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How many of you have...RELAPSESED...Please comment
RELAPSED before?
I read posts on here and sometimes comment...i have been clean of opiates for a pretty long time, but remember the early struggle...
I relapsed a few times before i really got clean...it was frustrating...so many of us do...and it scares us...
I am writing this because so many of the newbies to recover relapse and beat the wholly heck out of themselves for it...
so I ask YOU ALL to please chime in...let them know that a relapse, although not ideal, seems to be the norm for most, if not all of us...so what's the key? For me it was to not self loath and pick thyself up, dust thyself off and try try try again until success (one day at a time)
I read posts on here and sometimes comment...i have been clean of opiates for a pretty long time, but remember the early struggle...
I relapsed a few times before i really got clean...it was frustrating...so many of us do...and it scares us...
I am writing this because so many of the newbies to recover relapse and beat the wholly heck out of themselves for it...
so I ask YOU ALL to please chime in...let them know that a relapse, although not ideal, seems to be the norm for most, if not all of us...so what's the key? For me it was to not self loath and pick thyself up, dust thyself off and try try try again until success (one day at a time)
Best Answer
I think the common denominator we all can agree on in here is that those who have successfully managed to stay clean for a long period of time HAVE HAD to endure a relapse or two or three or four and so on... it's a learning process. If you've never relapsed after quitting, you were never an addict in the first place. That being said, it's a learning process and a unique one for each of us. We learn from mistakes, we don't learn from the whole 'this is right and this is wrong and don't question any of it' logic. If we relapse we question why. If we continuously relapse we still question why. Relapse is not a failure period. It's a way of learning how not to quit. We're really not that irrational. Excuses only last for so long until you realize it's getting old and it's better to just solve the problem entirely and with trial and error. NA and AA is not a silver bullet but that's just my opinion. There is no silver bullet, just YOUR bullet. And there are studies out there that show beating yourself up over a relapse does more harm than good in your recovery which I think was the original intention of this post.
Great thread, awesome points peeps. Personally, I think of relapse as when someone stops working their recovery. And we all know, recovery has to be your number one priority from now until eternity. Our lives depend on it.
Personally, I am using drugs right now to get through a terrible pain and medical crises. If there were any way to do this without drugs, then I would. I have not used it as an excuse to stop working my recovery, in fact, I'm working my recovery even harder because I realize the slippery slope that I am on and I need to keep moving forward. I will always choose life over addiction. Always.
Much love
Lu
Personally, I am using drugs right now to get through a terrible pain and medical crises. If there were any way to do this without drugs, then I would. I have not used it as an excuse to stop working my recovery, in fact, I'm working my recovery even harder because I realize the slippery slope that I am on and I need to keep moving forward. I will always choose life over addiction. Always.
Much love
Lu
"Relapse is not a part of recovery, it is lack of recovery"
I totally agree. I didn't always think like that but changed my mind recently :)
I get what your saying about the "slip" too. I only mentioned it above when talking about how the term "relapse" is used for all sorts of illnesses. Personally...to me a slip is the same as relapsing. I was just talking from some things I learned in class. Some addiction counselors will tell there clients they "slipped" and to not turn it into a "relapse" in an effort to save them. Hence...the "slip" classification. An addicts mind will say "hey, I already used once and messed up my clean time so why not keep going" The whole point of the "slip" classification/term is to try and bring an addict back before they do more harm.
Its all perspective I guess.
I totally agree. I didn't always think like that but changed my mind recently :)
I get what your saying about the "slip" too. I only mentioned it above when talking about how the term "relapse" is used for all sorts of illnesses. Personally...to me a slip is the same as relapsing. I was just talking from some things I learned in class. Some addiction counselors will tell there clients they "slipped" and to not turn it into a "relapse" in an effort to save them. Hence...the "slip" classification. An addicts mind will say "hey, I already used once and messed up my clean time so why not keep going" The whole point of the "slip" classification/term is to try and bring an addict back before they do more harm.
Its all perspective I guess.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I was on a continuous relapse for years and years.
Relapse is not a part of recovery, it is lack of recovery. I see many who use the thinking that it is part of recovery as an excuse. Same with a slip....you slip on ice or in the tub. The word "slip" in my mind just minimizes the persons actions. Mind you, this is only what i think and have to as i cant leave any doors open in this twisted head of mine.
Relapse is not a part of recovery, it is lack of recovery. I see many who use the thinking that it is part of recovery as an excuse. Same with a slip....you slip on ice or in the tub. The word "slip" in my mind just minimizes the persons actions. Mind you, this is only what i think and have to as i cant leave any doors open in this twisted head of mine.
Relapsed about 5 times over 15 year period and since my last one been running steady we all have issues we just need to pick ourselves up and start over the problem is when your relapse every month. "PILL FREE"
Thanks...Unfortunately that's exactly how I lived my life for many years. What a waste. Let's hope that at least some of the new people are smarter, or at least learn faster than I did.
K
K
"Relapse happens, but just because it happens that does not mean it's OK, or can be expected. If anyone goes in to recovery thinking that others have relapsed, and that relapsing is just a bump on the normal road to recovery, then why bother? Just because others have done it doesn't make it right. "
Great point!
When people think like that it just gives them another reason to use.
Great point!
When people think like that it just gives them another reason to use.
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