Sadly Back to the Bottle: Part 12 of 12

With this post, I conclude a series that I hope will enable you to recognize some symptoms of relapse. For me, 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 (https://www.amazon.com/Terence-T.-Gorski/e/B001JSA9K8). His 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 11. Alcohol and drug use. During this phase, you return to alcohol and drug use, try to control it, lose control, and realize addiction is once again destroying your life.  😰

𑂽    Attempting controlled use. You convince yourself you must drink to make your problems go away, at least for a little while. You try drinking socially or as a short-term binge. You tell yourself, "This will be one-time only, time-limited, and controlled."

𑂽    Disappointment, shame, and guilt. You become disappointed because using again doesn't do for you what it was supposed to. You feel guilty because you think you have done something wrong. You feel ashamed because you think you are worthless, and relapsing proves it.

𑂽    Loss of control. Your drinking spirals out of control; sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but you drink as much and often as before.

𑂽    Life and health problems. Marriage, work, and friendships decay. Eventually, physical health suffers and you need professional treatment.

So there it is, friends. The 11 deadly phases of relapsing. Here is a recap of those phases:

Phase 1: Internal change

Phase 2: Denial

Phase 3: Avoidance and defensiveness

Phase 4: Crisis building

Phase 5: Immobilization

Phase 6: Confusion and overreaction

Phase 7: Depression

Phase 8: Behavioral loss of control

Phase 9: Recognition of loss of control

Phase 10: Option reduction

Phase 11: Alcohol use