An alcoholic might feel fine after giving up drinking. But the recovery process may be filled with temptations, social pressures, frustration and anger. The signals these feelings bring out can be noticed by the alcoholic and by the people around the alcoholic to help stop any need or attempt to relapse.
Cravings
During your recovery, you might pass by a club you once frequented and remember the good times you had. In truth, those weren't necessarily good times and often ended unhappily. That's why you had to quit in the first place. There might be friends or acquaintances you remember drinking with. If they are really good friends, they won't tempt you to go into relapse after the hard work it has taken to end your addiction. Cravings may last for a few moments, as they might do right after quitting, but they may also last for days. Cravings can throw off a recovering alcoholic. They may lead to excuses to drink again. The alcoholic must remember that giving up an addiction is not easy, but it gets easier by the day.
Excuses
It may be easy to find a way to drink again. You've had a rough day at work or might find yourself in difficult situations in a relationship. The stress gives the alcoholic an excuse just to have one more drink. Drinking might also be a way of rewarding yourself for going so long without a drink. This makes it seem all right to have a drink, according to Bright Eye, a Web site on alcoholism treatment. The alcoholic must recognize these thoughts and excuses ahead of time in order to stay sober.
Submitting to Pressures
Any change may bring temporary anxiety--even if the change helps you, according to the New York Times Health Guide. Many people you may know can drink socially with no problem. When you are around them, you might ask yourself why. Some of the best restaurants offer the finest wines and liquors, or just beer. It can make an alcoholic think that drinking can be done in moderation. But the alcoholic knows that one drink is not enough, as has happened many times before. Social pressures can be very tempting to bring the alcoholic back into relapse. Defeating these pressures may depend on where you are in your sobriety. A person who has just quit drinking, or about to quit, may want to avoid places and people who might remind her of drinking for awhile. As time goes on, dealing with these issues won't be so difficult.
Lacking Responsibility
Gaining self-discipline is a key to recovering from alcoholism. But an alcoholic may also suffer from impatience. The temptation to relapse may occur when the alcoholic doesn't trust the process of recovery. You may be tempted to put your commitments aside and plan more ways to sneak a drink. You may even think of having a drink when you know no one else in your family is around. You might even begin lying about where you're going when you're planning to drink. If you're part of a support group, you may pretend to be going to meetings when you want to have a drink. This is a time when you must talk to other people, including family, friends and other recovering alcoholics, who are there to support you.
