Newbies Nest

[Kradle123]

Newbies Nest

Hello Wonderful Nesters :h

Day 8 here with no end in sight. Feels almost like that therapy coach crew uses.. NLP? I think? All I have to do is think of my cousin, alone and....
And AL makes me sick to my stomach

JDG you crack me up ! Your tush is firmly placed. I know you won't fall!

June you are COMPLETELY rockin' it! And it seems like you just got here! :yay:

Birdie I need the Byrdie Choclear Implant when I go out to Summer BBQ's !:l.

Nurse- I love your strength, your incredible courage and tenacity. And I love having a full time Nurse on Duty!

Long Day...Safe and sound at home

Sleep tight:h

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters!

Had a busy day, got a lot of things done including a very long chat with my nephew concerning his Dad's passing. Looks like I'll be having a chance to visit with nephew near the end of the month. The last time I saw him was at my son's wedding nearly 7 years ago.

Thinking back, I had drinking dreams & smoking dreams going on at the same time. It's a wonder I didn't completely lose my mind

Wishing everyone a safe night in the Nest!
Lav

[piper123]

Newbies Nest

I usually get my hair cut at cheap places but lately it's been looking like it, so I made an appointment for a good haircut at a nice salon i've never been to. As I was checking in, I was offered a soda, water or wine? With the price of the haircut, I usually would be extra thankful for the wine, sort of made up for some of how much it cost. Normally, I would have caved, even after starting to be af, but my day one must've been the worse than I thought because I just.can't.go.there. Hope everyone is having a good night. Hopefully I'll sleep tonight. Oddly, I slept on and off the first night so I got Ibuprohen pm for last night and literally woke up 4 hrs later and couldn't go back to sleep. Tried again last night and never even got to sleep. I think I'm going to skip it tonight. Good night:O) piper

[Tess-2]

Newbies Nest

Dear Sweet Nesters,

I'm home. First thing I encountered was the current News on TV about the firefighters who lost their lives. I cried. Hubs said, "You're too sensitive." I didn't say a word. But I am left wondering how one can be "too sensitive" about 19 people who die a terrible death. I think I will walk to any neighbor's house (they are all willing to take me in) and see if there is someone willing to cry with me.

Once I have cried I will come back home and water my new backyard plants. They need love too. They're looking sadly droopy. I will give them lots of water and plenty of talk. Sounds crazy, I know. But they like it when I talk to them.

Then there are my dogs. I've been gone. They have missed me, I can tell. Yes, Hubs has provided wonderful food and walks and the best of care. Only one thing possibly missing: genuine acknowledgement of their "canine-ness" and a romp in the dog park with laughter and toys to retrieve.

And then, ALL of my dear friends here in The Nest. I have missed you so much. I will (hopefully) have a chance to reconnect over the next few days.

Stay strong. Know that you are loved. Be absolutely true to who you are. Nothing else matters!! :heart:

[Bella]

Newbies Nest

Morning All. Thanks for yr encouragement...esp.broken halo..cravings only last 15mins or so. Its day 3 for me. Woke up after having vivid dream and was talking in my sleep so much woke my husband!! Feeling bright today eventhou ive got the consequences of my drunken actions on sat hanging over my head..fingers crossed all will be ok. I am def going to think about wot alcohol will do to my mind when im having a craving..this incident will not leave me but let hope im not a complete idiot and learn frm it. All is ok. Going to therapist tonite..dreading it and looking forward to it. Just want to say thanku to all who post here in newbies.. u r helping me and im listening eventhou i dont always reply personally. Happy Wednesday and im sending my positive wednesday thoughts to u all. Xxxxxxxxx

[allankay]

Newbies Nest

JDG, dreams where you still drink I think are very common.

I had them for the first 6 months almost on a weekly basis. Usually I would have a spiked drink or have one accidently and then think to myself S**T I just ruined my quit. Then I would wake up feeling the guilt and it would take me a good few minutes to realise that it was just a dream

Allan

[little beagle]

Newbies Nest

Glad you're home Tess.
Byrdie I've had to use a version of that script with a friend. Our friendship didn't end but I bet he doesn't try that again. I wasn't nearly that nice. And I will do it again. I never want to go back to the mess my life was before.
Have a great af day everyone.

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters

No sunshine here yet, but there's always hope!

Glad you are home Tess!
We all understand feeling vulnerable & emotional. When you need a hug, come here :l

Little beagle, it takes time but at some point the people around you will realize that you are indeed damn serious about not drinking. Good job!

Wishing everyone a good AF Wednesday!
Lav

[Nursie]

Newbies Nest

Awwww Kradle! You just made my heart smile!
I love you guys. You give me so much courage and strength. Together we can do it.

I learned of a dear friend who had 12 years sober who relapsed hard and lost her job. I am so sad for her and so humbled by the insidious mess this disease can create. Another friends daughter relapsed and awoke in a hospital bed having been beaten with a baseball bat but has no memory of who or why. She has brain damage and many broken bones.

We can never forget why we chose to be sober. And we can never ever forget how bad it could be if we take another drink.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Good morning, Nesters!
Nursie, you are so right, we are all one drink away from being right back in the pits of ALCOHELL. I remember day one so well...I just can NOT go there again. It is much easier to maintain than to start from the bottom again. Keep your quit going no matter what!! It IS the most important thing in my life. Everything else crumbles without it....all you have to do is look around this site for about 2 minutes and you will find it. If AL doesn't get you today, it's going to get you. The sooner you put it behind you the better. Don't let AL take one more day of our precious lives!! It's too short as it is!

Battle stations!! Protect your quit as if it were a pile of money!! Have a wonderful Hump Day! Byrdie

[MikeInMass]

Newbies Nest

Hello. I am new here and was told this is the thread to come to for the newbies. My name is mike and my drinking started at 17, off and on until about 27 then I started everyday going from less than 12 beers to then anything I could get my hands on. That is what started the hard liquor turning to mostly whiskey a whole handle a day at times, usually tried to stop but the withdrawls were too painful. My age now is 41 and and trying again for about the eighth time. The ER is tired of seeing me since they seen me many times and all I get is a 4 hour wait and fluids and get sent home with a 3 day supply of benzos. So here I am attempting it again. It is Day 4 and still feeling lousy, the worst is I haven't eaten in all these days and the shakes, heart races. you know all that stuff. Someone did message me a video to watch on youtube that makes my quit want to stay even longer. it was called "Drugged: Hooked on Alcohol" was sad the boy was 28 and he died from the bottle. Just introducing myself and just waiting for these withdrawls to go away. The worst part is the cravings since I know all this pain could go away with me buying another bottle.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Hey MikeinMass! Welcome to the Newbie's Nest....by Day 4, you should be over the worst parts of it. I felt flu like for the first couple of weeks, but it wasn't 'sending me to bed' bad. You just have to expect to feel like shit for the first several days, as I'm sure you know.
No Sugar had some really good posts a few days ago about addiction and why we get addicted and such...I'll go see if I can find those for you....but she summed it up by saying, "Addiction is chasing the relief that maintains the distress". Ain't that the truth. Try and eat something, are you craving any types of foods? I wanted potato chips and chocolate....I ate them, too. Drink lots of water! If this is your 8th big quit, you know what to do, but this time, let's make it your last one so you won't ever have to be here again! There are 7 years' worth of posts here in the Newbie's Nest, so look back and I imagine you will see yourself many times over. Also, check out the Tool Box, link is in my Byline below. Stay close to us, and write out your feelings, it really helps....I'll go find that post from NoSugar....hang tight, and great job on your 4 days!!!

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Mike, I found the post in the Tool Box!! Here it is...

Repost

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Quote:


Originally Posted by NoSugar View Post

Hi, Nesters

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time learning about the neurobiology of addiction (I know, NERD!). Understanding the science better makes it easier for me to accept what happened.

Anyway, I'll spare you all that but there was one phrase used that for me, really captures the agony that most of us are in at the point we seek out an online forum such as this:

Addiction is chasing the relief that maintains the distress.

The other take-home lesson was that although we can repair our brains in many ways from the damage done by alchohol, the circuits we formed remain intact, much like those for riding a bike. Therefore, the potential for relapse (quickly back to a high level of intake) is permanent. And, has been discussed many times on MWO, relapses become sequentially worse.

So, stick close, get this DONE and don't go back!

NS

Addiction isn't muscle memory, like riding a bike, but just like those motor circuits can stay intact and ready to go (even while abstaining from bike riding ), the emotional and cognitive circuits involved in addiction are just waiting to be reactivated.


Related links:

The Neurobiology of Addiction Part 1 - YouTube. There are 5 parts
Close to Home - Science: Interview with George Koob
Close to Home - Science: Interview with Alan Leshner
Close to Home - Science: Interview with Steven Hyman
YouTube
Dr. Nora Volkow | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/node/63901



EDIT: RATS, most of my links didn't work....this is in the Tool Box, check the 'last page' of entries, if it isn't the last one in there, it's close to it, she just recently posted it. Sorry about that!!! Byrdie
__________________
The wound is the place where the Light enters you. Rumi
AF since 24 January 2013

[MikeInMass]

Newbies Nest

Thanks ByrdLady. Good reading and it makes a lot of sense about addiction. Its so hard where even going to go pick up my meds at the pharmacy, theres beer and wine everywhere. I thought at day 4 it would be over, this by far has been the worst with the withdrawls. It is getting better. The stupid things I did like drunk call and text people keep creeping up with me and the shame, even at 41 I was acting like a dumbass when I was drinking. I have to do this. I know it has affected my health. And yes I have been reading and reading posts on this site. It has been my best friend through this!

[Daily wine]

Newbies Nest

MIM,
I have done the drunk calls and texting many times and it is shameful but don't let that bring you down you have to be positive for yourself. Do things to help you gain better health and keep reading and posting. This is great support.
DW