falling off the wagon
Breaking one's sobriety
Falling off the wagon means returning to drinking alcohol after a period of abstinence: He was sober for three years before falling off the wagon.
The phrase extends to any relapse into bad habits one had quit—drugs, gambling, overeating.
The wagon in question was originally a water wagon, which teetotalers metaphorically rode.
- backslidingReverting to former sins
- recidivismHabitual return to crime
- relapseReturn to former illness
- regressRevert to earlier state
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
substance abuse · binge drinking · demon rum · on the rocks · fall from grace · rock bottom · craving · temptation · triggers · abstinence · alcoholism · vulnerability · accountability · withdrawal · cold turkey · habit · twelve-step · support group
commitment and discipline
falling off the wagonsticking with it
holding firm · persevering · staying strong · keeping the faith · holding out