United Nations of MWO

[RunningCourage]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Enough of willies already! :haha:

Just seen this in the Grauniad (sweet fanny adams to do with boabys!): I’m surprised how happy I am after giving up alcohol | Catherine Gray | Opinion | The Guardian

[satz123]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Enough of willies already! :haha:

Just seen this in the Grauniad (sweet fanny adams to do with boabys!): I’m surprised how happy I am after giving up alcohol | Catherine Gray | Opinion | The Guardian

Good article - are you buying the book RC ?

[RunningCourage]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Good article - are you buying the book RC ?

On the wish list though appears not to be in stock at the moment.

[byebyebridgetjones]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Enough of willies already! :haha:

Just seen this in the Grauniad (sweet fanny adams to do with boabys!): I’m surprised how happy I am after giving up alcohol | Catherine Gray | Opinion | The Guardian

''Drinking alcohol for health benefits is like eating burgers for the gherkins''....that really made me laugh.

[Jude58]

Re: United Nations of MWO

As I was sitting on my back porch early this morning, my thoughts turned to where my life was almost a year ago. In a nutshell, it was pretty much a mess, and things were very dark. I would have a couple of strong bloody Mary's after my coffee, somehow drive to work, where I was pretty much useless, then drive home, sit in my chair, mug of wine in one hand, the tv remote in the other. Like so many here, I can't even begin to count the hours that I let slip away, locked in my little cocoon of escape and depression. There have been many holidays and events in the past year, all of them presenting challenges to someone newly sober. At first I felt left out for not being able to drink along with everyone else...they all seemed to be having a good time! As the days and weeks progressed, I started to look a little closer at all of those "happy people" Soon I began to notice the slurred words, the stumbling gait, and eventually, total incoherence. At some point, I decided that I was far better off staying sober, and that I was actually more social during these events, compared to when I had been drinking. Ironic, as I often drank to overcome my introverted nature, which usually backfired, and I became even more withdrawn.

For those of you just starting out, or struggling with powerful urges, sobriety is very doable. Whether it's one day, one hour or one minute at a time, just hold on a little longer, and laugh at all of those hung over folks who looked like they were having so much fun the night before!

[Pavati]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Jude, you sound so great. I love that speech.

At first I felt left out for not being able to drink along with everyone else...they all seemed to be having a good time! As the days and weeks progressed, I started to look a little closer at all of those "happy people" Soon I began to notice the slurred words, the stumbling gait, and eventually, total incoherence.

That's so true... It is like one of those visual puzzles - you think you know what's going on until you look a little closer... Thanks for posting that link, RC. I've been trying to buy that book for a while but it has been sold out.

[lifechange]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Hi Everyone!
I love this thread!:love: It's so full of useful, insightful, honest experience aka wisdom.. thank you to all who have contributed thus far.

and I loved that book! RC, if you want to PM me your address, I could send it to you. Or, if not, to you, Pav.. just let me know.
I just received another called, "Nothing good can come of this" by Kristi Coulter, who writes the off-dry blog (Off-Dry – I got sober. Life got big.), which I'm super excited to read.

Loved your post, too, Jude..it's so great to hear you so content, fulfilled, happy. I'm full of love today, I guess!

[RunningCourage]

Re: United Nations of MWO

''Drinking alcohol for health benefits is like eating burgers for the gherkins''....that really made me laugh.

I just buy the jar of gherkins.

[DriftyAlison0]

Re: United Nations of MWO

I would see if you can get the same benefits with NA beer (for me NA beer works) if not skip on it and find something else to benefit my health. I was out at karaoke tonight and the last time that I went I drank and was seeing this sober person and was wishing that I was her. Well this time I was her. I was sober and had so much fun. Never drinking again and if a friend does not get that I have decided to quit drinking all together rather than drink every now and then (which I know from my history how long that would have stayed. Not long at all. I was already returning to my obsessions and constant thinking of AL) then I guess I will have to lose them because my sobriety is more important. I want to regain the 7 years and this time, make it to 8 years and beyond.

And I looked at the drunk people and was so grateful that I was not one of them. I did not wish that I was one of them. I had no real big issues just that 1 time but it was small and quenched within seconds.

[abcowboy]

I was out at karaoke tonight and the last time that I went I drank and was seeing this sober person and was wishing that I was her.

That’s an interesting statement, one I’m sure we all thought about when we knew we had a drinking problem. I know at first I wished I could stop at 1 or 2, wished I could be like everyone else and be able to enjoy just one drink. It wasn’t till I got serious about getting sober and started going to AA that I knew I could never drink again that I wanted to be like them, I wanted what they had, a life without alcohol.

Listening to others talk about how they got through life without reaching for a drink whenever they hit a rough spot, or going out to a social function and enjoying themselves without drinking. And to be honest, I really didn’t believe I could be like them because I thought I wasn’t like them, I could control my drinking if my life were easier. When I realized my life would be easier if I didn’t drink, I knew I was just like them.

No one wants to look at themselves and think about being a failure, knowing that we’re not strong enough to get through everyday life without needing the drink that seemed to get us through. But we aren’t failures, we’re alcoholics, and when we accept that, we can start on our road to recovery, to be just like them….

[abcowboy]

not that the challenges made him drink - but that the drink caused his life by necessity to be challenged - chicken and egg ya know

I read this this morning and it made me wonder, where did it all begin? Did my problems start my drinking, or did my drinking cause my problems....

I started drinking when I was around 16, how many problems can a 16 year old have?? Sure there were social pressures, wanting to fit in and be like all my friends so I drank along with them. But I didn't drink constantly, I could go days, even weeks without drinking. Then came marriage and children, and my drinking ramped up. Then a big move from where I grew up to a new province and my drinking almost stopped. But as I took on more responsibilities at a young age, my drinking got worse, and continued getting worse, until drinking was causing my problems.

I'm not sure how it happened, not even sure if it really matters, but thinking back I'm sure I was destined to become an alcoholic. Life just became easier when I was drinking, or so it seemed looking through those rose colored glasses....

[satz123]

Re: United Nations of MWO

Drinking helps us avoid problems in the short term - just block out the world for a while.
I think , without exception, we all drank to feel better. A natural human need is to feel good and who can deny us that?.
We chose alcohol to do this. Doesn't make us bad people we just chose the wrong way to try feel good in a sometimes shiitty world.

I can't say I drank because I had problems - I drank for a number of reasons over the years :
* First to fit in socially ...
* I was unhappy within myself & the constant work, home kids.
* Still bored with life later on and when the kids were gone the opportunity to drink every day. So I took it !
* Mr S took no notice so I got away with it for a long time...

Not sure anything much has changed at home but since getting sober I have self-respect and more respect from family & friends.
I'm content to be boring 'ol fart but I'm not bored :haha:

[NoSugar]

Re: United Nations of MWO

I think we are different-side-of-the-ocean TWINKS!:

* First to fit in socially ... and supposedly for "health" benefits :upset:
* I was unhappy within myself & the constant work, home kids. I didn't think I was unhappy but obviously drinking must have made me feel better. So something was wrong.
* Still bored with life later on and when the kids were gone the opportunity to drink every day. So I took it ! I did not handle the empty nest at all well and took advantage of having fewer 'witnesses'.
* Mr S took no notice so I got away with it for a long time...You're also married to Captain Clueless :haha:??

[satz123]

Re: United Nations of MWO

I think we are different-side-of-the-ocean TWINKS!:

NS. You didn't ACTUALLY think you drank for health benefits ? :haha:
And my dopey husband not even noticing was probably half the problem ? Just didn't SEE me full stop.....

[mollyka]

Re: United Nations of MWO

The gas thing about Captain Clueless was that he WAS (clueless) at the time I thought he was all over my drinking - he'd come in from work and sigh deeply - me presuming he had smelled the grog - apparently not - at all - never??!! Ffs talk about paranoia!