This guide is provided by Possible reasons for relapse
| Reason | more | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ambivalence | Perhaps you’re still in two minds about whether to stop drinking. | Weigh everything up carefully, reflect on the options, and commit to a decision. Maybe, if you really don't want to stop drinking, you should just carry on? I'm being deliberately provocative, and I don't recommend it, but perhaps that's what you want to do? |
| Not drinking isn't rewarding | Sometimes you like drinking more than not drinking – there aren't any satisfactory substitutes for drinking | Reflect on what’s rewarding or not about drinking. See if you can draw up a better plan to find things to do that really occupy you, that you enjoy. Consider changing your habits dramatically. Alternatively, perhaps you've been too hedonistic, and you're expecting too much? Life is 5/4 against; it's like honey on a razor blade. There will be pain and suffering as well as hope and joy. |
| Coping strategies | You’re sure about not wanting to drink, but your ways of staying dry aren’t always strong enough | Keep learning from slips & lapses. Keep a log of what happens. Look for patterns that will tell you what to do differently. Continually adjust your plans so they work better |
| Overcome by events | Conflicts and mishaps – sometimes minor – overwhelm your defences and you end up drinking. | It sounds like you need better coping mechanisms, that will help you to tolerate uncomfortable feelings. |
| Mood problems | Psychological weather overwhelms your defences | Become aware of your moods, learn to see them coming, practice what to do to get through them without drinking. |
| Failure to be vigilant | Carelessness in planning, so that an obvious trigger for drinking isn’t spotted and avoided. | Make not drinking your absolute priority over everything else in your life |
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