Nah, sends the wrong message. Suggests to me that you don't really need to get serious about staying sober, just stay in the revolving door.
In Scotland, taking a drink is called lifting a drink. So I've seen the slogan, 'there are no lifts in AA, please use the steps.'
Sure I appreciate that some people need to go out and keep researching, keep dabbling with the drink until it hurts enough to go to any lengths and we should not discourage those people from coming back, but maybe we shouldn't be encouraging people to play at recovery.
Surely a relapse says you're Not OK.
SLIP - sod life I'm Pissed, serious lapse in programme, serenity loses it's position, stopped living it's pointless, Sick Lost Ineffective Poor-me.
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It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got. BB
Sometimes that revolving door only works on the way out, then peeps can't make it back in, seen that too many times, just found out another guy i know died last week actually from the program who liked the whole revolving door policy of AA.
How's this?
You may decide to dance with an 800 lb Gorilla but it may not be over until the gorilla says it is.
-- Edited by AGO on Monday 22nd of March 2010 09:23:00 PM
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Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a night, light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life
It would have to be a thumbs down, for what I sort of read in those words, was Relapse is ok, and that would send the wrong signal......But hey with your talent, you can come up with some others.
Our Program is learning how to NOT drink....a Relapse is a drink, or a thousand maybe...
But you were thinking of us.....close your eyes for a second and take this in.... ok, one relapse could lead to never coming back ever, or dying in the middle of just one little relapse. Gorski's book on Relapse PREVENTION is a great read.
Tonicakes
PS Had to come back and take my relapse history out of here, it did not belong in this post.....just a mistake, like we all make....right Rob..:)
-- Edited by Just Toni on Monday 22nd of March 2010 07:42:45 PM
I prefer the "SAYING" that my sponsor told me early on.
"A slip (relapse) is optional you don't have to have one"
He was right!!
Revolving door alcoholics are playing with fire. They may never make it back in. I have seen far too many alcoholics go out, get drunk and commit suicide. THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK.
Larry, --------------- "Relapse starts long before the drink is drunk."
Larry_H wrote:Revolving door alcoholics are playing with fire. They may never make it back in.
I have seen far too many alcoholics go out, get drunk and commit suicide. THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK.
Larry, --------------- "Relapse starts long before the drink is drunk."
Agreed, I see those as well, those who think if they slip they can just come back, I have seen many many alcoholics die or end up in prison who thought that way, and not just by suicide
IMO "Tips and tricks" sobriety has no substance and doesn't work with real alkies anyway, it does work with heavy drinkers even those who were addicted to alcohol, but not to those alcoholics who's only hope is an entire psychic change.
Sending newcomers that it's Ok to relapse as a message is irresponsible at best, sometimes we only get one chance at this.
-- Edited by AGO on Monday 22nd of March 2010 09:24:22 PM
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Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a night, light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life
Thumbs down!!! They already have the one about sobriety being optional and that your misery can and will be refunded in full. Don't like that one either but it makes sense. This is life and death. No qualms about it.
While relapses can happen especially early one, they don't have to happen and should not happen if you are active in the fellowship and have diligently worked the steps.
This is a life and death illness.
Your post made me think back on the friends over the years who paid the ultimate price for another round.
Man, some really nice people probably at least one for every 25 years I've been sober.
But for the grace of God, here go I. I think I'll stick with this one.
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
I agree with those giving the thumbs down. I just came to the realization that I am an alcoholic and can't let relapse be an option. I have enough misery already that I would like to give up and certainly don't need anymore.
Dang, for a second there I thought i was going about things all wrong. I have to agree...it sends the wrong message. What I got from it was "it's ok to relapse as long as you keep coming back". I tried that for a few years and found out the hard way it doesn't work that way (well, it didn't for me, but results may vary). I'm convinced that I don't have another white chip in me, so to drink today is to die. My choices are either stay sober and live a full, happy, rewarding life, or drink and die. Seems like a no brainer, but it's a choice I ponder over every day.
I am someone who loathed the slogans when I first arrived, they reminded me of the religious neighbor (Ned?) on Simpsons.
Now I really appreciate them and love the humor. It is life or death, but "We are not a glum lot"!
I've needed the simplicity they provide because my alcoholic mind is out to get me.
I think the issue of relapse is important and maybe more people are coming into the program at younger ages and more people are willing to try to get off the descending elevator well before ground zero. Also detox/treatment centers, court orders, and general public awareness is changing things perhaps.
