KEEP COMING BACK from relapse to recovery

Understanding oneself – returning to recovery from a relapse

What happened with your relapse and what brought you back to recovery?

What was life like before recovery?

I started drinking in my early 20s when I had moved abroad to further my university studies. The university and work settings – constantly managing my full-time career with part- time studies and the self- imposed pressure on yearly exams throughout my 20s and 30s contributed to the development of my drinking lifestyle.

I had a breakdown in my romantic relationship, missed my appointments, was emotionally absent from social situations and found myself spiritually distant from god.

My relapse gave me further realisation of myself. It was the time leading up to my relapse and after it that I had come to realise that I was putting too much on myself with multiple things happening at once. I understood that my people pleasing trait created a large fog for myself and clouded my judgement.

Alcohol was an escape. it helped me to escape from my emotional turmoil and to access a perceived sense of peace and freedom from my emotions and feelings.

Dinking caused my emotional engagement with others to become sporadic and unpredictable. Towards the end, my alcoholism had started to severely impacted my work performance and my personal life.

These turning points in my life had provided me with the insight that I needed to re- build a foundation which set me up for my recovery.

– by Anima Contenta

Any suggestions or insights for those that are struggling?

Take it one day at a time.

Park our self-will and desires.

My favourite painting gives me a sense of serenity and content with myself