RELAPSE DYNAMICS

RELAPSE: It's a thought process, not an action! What is the new person told to do when he/she is in a relapse? TELL SOMEONE, GET HELP, CALL YOUR SPONSOR, GO TO A MEETING, PRAY, ETC. Well, if you are told that a relapse is an action that means you have already began using again, that's too late! How about if we begin to look at a relapse as thinking instead of using? Now it becomes possible to engage some good recovery techniques before that drink or drug is picked up.

I've had two relapses today, and I'm still sober! How's that possible?

First of all, we have to agree that recovery is not just being dry, but actually working a 12-step program. Then we look at your thinking process in this recovery. We hope that your thinking has begun to be positive and more centered on the steps and promises. Now you work on setting up ways to check your thinking throughout the day. This will eventually become a habit instead of a working production. But, until that happens you will need to stop often and check your thoughts out before they become action. Next, you will need to have a support system, which includes a Sponsor that you will talk to daily about your thinking process. This will help your mind set up boundaries and check points that will become more natural as time passes.

Now let us define relapse in thinking. If thinking in recovery is mostly a positive pattern, then relapse would be negative thinking. Some of these thoughts would sound like; He/She doesn't like me, I'm not being treated fairly, nobody will see me take that, leave me alone, and add all the thoughts you can think of to this list. Remember, these thoughts will become benchmarks that will set up warnings for when they come up in your mind. Now we are beginning to set up some relapse dynamics that will begin the process of seeing a relapse as thinking, not using.

What do we do now? We begin to stop immediately when we identify our thinking has begun to be negative. We do a short inventory of what just happened and why has my thinking changed? We kick back into a positive recovery thinking mode and we have just returned to the recovery process. We have just avoided picking up that next drink or drug. We are still CLEAN AND SOBER.

We are now viewing relapse as a thought process not an action of picking up the next drink or drug. Recovery is positive thinking and relapse is negative thinking. When thinking goes to negative, we can inventory it and return to positive thinking. This is true relapse dynamics. My thinking can change without having to change my sobriety/clean date. Now isn't that way easier than that uncomfortable action of "reintroducing yourself"?