about it.  I managed to stay in my skin and make it through hell.  I do not want to walk through it again, oh god, don't tell me I will fail....    I never thought that I could quit anything, food, cigarettes,husband (LOL)  I sure want to make it and I mean for the long haul.  I never used anything but prescription, never bought from someone illegaly, my dr. prescribed the lortabs and I took them gladly caused they did help with my chronic pain, after 4 years I knew it took more and more to keep me on the level it had before and the last year of the 5 was just hell.  always out before time and not much help from my dr.   well,  enough was enough!!! ain't gonna beg for nothing and still feel like %$#@.  

  I hope we all can make it for the rest of our lives, determination, sometimes it's all I have but perhaps it all I need.  I'm glad I can at least post on here.

Ella789

[TysonRed]

I dont know of anyone personally who quit for the first time and stayed clean for the rest of their lives. Now Im sure there are some out there who have done just that, but they are in the minority for sure. Ive relapsed everytime Ive gotten clean except for this time right now, Ive been off sub since Oct.20 and I really feel like I got the tools to remain sober this time. I really dont know if I was 100% committed in the past or I always started out with good intentions and high motivation but as clean time would go on I would eventually give in for different reasons. The key really is aftercare, whether it be meetings, group sessions or individual sessions with a therapist. Along with understanding that this is a life long disease that has to be dealt with on a day to day basis, theres no letting your guard down and you gotta keep your life filled with as many positive people and experiences as possible. The last ingredient for my success this time around has been vigorous excercise, Ive gotten myself back into good shape, which in turn has helped with the chronic pain I used to have, its more of occasional flare-ups now. So if you do relapse we all have to remember its not how far we fall, but how we get up is the judgement of our character. We gotta keep fighting for our sobriety cause just like freedom itself, a clean life is worth fighting for. Best of luck to all of you with whatever struggles you may have, we all have the power of change, so lets all change for the better. Good night and Take Care.

[cathy5841]

worried i actually agree that 3% stay clean on the first try.   think the addictions MOST in to believing they can manage the addiction THIS TIME...we can use them responsibly.  NOT!!!.  AND, i relapsed after the first time...but i could only make one choice so i chose B...lol

[worried878]

both of u stayed clean past the 90 day mark///AA says it takes 90days to rebuild enuf of ur receptors to fight relapse...but it is really a life time battle,,,when things are not all peachy we tend to revert to our old coping mechanisms...or sometimes for no reason at all!  staying clean for me had to become a way of life....not sumpin to depress me everyday...but needs to stay in my mind at all times

[j34]

It took me almost 15 yrs to get 8 months clean !the first time I tried to get clean was when my son(besides staying clean when pregnant) was born, I was 17 yrs old, but my addictions was just getting started,I really tried lots and lots different people ,places and things and could not  stay clean until I surrendered to the fact that I was powerless over drugs and booze and I WAS unmanageable! What a relief to finally give up and join the winning side.