Newbies Nest

[Pavati]

Newbies Nest

MAE, All:

Byrdlady;1665528 wrote: Morning, Nesters!
I will be sweating worse than Paris Hilton at a spelling bee!

:H Byrdie, you crack me up. Maybe a pair of overalls and a straw hat??

Welcome back, Minderaser! Sticking close to home those first few days is a good call.

To avoid the "I really wasn't all that bad - I didn't do XXXX" I look back at my journal and posts from the early days to conjure my feelings from that week that I finally decided to ask for help. I NEVER want to go back there again. I also adopt my Lavitude - remember all the good things in my life I have because of dumping alcohol. And finally, I read here (especially the "you know you're an alcoholic when..." thread. I didn't do a lot of those things, but I did do some of them, and I did some other things as well. Yes, I was that bad. Yes, I need alcohol out of my life.

I was reading a blog and the writer had been given the advice (was is Vale or Carr?) to substitute "banana" for alcohol in any sentence when you're trying to decide if you have a problem. "I only eat bananas on the weekends and special occasions." "I try to limit myself to two bananas a day, but sometimes I lose track and have four or five," etc. You get the point.

Pepper - way to go! Maria, nice of you. Welcome back, Minderaser.

5,000 pages is a lot of waffling. I've contributed my share...

Sleep tight,

Pav

[Mr Vervill]

Newbies Nest

Pav,
Love the banana thing, sure does kick up the absurdity factor.

[Maria1967]

Newbies Nest

Peppersnow, I hear you. I know all about drama at work and backstabbing and betrayal, its tough, I am living through this also.

I gave up drinking in 2007 and stayed off it for three years through the help of AA. In the meantime, I divorced my husband. In 2010, I met a man and fell head over heals in love. I started to drink a little again when in his company however I was very weary of it. I started my current job in February 2013. Since then I've gradually started to drink more and more and over the past few months, I find myself buying the bottle of wine on my way home from work. There is always alot of drama at work. This week however, I have weathered the storm and remained calm.

I read through the Toolbox here before I closed my eyes last night. The one piece of advise that really jumped out of my computer was the words 'I dont drink', this to me is very powerful. My desire to not drink is extremely strong at present, so strong, there are no cravings.

Last week whilst laying in my bed, I asked my guardian angel for help. I think they've answered my prayer by directing me to this site.

Maria

[daisy45]

Newbies Nest

Juja, love that line - 'healing and dealing'!
Peppersnow, shit happened! - and look at you! You dealt with it; now that is something!
At day 17 I have to say I am now getting a great nights sleep. I am a night owl anyway but now I feel myself dropping off and asleep so quickly - also a deep sleep - can't hear my daughter when she gets up early. I thought I was a little and light sleeper; turns out alcohol affected more than I thought......
Anyone in their first week, keep going, it gets better!

[minderaser]

Newbies Nest

Morning guys,

Day 2 over here in northern england.

I slept suprisingly well last night, I used a guided sleep meditation I found on spotify as i saw meditation recommended on the tool box, and it worked pretty well I think. First time I've tried anything like that.

Mr Vervill;1665843 wrote: Pav,
Love the banana thing, sure does kick up the absurdity factor.

Here in the UK, there used to be an anti-smoking ad where people would stand outside pubs etc blowing those party horn things that unfurl (definitely not a technical term) to show how ridiculous would be. you reminded me of it haha

[Eloise]

Newbies Nest

Good luck to you Maria. You can do this and thanks for posting ur story.
It is good for me to see how fragile a quit can be, even a very long and committed one. Things can change in a heartbeat, and we don't even really need a dramatic reason for it. We think 'i'm cool, I can handle one little glass of wine. No big deal.' Best not though, agreed.
Quitting for 3 years is positively amazing and no one can take that from you. It remains a big accomplishment. Now, what is next for you is the question! Onward and upward I would say!

[Sarah42]

Newbies Nest

Hey all...just a quick check-in and hello from me...lots to do today as hubby getting ready to go out of town.

I haven't felt well the last 2 days as my acid reflux kicked up., but I'll get better soon.

The St John's really helps (along with L-Glut) with the drinking...

anyway...will check back soon...

Good job to everyone on here doing so well! Welcome to the newcomers!!!

[frances]

Newbies Nest

Good morning all!

Pepper, I can relate to getting through something and thinking later how AL never even crossed my mind and being surprised about it later. It's such a great feeling! You really are getting into your new normal! That's not to say you will never have cravings again, but they do get so much fewer and far between which is sooooo nice.

Hi Sarah good to see you. Eloise, Juja, Minderaser, Mr. Vermil, Daisy, Maria, Orimus, Petrel, Roxane, Ginger, FF, Rahul, Jvo, Pav, Lav, Ava, Byrd - and anyone else I missed - I just wanted to say it is so nice to have you all here!

Frances

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters,

Juja, you reminded me of myself telling my husband that I didn't want to be his shrink or mother It's taken him four long years out on his own to figure that out but he has, I think. In those four years I have done my own healing & strengthening & you will too

pepper, great job yesterday!
Nice that you can escape from work hassles for a few minutes & calm your mind

Greetings to everyone! Sending wishes for a terrific AF Thursday for all!

Lav

[Juja]

Newbies Nest

Lav, I can't tell you the number of times I've told my husband I'm not his mother. He'll hear it again tomorrow night when he comes over to move an AC (I'm giving that one second thoughts), and to discuss the fact that our house needs painting. The heavy s*** is starting to hit the fan, as I knew it would, and my heart and gut are heavy. I'm anxious, too, this morning. It's handled best without AL. Clear head needed.

pepper, Great job on handling the situation at work. I'm glad you were able to calm down. Very happy you didn't drink.

Maria, 3 years is amazing. You can do it again. Have you considered returning to AA, as well as sticking with us?

daisy and minderaser, Sleeping well is at the top of my list of the benefits of not drinking. Lord, that sweet, uninterrupted sleep is the best.

Hello to all.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Hi all,
I didn't get home until 8:30 last night. I left my customer's site at 3:30. In the old days, I would have just found a hotel, checked in, started drinking at 4 and gotten up this morning to drive home. That would have been a day wasted from just driving!!! Driving past 5 o'clock was nearly unheard-of 3+ years ago. Boy howdy, things are sure different now, and ALL BETTER!

So glad to hear the success stories and just the tales of life going on here. Keep up the great work everyone! Byrdie

[NoSugar]

Newbies Nest

Something is weird . Byrdie posted something here but it doesn't show up on my screen. Let's see if this appears...

[Cherokeer]

Newbies Nest

Back again, still trying to stop drinking for good. I realize now I have a problem. I just don't know how not drink anymore. I feel helpless and frustrated. I know it's about choices and some days I want to drink so badly. I don't drink every day but I want to. I don't know how I became this flawed broken person.

[gracieb]

Newbies Nest

*Hugs* Cherokeer.

I was wondering how you were.

[Cherokeer]

Newbies Nest

Hey Gracie, I've been failing. I'm trying to get myself in a better place. I've went back to church, a place I've been too ashamed to go to for the last year. I'm trying to deal with the guilt and humiliation that has become such a part of my everyday life. I finally admitted to my husband that I know I have a problem and I can not moderate. I drink I get drunk I don't remember the next day. AL is all around me. I don't know how to really not drink. The days I don't I'm just waiting until I can. I'm so ashamed and don't know how to start. I have no control over AL. Wow that was hard to admit. But true none the less. I've gained so much weight so that just adds to the misery that is me. I'm just so sad.