Sixteen Relapse Symptoms to Watch Out For:

1.   Exhaustion - Allowing oneself to become overly tired; usually associated with work addiction as an excuse for not facing personal frustrations.

2.   Dishonesty - Begins with pattern of little lies; escalated to self-delusion and making excuses for not doing what's called for.

3.   Impatience - I want what I want NOW. Others aren't doing what I think they should or living the way I know is right.

4.   Argumentative - No point is too small or insignificant not to be debated to the point of anger and submission.

5.   Depression - All unreasonable, unaccountable despair should be exposed and discussed, not repressed: what is the "exact nature" of those feelings?

6.   Frustration - Controlled anger / resentment when things don't go according to our plans. Lack of acceptance (see #3).

7.   Self-pity - Feeling victimized, put-upon, used, unappreciated: convinced we are being singled out for bad luck.

8.   Cockiness - Got it made. Know all there is to know. Can go anywhere, including frequent visits just to hang-out at bars, boozy parties (I just go for the music/dancing).

9.   Complacency - Like #8, no longer sees value of daily program, meetings, contact with other alcoholics (especially sponsor), feels healthy, on top of the world, things are going well. Heck, may even be cured!

10. Expecting too much of others - Why can't they read my mind? I've changed, what's holding them up? If they will just do what I know is best for them. Leads to feeling misunderstood, unappreciated (see #6).

11. Letting up on disciplines - Allowing established habits of recovery (meditation, prayer, spiritual readings, AA contact, daily inventory, meetings) to slip out of our routines; allowing recovery to get boring and no longer stimulating for growth. Why bother?!

12. Using mood-altering chemicals - May have a valid medical reason, but misused to help avoid the real problems of impeding alcoholic relapse.

13. Wanting too much - Setting unrealistic goals: not providing for short-term successes; placing too much value on material success, not enough on value of spiritual growth.

14. Forgetting gratitude - Because of several listed above, may lose sight of the abundant blessings in our daily lives: too focused on #13.

15. "It can't happen to me" - feeling immune; forgetting what we know about the disease of alcoholism and its progressive nature.

16. Omnipotence - A combination of several atitudes listed above; leads to ignoring danger signs, disregarding warnings and advise from fellow members.

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