When an alcoholic gets sober what are the chances of them relapsing? It’s said in AA meetings that if someone who has a drinking problem, quits and decides to drink again, they will go right back to where they started. The testimonies of hundreds of thousands of alcoholics can attest to this truth.
There are many things that can contribute to someone having a relapse, the only person to blame though is themselves.
It all starts with one thought of having a drink. If the thought is entertained long enough, then the chances are great that they will go out again. By attending therapy group secessions, someone can learn how to deal with these thoughts properly so they will not take them down wrong roads.
When a recovering alcoholic stays plugged into alcoholism support group meetings, their chances are “better than average” that they will stay sober.
This question of someone having a relapse can further be answered in relation to three things: people, places and things.
People
Does the alcoholic who is in recovery place themselves in situations where they are hanging around with their old drinking buddy who is an active alcoholic?? If so, then the chances are great that they will start drinking again. Any time that the people around them are consuming alcoholic beverages, the person who used to struggle with drinking is at risk. The old bunch of people at the party don’t have much respect for sober people. Relapsing is always one drink away. It’s just a wise decision to not place onesself in harms way.
Detaching from an alcoholic spouse, friend or relative to ensure sobriety stays in tact may be necessary.
Keeping a safe distance from people who party a lot is a good idea for the recovering alcoholic. It is vitally important in the beginning of sobriety that they stay away from old habits by avoiding relationships with old friends. By doing this, the chances that a recovered alcoholic will drink again are lessened.
The person who is sober must rub shoulders with like minded people. This is where organizations like AA come into play. By attending alcoholism support group meetings regularly, a new way of life begins to form along with an entirely new bunch of friends. These people will help keep the sober person from relapsing if they stay in close contact with them.
Places
This should go without saying, the sober person should not flirt with hanging around in bars. If the place where the most alcohol used to be consumed prior to getting sober was at work, then it’s time to find a new job. Anything that used to compel the recovering person to drink should be eliminated from their daily routine. If they continue to do what they have always done- they will get what they have always gotten, “drunk.”
By attending AA meetings or somewhere comparable to these types of places will keep the alcoholic from relapsing. The more stories a recovering alcoholic hears about how someone decided to pick up a drink and spent the next five years drinking before they decided to get sober again will help keep the recovering problem drinker sober.
In AA they say: “meeting makers make it.” They also say: “keep coming back, it works if you work it.”
Things
In recovery an alcoholic learns that the most important thing to them must be staying sober. So, if they must move into a smaller house to relieve the stress of having to work two jobs to pay the bills, then that’s what they do. If they have to get rid of a few things that would hinder them from attending support group meetings on a regular basis, they get rid of them.
In relation to things, if the sober person has difficulty with looking at their favorite brand of beer, wine or lacquer, then they should stay away from those isles or not watch TV.
Triggers
A recovering alcoholic’s chances of drinking again can be related to how well they understand or have identified with what triggers them to think of having a drink. Once they understand what is causing them to think about romancing a bottle of booze, they can take charge of their lives and avoid those triggers. It takes self discipline and help from God to recognize these things and to handle them properly. It is people, places and things that cause these triggers to go off.
A recovering person will learn about people, places, and things if they continue to attend alcoholism support group meetings. They will also learn what triggers them to want a drink. The chances of an alcoholic relapsing are going to be much greater if they do not attend AA related meetings regularly. In the beginning and even later on staying away from dysfunctional friends who are alcoholics is very important to maintaining sobriety and not having a relapse.
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