Denial Isn't Just a Long River in Egypt: Part 3 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.

Terrance T. Gorski, co-author of Staying Sober, identified 11 phases of relapse in his book (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:

1. They completed a 21- or 28-day rehab program;
2. They recognized they could never again safely use alcohol;
3. They intended to remain sober forever through A.A. and outpatient counseling;
4. They had eventually relapsed to drinking despite 1-3.

Symptoms and Warning Signs of Relapse

Phase 2: Denial. We stop paying attention to what we are thinking and feeling. For example:

𑂽   Worrying about oneself. You feel uneasy about changes in thinking, feelings, and behavior. But the uneasiness doesn't last long. You may at times be afraid you can't stay sober, but the fear leaves quickly.

𑂽   Denying you are worried. You try persuade yourself that everything is fine and dandy, even when it isn't. Sometimes denial works and you forget about your problems for a while. You don't recognize your denial when it reaches out and pinches your cheek. That's what makes this phase hard to recognize. Run your feelings by your sponsor or someone close to get another's view.

Next up: Phase 3: Avoidance and defensiveness.