The time to prevent a relapse is long before the irrational thinking has reached the final insanity of taking the first drink, pill or fix. The following is alist of common symptoms leading to a possible relapse or what the 12 Step programs commonly call "stinking thinking." 

1. EXHAUSTION Allowing yourself to become overly tired or in poor health. Many chemically dependent people are also prone to work addictions. Perhaps they are in a hurry to make up for lost time or overworking to compensate for feelings of guilt or personal inadequacy. Good health and enough rest are essential to recovery. Good feelings of physical well being are associated with a healthy, optimistic mental outlook. Fatigue and feelings of physical illness often induce negative thinking and a pessimistic attitude. You may begin to think a drug or drink would help you return to a positive frame of mind.

2. DISHONESTY This symptom begins with a pattern of unnecessary little lies and deceits with fellow workers, friends and family. Then come important lies to yourself. This is called rationalizing making excuses for not doing what you do not want to do, or for doing what you know you should not do.

3. IMPATIENCE Things are not happening fast enough. Or others are not doing what they should or what you want them to.

4. ARGUMENTATIVENESS Arguing small and ridiculous points of view indicates a need to always be right. Chemically dependent people need to learn an attitude of acceptance of their disease and of the value of tools of recovery.

5. DEPRESSION Unreasonable and unaccountable melancholy and despair may occur from time to time as a natural part of getting well from a chemical dependency. Periods of depression are times when risk of relapse is very high. Deal with your negative feelings. . . talk about them.

6. FRUSTRATION  Remember, everything is not going to be just the way you want it.

7. SELF PITY  "Why do these things happen to me?" "Why must I be chemically dependent?" "Nobody appreciates what I am doing" . . . for them?

8. COCKINESS  An attitude of  I've got this problem licked. I have nothing to fear from drugs or booze." This dangerous attitude may lead to going into situations where friends are drinking and using drugs to prove to others that you don't have a problem. Do this often enough and your defenses against relapse will wear down. Don't test your recovery. You may lose!

9. COMPLACENCY It is dangerous to let up on disciplines because everything seems to be going so well. Always to have a little fear is a good thing when it comes to maintaining abstinence. More relapses occur when things are going well than when things are going badly.

10. EXPECTING TOO MUCH FROM OTHER PEOPLE "I've changed. Why hasn't everybody else?" It's a plus if they do, but you need to be prepared to deal with disappointment in your expectations of others. They may not trust you yet or may be looking for more evidence of your improved physical and mental health. You may be setting yourself up for a lot of frustration and other negative feelings if you expect others to change their lifestyle just because you have.

11. LETTING UP ON DISCIPLINES â€" Prayer, meditation, daily inventory, 12 Step meetings attendance. This attitude may stem from complacency or from boredom. No chemically dependent person can afford to be bored with his or her recovery. The cost of relapse is too great.

12. USE OF MOOD ALTERING CHEMICALS You may feel the need to ease things with a pill and your doctor may agree with you. Perhaps you have had a problem with only alcohol or some other specific drug in the past. Nevertheless, you can easily lose hold of your recovery by starting using mood changers in this way. Different drugs may have unpredictable and treacherous reactions in chemically dependent people.

13. WANTING TOO MUCH Do not set goals you cannot reach with normal effort.

14. FORGETTING GRATITUDE You may be looking negatively on your life, concentrating on problems that still are not totally corrected. It is important to remember where you started from and how much better life is now.

15. "IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO ME" This kind of thinking is very dangerous. Almost anything can happen to you and is all the more likely to happen if you become careless with your recovery. Remember that you have a progressive disease and will be in even worse shape if you relapse.

16. OMNIPOTENCE This is a feeling that results from a combination of many of the above. You may come to believe you have all the answers, for yourself and for others. No one can tell you anything new. You may begin to ignore suggestions or advice from others. Relapse is probably imminent unless drastic change takes place.

Modified from "A Look at Relapse"

by Charles W. Crews