Date: Tue Aug 27, 2002 10:09 pm

Subject: Re: bad setback, please help

Hi XXXX,

I think that sometimes it isn't how bad we feel, but rather for how long we feel bad. My later months typically didn't bring upon as much pain from the withdrawals, but it certainly did take a toll on me emotionally. You've covered a great deal of ground and have kept telling your self that you will make it. This is exactly what you have to keep doing, however as a result you'll also begin to build expectations. That's a perfectly normal thing to have happen, but it also makes dealing with any set-back much more difficult. I think that all of us who have made it said the words, "Enough already" more times than we could ever count.

I've seen your words go from distress to confidence in the past. The only difference now is that you're recognizing how far you've come and you're dealing with more questions. I also know that the DP/DR doesn't help matters. It's almost as though early withdrawals make a person intellectually inept, but later withdrawals produce the ability to think and ponder more...just not as clearly as we'd like.

Try to remain confident in the fact that any hurdle that crosses your path will be cleared. Although you may not feel very well or seem like yourself sometimes, you're doing just as good of job as anyone else could possibly do. This set-back will be history soon and you'll never have missed a step on your way to becoming an old timer.

Take care,

Pete