What to do when you relapse

[jakmak52]

It's been my experience that why I went out was because I failed to enrich my spirtual life which wasn't that great at all. I skimped on my 4th & 5th steps and never went past step 5. This time coming back I got a sponsor, worked ALL the steps, got involved in the fellowship and do service work. I mainly go to literature based meetings. We alcoholics, at our best, are the elite of the mentally ill....

PS I also was in the rehab business which is not a substitute for a 12 step program.

[merckx]

We have meetings in our area for physicians and other medical professionals, counselors included, whose careers could be negatively affected if they discussed their sobriety or lack thereof in a place where anonymity is not respected. I'm not sure if they have meetings like that in your area.

One addiction professional to another, if I relapse and don't get the help I need, sooner or later my job and the fancy letters I worked so hard to get after my name will be gone. Along with that will go my family, friends, respect I've gained in the community, and potentially my freedom or my life. Comparitively I'd rather lose my job for a while and go dig ditches somewhere, then have someone digging a ditch for me.

Last but not least, we can't forget our ethical obligation to do no harm. You and I can only "give what we got" to our patients.

[Camel]

Man. Thanks, Kieth. I'm not in any way saying they did it for me, but for the Grace of God, that could have been me. As one who has relapsed a few times and had the good fortune to return, by God's Grace, I can relate to some, as you say, in the Fellowship being over critical. Doesn't bother me today, as I just pray for them and move forward. Some people just don't get it. This program was founded on relapse. That "holier than thou" attitude will block us from the sunlight of the Spirit, and make us forget that we are only one drink away from relapse ourselves. That is a constant in this illness, and it will remain the same until Gabriel blows the horn.

Hub

[Toast]

Real interesting shares,

Was at a meeting last week in a hospital day room when one of our former groups members was brought through from her sick bed to attend the meeting. This lady has 15 yrs soberiety then 6 months ago she had an arguement with a group member and left the group and was never seen or heard of again until last week.

Being a married man i'm not in the habit of calling single women but i could have asked one of her friends to call her and find out how she was?

Fortunately she got a great welcome at the meeting but being still very sick she was the only one in the room who said she couldn't get her 'spark' back for AA?

God bless her, she's the kind of person AA really needs.

[Dallas]

With all the love in AA -- it's unfortunate, that sometimes, some AA's can do some really unloving deeds to each other.