Newbies Nest

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters,

Hello & welcome change & congrats on your two AF days
Stay close & let us know how you are doing.

Greetings to everyone & wishes for a terrific AF Thursday!
The discussion re moderation has always been touchy around the threads. Whether it's truly possible or not - I don't honestly know. I know it's not possible for me so I choose to stay away from AL. The founder of this site Roberta Jewell posted a while back that she was no longer moderating but abstaining. I guess it's a choice that we each need to make for ourselves

Have a great AF Thursday!
Lav

[Dottie Belle]

Newbies Nest

Morning all,
Off to eye surgery today...probably will be off line until tomorrow...did post to roll call...somehow i fell off the roll call yesterday..oh well I am fine so it was just a copy/paste thing I would imagine...
Last warm day here and back to fall weather tomorrow...had to come sooner or later..
I cant moderate...if that worked I wouldn't need this place I don't think...one leads to two and etc until the box of wine is gone by Sunday night...NO MORE.....
Dottie

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Best wishes to you today Dottie!
Will be thinking of you today :l

Lav

[Alcoholic]

Newbies Nest

Kuya:

The answer is probably very complicated too: opiates are more potent, opiates affect more specific receptors than alcohol, different receptors regenerate/reabsorbed at different rates, Route of administration (IV vs Po), tolerance occur at different rates, etc... No simple answers.


one side note, and this is my personal opinion only, I think the reason that we have been more successful w opiate and nicotine dependence meds (not the fight against them though) is because those substances target more specific receptors and neuropathways than alcohol does.

In terms of people drinking more when they return to drinking I have some theories of my own: 1. When one first stops drinking, his initial tolerance goes down, and so he enjoys that drink so much more because that the reward is higher than before, he eventually overshoots the previous mark (one could argue though if that person continued to drink, perhaps they would reach the same higher amount of intake anyway). 2. Perhaps it's like when you get an infection, your body develops antibodies, then you get re-infected by same bacteria, your body is more readily able to make those antibodies at faster rate to fight the infection. So replace infection w alcohol and antibodies w receptors to complete the analogy.

Those are just theories and frankly I myself don't even believe in my own theories!!! Lol! The thing is: I don't know. Research is still being done, we just have to wait and the answer may not come during our life time, but we can't so anything about that. What we can do is not drink today, right?

And kuya, what's HP?

[Alcoholic]

Newbies Nest

Good luck Dottie!

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

Good morning. Dottie, I hope your eye surgery goes well?. Patrick, I?m thankful that you join in in whatever way makes you comfortable. :-) Lav ? ?significant? accumulation is possible Monday and Tuesday here?.:yuk: Allan, I was wondering about you ? nice to see you again.

Gingersnap, welcome back! Quest ? congrats on 5 days!

Cat ? sounds like you might have something good happening with your sister?.Mine has been sober 5 years and never ever tried to tell me to stop?but years of seeing how well shes doing definitely had an impact?you?ve got the right approach. And love seeing your photo!

Hi to k9, Kuya, yogamom, alco, stumpy, caper, Audrey, irie, dogwood, dorothyfree, roonie, fin, byrdie-outdoorfins??ROFL!!!,

Habsfan, matchee, welcome ? you should now be on day 2 ! How are you feeling? Welcome too, pjsooner ? I think I missed your first post?

Change ? It?s a good book with lots of fresh perspective?I found it very helpful and enlightening even if I hadn?t been trying to quit?.I mean just the way that society looks at alcohol. I?m kind of a quietly do things on my own type of person ? even with my drinking?.so the quitting was that way too?.sometimes I wonder how it would have been different if I had been more open about things. But I?m pleased with the result ? and this place was my lifeline.

Starfish has a great point ? about the accountability?.this site can fulfill that role of being the ?one? that holds you accountable ? and it does a fine job of it.

Iama ? sooo happy to hear the kitty?s fine?.you did good. :-)
-lola

[Irie]

Newbies Nest

I feel awkward posting in the Newbies Nest, because I've been around for more than a year and a half. In some ways I've made incredible progres. I am no longer a daily drinker. Most weeks I have at least 3 or 4 AF days. But...I have so far been unable to reach my true goal of simply never taking another drink. Ever.

So, once again, I will give it my all. Today is day four. My lack of success so far says nothing at all about how important it is to me to succeed, or how hard I've tried. I will not rest until I finally break free from this addiction. Posting helps, so I'll be back. A little weary and discouraged, but I'll be back. And I know that each day that I remain AF will make it easier to succeed the next day. I look forward to making the journey with all of you.

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

Hey Irie, please don't feel awkward here....your honesty is always refreshing. And one of these times you will reach your goal. If posting helps - post. Don't stay away because you've been trying. If I had been posting to MWO all the years that I tried, and didn't succeed - I'd be a SUPER senior member - LOL! I guess what I'm saying is - I tried and tried and tried to cut back and control my drinking for a long long time before I found this site - and when I did, it took me quite a bit of time AF before I could think about "forever". So stick around and let's see about that Goal #1...:l

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

Catbuddy;1398859 wrote: Here's the view from the other side (and me after a trail run).

Cat

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ag93nzpm2od5zu4/Headlands.jpg

Nice! I love SF. I have a buddy who lives in Sausalito. When I'm in town he sails his 42' boat over to the ferry dock for a quick pick-up. We then go rip up the bay. Super fun and beautiful place you have there. Happy to see you enjoying it sober!

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

Caper;1398771 wrote: Hey, Fin! Your fly's undone. Sorry, just being silly. Don't have the stamina of RC!

"Stupid Human Tricks." Naw, it's fun. I have contests with my 13 yr old daughter who is a gymnast now. The old man's still got it!

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

Irie;1399201 wrote: I feel awkward posting in the Newbies Nest, because I've been around for more than a year and a half. In some ways I've made incredible progres. I am no longer a daily drinker. Most weeks I have at least 3 or 4 AF days. But...I have so far been unable to reach my true goal of simply never taking another drink. Ever.

So, once again, I will give it my all. Today is day four. My lack of success so far says nothing at all about how important it is to me to succeed, or how hard I've tried. I will not rest until I finally break free from this addiction. Posting helps, so I'll be back. A little weary and discouraged, but I'll be back. And I know that each day that I remain AF will make it easier to succeed the next day. I look forward to making the journey with all of you.

Go for it. I keep thinking about possibly going back to a moderate mode after 60 days, or so. Then I think, why? After 60 days what I'll want is to rip through a bunch of beers, not just one. Even if I do exercise my discipline and only drink one or two as is prescribed as "normal", I'll only be back in that stupid struggle...my mind totally preoccupied with trying to do the right thing -- to be good.

Let's face it. I enjoy the shit out of a nice buzz, but here's the thing -- if I drink one at a party, there's the initial buzz that's gone within 30 mins for me. So again, if I'm only allowed to have one or two, why fucking bother when I'll just end up sober again in an hour?? The exception being that I'll feel stupid for caving to such a ridiculous cycle.

I'm finding such empowerment with every day that goes by AF, that the thought of going right back to day one scares the shit out of me. It's like I'm building this palace of clarity and freedom around myself, my life. The scary thing is that it can crumble to the ground in one moment of carelessness.

Anyway, just some random considerations. Oh, and my strategy in awkward social situations, Stunt Beer -- get a beer bottle and just carry it around. Add water for the full Hollywood effect! I did this with a glass of wine last Sunday night and poured a little bit out here and there. I also left just enough so no one would ask if I needed a refill. No one had a clue and by the end of the night, I added another golden brick to my palace's foundation. Yes....

Be good,
-Fin

[matchee]

Newbies Nest

Good Points Fin.

That's where I usually end in trouble is when I think I can have a couple.

Well today is day 2 and I feel so much better than yesterday. I set my alarm to wake up and work out but woke up and was already sweaty so I knew I was still detoxing and didn't want to push it by going to the gym (it was also windy dark and rainy perfect laying in bed weather.)

Right now I'm sleeping in my daughter's bed while she sleeps with Mom who is absolutely disgusted with me. And I don't blame her- she's heard it all a million times.

Well good luck everyone and have a wonderful day.

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

matchee;1399221 wrote: Good Points Fin.

That's where I usually end in trouble is when I think I can have a couple.

Well today is day 2 and I feel so much better than yesterday. I set my alarm to wake up and work out but woke up and was already sweaty so I knew I was still detoxing and didn't want to push it by going to the gym (it was also windy dark and rainy perfect laying in bed weather.)

Right now I'm sleeping in my daughter's bed while she sleeps with Mom who is absolutely disgusted with me. And I don't blame her- she's heard it all a million times.

Well good luck everyone and have a wonderful day.

Hi Matchee,

Good to "meet" you. I donno your history, but I'm here to tell you that once your wife witnesses your commitment and the change that comes with it (you don't have to say a thing), she'll come around big time. Personally, I'm feeling so much closer to my wife this month as I actually have time to coherently catch up with her each day now that I'm AF.

Before it was all about chasing the buzz and getting through all the labors of the night with young kids, pets, dirty dishes, etc, etc. Anyway, I'd love to see you post to Roll Call and get on the wave many of us are enjoying right now. I'm here to tell you that with the support we have here, you won't need a 1,000,001th excuse to feed your wife.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Morning Nesters!!

I think the long termers here in the nest will agree that we consider this nest "a safe place to fall" (as Dr Phil would say). This is where we all work together to get you thru those first 30 days (and hopefully a lifetime) of Alcohol Free time!! There are plenty of threads discussing moderation and they are there for that purpose. Please don't get me wrong...this is not an ATTACK on the topic (GOD FORBID that someone would accuse me of that), but just here in this nest, we are focused on helping everyone get those 30 days in, come hell or high water...first things first as the saying goes. I will happily discuss moderation with anyone, but it will be a short conversation. Here in the NN, I believe the the task is to help each other with coping skills needed to endure those awful first few days...to get the mindset that we can go an hour without AL.

Irie...if they only allowed people here who got it right the first couple times...you and I would be over on the sidelines....as would MOST of the folks here. I'd have a full year added to my date below if I had. This is NOT a place of embarrassment, this is a place of trust and empowerment....Just like Patrick's song said...we are your parachute. It takes a leap of faith...and we will be right here with you.

It only takes a couple of AF days under your belt (drinkin joke) to feel like a whole new person! We are here to help you get there!!

Now put on your IndoorFins and prepare to fight! And Win!! Hugs to all....Byrdie

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

yeah, we all have those thoughts occasionally fin - great job on thinking it through to see how it would make you feel. Where do those thoughts come from? I still don't know.

aww...matchee...fin's right. Not only will your wife see and appreciate the effort you are making, and the change in you...but YOU will also see it and be proud of it. The difference in the person that I was when drinking...and the person I am today is just like night and day. I feel like a real person - confident in who I am...not the skulking around - living a secret life - ashamed and lying person.