Relapses are one of those things that is associated with changing behaviors and is not just associated with giving up alcohol, if I got a penny for every time my diet, went belly up, my good intentions to exercise, to keep in contact with friends that i faithfully promised the last time i saw them went awry .........
I sometimes think relapses is part of my subconscious resistance to change and this allows me to relapse with minimum guilt.
Our cravings wont go away unless we find ways of coping with them.such as a program of new activities, new ways of thinking and acting, support groups, counseling, diet and exercise.
If our guilt is intense, in the absence of a plan we are more likely to relapse until our next effort to change.
We need to recognise our Red Flags, avoid situations of known danger, have exit strategies in place, use stress management techniques, such as EFT and Mindfulness to get through stressful situations.
Some of us may relapse several times before we master our new behavior and it becomes a regular part of our lives, so if at first we don't succeed we try try again and please remember to always practice self care.
