As someone who has gone through a relapse (the word I choose to describe my experience of drinking alcohol after a period of abstinence), I can tell you from personal experience that it is not easy. Not only is it physically taxing, but it’s emotionally exhausting — made worse by the shame and stigma. But the truth is, relapse is incredibly common — 70 to 90 percent of people in recovery will experience bouts of drinking before they are able to remain sober for an extended amount of time. So why are we so ashamed when it happens to us? Read more from The Temper here.