MARCH MOTIVATORS

[Unwasted]

Good Morning All,

Hope to see all the Febbers posting here - let's have another successful month!

I'm pumped because I'll reach 4 months on the 13th. I love racking up the days - it really solidifies my commitment to staying AF because the longer I go, the more I have to lose. And, thankfully, I'm not feeling the pull much at all now. I really am embracing the AF life - just trying to be careful not to suddenly do something stupid. I don't want to set off the craving and never-ending struggle to control my drinking by taking that first one..........

So, keep it going everyone. Life really is better this way - I still can't believe how wonderfully I sleep. I wouldn't have thought it to be possible. Literally, for decades, I thought I was just a bad sleeper. Honestly...........what an amazing gift I've been given to have found this site and garnered the strength to walk away from the poison!

A special welcome to you, Wine Wrangler, you were my buddy on the Newbie thread - so happy to see you here!

Love and hugs to you all.

[Pinecone]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hi Unwasted, I am in for an AF March!

I wanted to thank you for that post that broke down the stages of recovery and the pitfalls as well. I identified euphoric recall as one of my issues that had always plagued all my attempts to quit. It helps so much to have a term to call it. I can say to myself "that is just euphoric recall type thinking and it is just a facet of recovery that has been identified and studied etc, etc" instead of "Man, beer used to taste really great, and it was fun blah blah blah blah..." Does that make any sense? Anyways, it is a big help to me.

I so agree with you that life is so much better this way! I have absolutely no regrets about quitting, never, ever. I still feel like I won the lottery when I wake up clear headed with no headache (I hope that never goes away!).

[Unwasted]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hey Pinecone, glad to see you here! We posted together quite a bit on the Newbie Thread - I think we're on similar tracks time wise.

The Euphoric Recall term really struck a chord for me too. I used to call it self-deception and marvel at the fact that we could actually trick ourselves into thinking something was good when another part of us knew it wasn't. Eurphoric Recall is the perfect term for how we romanticize alcohol. Well, no more for this former drinker! I'm so glad you're doing well and posting here! I do think it's good to stay accountable and continue to read and post on MWO. There is just something about having the support and reminders of all the ills of alcohol! The relapse rate is so high, I just want to do everything possible to keep from being lulled back into the idea of drinking being something I want to do!

Hope to see you here regularly! Even a quick drop in - just let us know how it's going. :lilheart:

[sunshinedaisies]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hi there UW and Pinecone - Yes, I was with the Feb thread. I was feb free too - and plan on being March free as well, but seem to be having a slight problem. I am feeling down. I am usually up and bright and bubbly - at work they joke about me being Pollyanna - I am struggling with staying happy. I am fine during the day but the evenings are not so good. If I am working I am fine at work, but at home, I seem to be just very level emotionally. I remember when i quit for the 8 months I felt like this and would hate if this is my AF self! It went away when I started drinking again. I was so happy this time when I quit that I stayed happy. But it seems to be hitting me now. I am already on anti-depressants and am not sure what is going on - any of you who are ahead of me - any ideas or suggestions please? K9 - you have quit for longer periods - how do you feel when you quit? UW - you are a bit ahead of me - how about you? Last time my doc wanted me to talk to someone about why I need AL - but where I live there is no chance of finding someone like that to talk to. I hate feeling like this - it is so not me. Can anyone shed any light on this for me please?

Hugs, Sun X

[Unwasted]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Sun, I have gone through what you're describing. I think it's because we're learning a whole new way of life. And, our brains think the only way for us to be happy is by drinking. My layperson's take on it is that until we can rewire our brains, we'll keep experiencing this down because the pleasure pathway we've created with alcohol is "looking" for that stimulation. Until we replace it with other things, though, we won't win the battle.

For a long time I thought to myself that I would rather struggle with the downside of alcohol to have that happy buzz, even if it lasted a short period of time. But, the depression and anxiety that the alcohol caused ended up outweighing the pleasure I got from alcohol by a long shot. Toward the end of drinking I didn't even get much upside at all, really. I think if we don't indulge ourselves in "euphoric recall" and we're honest, we have to admit that drinking wasn't nearly as positive as we sometimes let ourselves think.

I think you're going to have to give it a long time if you want to get off the alcohol roller coaster. Life is inherently a struggle to some degree. But I can just say that the more I'm AF, the more the other bad feelings of being deprived go away.

Also, I think at some point the antid's become a negative. You should read up on it.

Please don't get discouraged - remember how long we've been drinking - most of us for decades. We have to give ourselves a lot of time to heal and rework those grooves in our brains.

Do you exercise? That's a biggie for me.............Anyway, we are here for you!

:lilheart:

[BlondeAFAmbition]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

May I join you March Motivators!? UW, thanks for starting this up. I love your inpsirational posts! Today marks 9 days and so I am almost at double digits. I dunno...for some reason, getting into the doubles really psychs me up! And I, like you, love racking up the days. So good to see our progress.

Hi Pinecone and SunshineDaisies! Let's make it a great month, shall we? PS, sorry you are down...remember, AL would only make it worse. Maybe go back to basics and list the things in life you are grateful for. That always works for me to get me out of feeling blue. And before you know it, I am kissing myself for being the outstanding orb of energy that I am...and that you are too.

Have a kind and loving day everyone!

[sunshinedaisies]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hi there UW and Blonde - thanks for the input - UW I have PM'd you. Blonde - it is great to have you here. the more the merrier! And go you on 9 days - that is awesome! i found the first few days were the hardest so to get through those is the first hurdle!! Stick with us here and together we can all get you through the ones to follow!! Oh - I am so grateful for everything I have in my life - I have no reason at all to be down which in my head makes it even worse! But I shall overcome this - I will!! Love that you kiss yourself for being an outstanding orb of energy - what a lovely way of putting it! :H

sun X

[WineWrangler]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Good Morning, Unwasted thanks for starting this thread, I appreciate your positive attitude ad interesting post, I'm in for March. Sunshinedaisies, without drinking we all have a lot more time on our hands. I have found a renewed intreats in some of my old hobbies, fishing, hiking, photography or maybe take up a new one. Dwelling on the fact that we can no longer drink can make us feel depressed. Spring is in the air (here anyway), the trees and early flowers are starting to bloom. Time to get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors.
Take Care WW

[GingerDust]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hi all. Thanks for starting the thread, UW. Welcome Blonde and Pinecone. I'm in for March too, WW.

Sun, I've noticed that I'm not very good at giving myself things to look forward to. I think that's part of the reason I get down in the dumps. Do you have things that you look forward to doing, something that's a treat for you?

Just a quick flash post as I gotta run. I'll check in later. Have a great, sober day everyone!

[K9Lover]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Wow! This thread is up and moving already...I love it! I'm glad to see everyone here, and welcome Winewrangler! I can tell March is going to be a good month.

Sun-I know exactly how you feel...I am normally so happy and bubbly and over the top sometimes. LOL But then unexpectedly things seem to shift mentally and I just feel so low, and can't pinpoint why. I am sure it's all part of our brains re-wiring. We spent YEARS killing brain cells and hiding from our emotions, it's kind of a jolt when our brains have to start processing things sober. My doctor has prescribed me Celexa which is for depression and long term anxiety. I told her I don't feel depressed, and she said that I should try it anyway. I haven't been on it 6 weeks yet, but I feel a bit more stable I suppose. Not that I'm a loose cannon or anything without it. LOL Seriously, I don't mean to make light of the situation, but sometimes we ARE down and slightly depressed and don't even realize it. I hope you can find a solution, and if nothing else, just ride it out, and I am sure you will be back to your Pollyanna ways in no time. :l

UW - I really appreciated your post on the stages of relapse too...and I totally identified with the "euphoric recall". After all the SH*T I've been through with alcohol, I still think of it fondly from time to time. Now how in the hell can that make ANY sense? It doesn't!!! And that is addiction in a nutshell.

Ok my Marvy Marchers, hang in there and lets kick some ass this month!

xoxo
K9

[Unwasted]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hi Blonde! Glad you joined us......so happy to hear that you're stringing together some AF days - great job. You've been down this road, so you know the ropes. I really hope this is your quit because if you can make it work, you'll be much happier, I promise. The trick is to not cave before you start putting together some serious time. At least that's how it's worked so far for me. And, remember the stages - being aware of them helps us identify where we're at and not fall into the trap again.

The Developmental Sequence Of Recovery
Notice the developmental nature of this recovery process: (1) stop using alcohol and drugs, (2) replace addiction centered living with sobriety-centered living, (3) interrupt addictive and compulsive behaviors, (4) replace addictive thinking with rational sober thinking, (5) learn to identify and manage feelings and emotions, and (6) change the self-defeating core beliefs about ourselves, others and the world that we learned as children.

This model of recovery suggests that relapse is more than just alcohol an drug use. It is a process that can occur at each level and progress from one level to the next.

Sun, I think your down times are just the normal ebbing and flowing - I PMd you. I don't have any answers except the main things for me have been (1) quitting alcohol (2) learning to appreciate the very smallest things in life and not seeking happiness outside myself. Those two things have made a big difference in my being satisfied and appreciative of life. It's so amazing that we're here at all - think of the odds of that little sperm and egg uniting to make us! One in a gazillion, so let's make the most of it!!:H Or, as Blonde says:

I am kissing myself for being the outstanding orb of energy that I am...and that you are too.

What an absolutely lovely thought!

So glad to see all you guys here - this is going to be a great month with super people on this thread!

[free at last]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

I haven't posted for some time, but have been reading others' posts. I keep managing a few AF days each month but know if I can get past two weeks AF, I might be able to make a full month AF. Then, who knows. So today, I will not drink.

[K9Lover]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Welcome Free At Last!
We're glad to have you here! I'm glad you've made the decision not to drink today, how are you feeling? The first few days are hard, but you can get through it. Keep us posted ok?
K9

[WineWrangler]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Free at Last, you've come to the right place, lots of support and people with the same struggle. With me I think something just clicked after I drank way to much NYE. Enough is enough! Strangely I really haven't had the craving to drink sense, not that I don't have my struggles with insomnia, anxiety, etc. I was a weekend warrior for years. I find with the more days of sobriety I gain the more I want, almost the way booze was?

[choice]

MARCH MOTIVATORS

Hey everyone! Happy March! Unwasted I have been thinking of that recovery post since I saw it. Also wanted to congratulate you on reaching your goal!!! I'm excited for March. I had a very stimulating February. Mostly all good!! I got married, had my family travel to where I live, had my honeymoon... Big stuff I've really been wanting for a long time. BUT I also had a slip. The only one since I found MWO. I was a year and 6 months AF and one week ago today I spied an open bottle of wine left over from one of our guests up high on a shelf. It was a glass shy.. but I drank the rest of it... it caused me to get drunk, have a hangover, and riddled me with guilt and anxiety, panic.. all horrible feelings I hadn't felt in such a long time and thought I'd left in the dust. I was very hard on myself and have just started to feel kinda normal again. Anyhoots.. I've been yammering on about it for an entire week here in MWO all over the boards mostly because I am keeping this to myself. My new husband is also an alcoholic and I have decided to deal with this on my own. Main reason being... he could slip.. which could cause me to slip again. SO.. here I am. Back on the wagon. I have to say.. I have missed all the wonderful people here in MWO and have enjoyed meeting more this past week.. My posts won't be always this long... yeeks. I just feel like I need the extra support starting off my new life married AF. :thanks: