AF Anyone??

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Hey Welcome :welcome:
SoCal Betsy, would love to have you join the AF wagon. I felt pretty bad this morning myself so Day 1 for me - yippee!!

Will, you sound fantastic! I am so happy that you are having such an enjoyable AF time so far. The sleep thing should sort itself out in a week. I am normally sleeping like a baby by day 5 or 6. Tend to be a bit tetchy with my other half during the first week as he is a mild snorer Yes and like you I do become a lot calmer and happier after the first few days. I guess it's because life is a whole lot easier and more pleasant when we aren't hungover or thinking about the next drink. Good on you
:goodjob:

x

[Cinders]

AF Anyone??

Amelia,

You've made it through Day 1, right? It is getting pretty late there right now..

Yea!!! :goodjob:

So Cal Betsy, Welcome and please do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have.

Will - Good on you for Day 4. Yes. I agree wholeheartedly with Amelia, sleep gets better and better as you go along. For some it is worse than for others. However, 2 hours less a night is not too bad because you are actually getting SLEEP now, rather than passing out, which is actually NOT sleep.

Just wanted to add my two cents and support to all here.

Love,
Cindi

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Hey Cindi, not through the day yet over here....its 5.20pm.
x

[Cinders]

AF Anyone??

Amelia,

Oh, right. I keep thinking about Australia.

I am so Time Zone challenged.

5:20? Damn, the "witching hours"

You need help, pm me, Okay??

I am here.

Love ya!! You can do this!!
Cindi

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Didn't make it Cindi....
Will go for Day 1 again tomorrow.
xx

[debruce]

AF Anyone??

Morning all,
Day 2 for me today.
Today I will not drink
xx

[diane52]

AF Anyone??

I'm still here in day 2. Trickier in some ways because I think I'm OK I am not as vigilent in guarding my thoughts. At the grocery just avoiding the aisles with wine like the plague, but I made it. Sorry today didn't work out Amelia. Fingers crossed for tomorrow for you that you get through it cause that's what you want and for me that I stay AF cause that's what I want.
So happy for everyone who is managing this. I am feeling unashamed today. My eyes not so bleary. Didn't have to put nearly so many eye drops in... My kids tell me I'm a good mom and today I actually believe I'm a good enough mom. When they say it I don't cringe inside thinking, oh no I'm not.
Anyway thanks for the support. I'm here and will keep checking in tonight. I mean it's only 1:03. But I'm not going out again so no possibility of picking anything up. I know. Never say never. I'll be careful.
good thoughts,
Diane

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Hey Diane, I am so happy that you are feeling a lot better already.
I feel constantly embarrassed about drinking, so I get what you say about feeling 'unashamed' after having some AF time. How amazing just feeling 'normal' feels...
I am suspecting though that you are probably a pretty good mum most of the time,.....perhaps you just beat yourself up a lot cause your self esteem has been hammered by drinking???
Keep checking in.....I will get there again myself - PROMISE.

Debruce - feel really happy for you being on Day 2!!! Yep, I know how hard it is to do Day1 so WELL DONE and keep it up.

xxx to everyone else.
XX

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Prose, how are you doing honey??
xxx

[prose]

AF Anyone??

Hey Amelia,
I am fine, not af but not too crazy either, I had unexpected company so haven't even looked at my computer for a couple of days, now it is back to the grindstone with work kids exercize etc,
but it does feel kind of good! I seem to need routine
I haven't had much time to catch up on posts so hope you are all well, happy new year to everyone, special hello to the new people here, and another special hello to those I have "met"
hope to have more time tomorrow!!
P

[AMELIA]

AF Anyone??

Hi Prose, glad to read that you have been busy with company.
I am not AF either (yet) but really want to be.
I know what you mean about routine. I went back to work today dragging my heals, but once I got in there and started doing 'my stuff' the productivity really lifted my spirits.
Happy New Year again.
xx

[Not Happy Hour-Happy Life]

AF Anyone??

I'm 43 and a mom of four, and I quit cold turkey right after Thanksgiving. It has been one of the hardest things to do, but I have the support of my husband in this sobriety journey... and yes, he still drinks.

My secret life: at 5 pm, it was "Beer O'Clock", and my 10 year old son would run out to the garage fridge to get a Miller Lite for me. I'd continue to work on my laptop, and I'd get another beer or two before my husband got home (between 6:30 and 7 pm). I'd make dinner, and uncork a bottle of wine. I'd only have two glasses with dinner, and cork the rest for tomorrow. My husband would make two tall drinks (Sailor Jerry Rum- 92 proof- and Diet Coke, with a lime).... he'd drink the first one, and then fall asleep before drinking the next one........... so, I'd have to drink the second one, because throwing away a drink is Alcohol Abuse, right?

After I swigged down his drink, I normally refreshed it. Then, I'd stumble to bed, and wake up with a horrible headache. I'd promise myself that I wouldn't drink tonight.
Yep, this was an everyday routine- not just every now and then. So, when I did quit cold turkey, it was hell. I'd wake up in the wee hours, and I'd just cry. Some of my tears were because it was so hard~ I didn't realize that stopping would be "hard". But truthfully, most of the tears were pity-party tears... if I couldn't drink anymore, what would my life be like with my drinking husband? And, if I admitted to the world that I was an alcoholic, but I later wanted to drink again, wouldn't my friends and family judge me? I felt like I was intentionally making myself a social outcast.

So, few people know that I've "stopped drinking". I've replaced the Miller Lite with German Non-alcoholic beer (Clausthauler, Paulaner, Becketts). When my husband goes to bed, I go to bed at the same time. Even if it's only to read, at least I'm not sitting in the family room near the liquor cabinet! When my husband is done with his first drink, he won't make a second one to take to bed, which is a HUGE lifesaver for me. Now, I'm exercising in the morning, and grateful for the lack of hangovers...... no more mid-afternoon naps, either!

Diane, I see myself in you, and thanks for sharing your story. You can do this, too! :h
On New Year's Eve night, I broke down and cried on my daughter's shoulder (she's 17), because I was afraid I wouldn't make it through the night without drinking. And on New Year's Day, I was so proud of myself for my accomplishment... but yet, embarrassed at the same time that I considered it an Accomplishment, you know?

Some people need a Higher Power to help themselves, which is great if it works. What I needed to do, though, was to believe in ME. So, I took some pictures of me with my family (they are about 5 years old- my "Before" pics), and I've strategically placed them in my life. There's one in my book, as a bookmark- so when I'm reading late at night, I don't sneak off to the liquor cabinet. I put one in my car, on my visor- so if my car decides to "detour" to the liquor store, I remember. Another one is in my planner- so when my friends ask me to go to Happy Hour, I remember. Another one is in my wallet- so when I'm paying for groceries, I remember. I remember that I have much to give BACK to my family. I remember that I'm taking control of my life. The past is gone forever, but I can offer the future to my kids. It's my choice. My 10 year old deserves better.

I'm afraid of tomorrow, because if I lose my vigilance, I know I'll stumble right back into the same old routine. That's the most horrific thought- that I'll disappoint my family.

[cuckoosnest83]

AF Anyone??

Prose, Cindi, Amelia, Wakupmom, so glad to see the thread going strong and that everyone seems to be doing well. Hurry back wakup. We miss you. Amelia and Prose, I agree with you in that I need structure or a routine to help.

I feel like I have missed so much in only a day. Will, debruce, diane, socal, bluequad, masquerade, planetjanet, glad to see you all join and hope to see you post often on this thread. Look forward to seeing you around on the boards too. Wishing each of us success as we work to control this addiction.

Sweetpea, thank you for stopping by. Will look for you on Fireworks. Take care and be kind to yourself.

love, Cuckoo

[cuckoosnest83]

AF Anyone??

Patty, thank you for a lovely post. Hopefully, I too will be joining you soon in a happy life not a happy hour.

[maggiemoo]

AF Anyone??

Amelia and cookoo...thanks, my son and his wife are better. It always goes like this....he makes the changes and life is fine for awhile. They are in counseling so I pray that they both get help from this. She really isn't a bad person. When she is herself, she is sweet, funny and I love her. She is on an antidepressant but not lithium. She hasn't been formally diagnosed. My ex, my son's father, has the same thing so we've both had experience there but...... I love her when she is sick as well but it just gets harder at that time. I just have to take it as they do...a day at a time and hope that all is well for awhile. I was such a basketcase for a week or two worrying about them that I wasn't even making any sense to myself. I'm sorry if my posts were a little weird. Since I know they are safe for awhile, perhaps I can be more at peace as well. thanks.