Anyone in the First Week of Their Unpteenth Quit?

[NoraC]

Hello everyone -

SS - I'm glad that Ginger went & got you. We need you here!

Chief!!!! YAHOO!!!! Great job.

Cowboy - THANK YOU for that amazing post. That is very powerful and I'm going to save it. There are several memories that spring to mind that I do NOT want to repeat ore even remember.

So - I went to the Dr today. Told her that I've been struggling and that I've been using Antabuse again. I talked to her about Naltrexone and I got a prescription for it. I'll pick it up tomorrow. I know that it has helped a good friend of mine. She is taking it but not drinking. I am reading a couple of books about it. Getting information. I know that it's not a miracle cure but I am willing to give it a try. Along with all the support here and some blogs, I am feeling positive.

Ok - we're watching The Lego Movie so I've got to run...........

Pauly - what I am doing today instead of drinking:
1) I am reading a good book and I'm going to remember what I read

[paulywogg]

Hey all, Nora,I'm fighting with a grumpy toddler, but he's making me want a drink haha(kidding) took a antabuse,drinking lemon water, let me know how the Nal goes, my doc offered me that, hope everyone is having a nice night

[open halo]

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Haven't had a chance to read back but will do so soon, I was away in northern Ontario aka "the bush" for the long weekend. And guess what there was some snow! Hard to believe but it was there. Am feeling good and hope everyone else is as well. Sending some good vibes for a great week.:hug:

[open halo]

BIG CONGRATS DON!!! Very inspiring! :sohappy:

[actiongirl46]

Hi all, I had a lot more energy today but still feeling down. Blah.

I'm here, doing well, so busy with hubby gone and boys activities. Maybe once we all get our acts together we'll have to start a new thread?? No offense, SS, but some of us seem to be living up to your title right now!

Curious, how does antabuse help with your cravings? Pretty novice question, but does it just make you sick if you drink or does it also help with cravings??

[NoraC]

Antabuse does not help with cravings. You just know you CAN NOT drink. Period. Horrible, terrible reaction. Not something that you would ever risk.

[NoraC]

Sorry for such a short answer. Hubby came to bed and I needed to move my computer. Now i am on my kindle which is so hard to type on.

[SoberSoul]

[QUOTE=actiongirl46;1613597]Hi all, I had a lot more energy today but still feeling down. Blah.

I'm here, doing well, so busy with hubby gone and boys activities. Maybe once we all get our acts together we'll have to start a new thread?? No offense, SS, but some of us seem to be living up to your title right now! (QUOTE)

I here ya!! I'm staying here for now though because if I hadn't created this thread I would still be in hiding. I AM a repeat relapser. Ginger was also saying that if you are mostly sober and occasionally slip, just own it. Admit it and live with it if need be. Quite a refreshing change from the prevalent attitude of Oh No!! You ruined Everything!! So I am ten days minus one sober...

In the big picture we should just be proud of the fact we are actively fighting the good fight and winning a lot; losing some battles but winning the war!!

SNOW in northern Ontario!!!! No that surprising as Wednesday's forecast in the Ottawa region is down to 0 (freezing point in American Farenheit). It is really cold this morning with very gusty winds. Long pants and sweater today. Still hoping the rain comes as we have planted so much on our new property and it's all drying up.

Have a great day everyone.

[paulywogg]

Hey all, I was once told here to surround myself with people I wanted to be like, maybe thinking of ourselves as umpteenth quitters is somehow contributing to not staying quit? I'm just thinking out loud,not judging myself or anybody else, I do know that when the Loamers got their thread together, they basically made a pact to each other not to drink, now most of them are more than a year sober! I want that so bad

[SoberSoul]

Very good point Paulywogg, I would join a new thread with a pact involved. I work well with rewards like everyone agreeing to treat themselves to certain things at certain milestones. I am totally open to that and now that you mention it, having this thread is great for encouraging people to come out of shameful hiding after a slip but maybe not so great for continuity in sobriety.

Build it and they will come !! I'll wait for the new thread.

[BeachGirly]

Happy morning

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[jane27]

Pauly your post made me think of this quote :love:

[jane27]

BG- We're on the same page this morning...lol!

[Ginger999]

This thread has been an important place to come and lick our wounds after we fail. I've stuck around because I think it's important to offer support when that happens and make sure the person that comes here knows there is hope to reach their goal, if they chose to give up AL. I'm all good with a new thread but lets makes sure we continue to support this thread for people just like us that have tried umpteenth times to make their quit stick.

[jane27]

Hi guys,
Posted this in the nest and wanted to share it here too in case you don't see it there.

I wanted to share a tool I used that was particularly helpful to me during months 6-12 of my quit last year. It is a website (not a phone app) called MoodTracker.com. The developer created it as a tool to help his bipolar wife manage and understand her mood changes. It was helpful for me because during the years I drank, I mastered the art of maybe 3 moods max (great, horrible, ok/bored). Never spent much time in the OK/Bored mood because I used AL to springboard into one of the others (found it preferable).

Getting used to feeling so many different ways was the 2nd greatest challenge in my quit. (The first was getting through the uncomfortable 1st months and dealing with the craving.) Everyone is different- in my case it all felt foreign, and things that weren't such a big deal- felt like they were a big deal. It was unfamiliar territory and that made me anxious. The website allows you to identify and track your moods by checking the box that best applies. At the same time you can enter in data correlating depression level, anxiety/irritability and also the number of hours you slept the night before. As you collect more data you will be able to see a graph of how you are trending over time.

I quit in January and began using it in May. You can see my graph below. Months 6-10 were the tough ones. I wasn't used to having natural moods and it was uncomfortable at times. Using the website was a great help to me because 1) it provided me with a diversion 2) it helped me to feel like I was in control. By the time December (month 11) came around, I didn't use it much anymore. I think I finally felt comfortable with what I had learned by tracking the moods, and see the cycle repeat itself.

The website is Moodtracker.com There is a free version that works great. I opted for the paid version because I think it allows you to enter in 2 readings per day (morning and night), and also includes a journal. Can't say enough good things about it.