A Train Wreck Is Waiting to Happen: Part 10 of 12
I hope this series of blog posts will enable you to recognize some symptoms of relapse. I meant well and tried hard, but I kept relapsing anyway. There was often a nagging little voice telling me to go ahead and try a drink. Maybe this series of blog posts will help you or a loved one break out of the relapse pattern sooner and easier than I did.
Terence T. Gorski, co-author of Staying Sober, identified 11 phases of relapse in his book Staying Sober (https://www.amazon.com/Terence-T.-Gorski/e/B001JSA9K8). I hope you will find this series helpful enough to review again and again -- at once or in parts. An idea might be to checkmark symptoms in the 11 phases to see if you or a loved one is in danger of relapsing. Then take action.
Gorski's research involved 118 recovering patients who had four things in common:
They completed a 21- or 28-day rehab program;
They recognized they could never again safely use alcohol;
They intended to remain sober forever through A.A. and outpatient counseling;
They had eventually relapsed to drinking despite 1-3.
Phase 9. Recognition of loss of control. In this phase you move past denial and recognize that your problems are severe and unmanageable. But you have little power and control to solve any of your problems. By this time you are so isolated you have no one left to turn to.
π½ Difficulty with coordination and accidents. This includes dizziness, loss of balance, declining hand-eye coordination, and slow reflexes. You feel clumsy and accident prone.
π½ Self-pity. You feel sorry for yourself and may use that to extract pity at A.A. meetings or with family. You are ashamed because you think you're crazy. You feel guilty because you fear you are doing things wrong and not managing a proper recovery program
π½ Thoughts of social use. You think alcohol or drug use will make you feel better. If only you were able to drink socially again someday! Drinking seems like a sane and rational solution to everything.
π½ Conscious lying. You know you are in denial and making up excuses for your behavior, but you can't stop yourself from doing it. You feel out of control. You violate your own values.
π½ Complete loss of self-confidence. You feel trapped because you can't think clearly and do what needs done to deal with your problems. You feel powerless, hopeless, and incompetent.
Next Up: Phase 10: Option reduction
Terence T. Gorski, co-author of Staying Sober, identified 11 phases of relapse in his book Staying Sober (https://www.amazon.com/Terence-T.-Gorski/e/B001JSA9K8). I hope you will find this series helpful enough to review again and again -- at once or in parts. An idea might be to checkmark symptoms in the 11 phases to see if you or a loved one is in danger of relapsing. Then take action.Gorski's research involved 118 recovering patients who had four things in common:
They completed a 21- or 28-day rehab program;
They recognized they could never again safely use alcohol;
They intended to remain sober forever through A.A. and outpatient counseling;
They had eventually relapsed to drinking despite 1-3.
Symptoms and Warning Signs of Relapse
π½ Difficulty with coordination and accidents. This includes dizziness, loss of balance, declining hand-eye coordination, and slow reflexes. You feel clumsy and accident prone.
π½ Self-pity. You feel sorry for yourself and may use that to extract pity at A.A. meetings or with family. You are ashamed because you think you're crazy. You feel guilty because you fear you are doing things wrong and not managing a proper recovery program
π½ Thoughts of social use. You think alcohol or drug use will make you feel better. If only you were able to drink socially again someday! Drinking seems like a sane and rational solution to everything.
π½ Conscious lying. You know you are in denial and making up excuses for your behavior, but you can't stop yourself from doing it. You feel out of control. You violate your own values.
π½ Complete loss of self-confidence. You feel trapped because you can't think clearly and do what needs done to deal with your problems. You feel powerless, hopeless, and incompetent.
Next Up: Phase 10: Option reduction
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