Newbies Nest

[NoSugar]

I always hate it when folks disappear as you fear that they've gone back to drinking when they quit posting. Not the case here. I am just going to post more regularly on a site that has better forum moderators. Byrdie, I will drop in from time to time to read your inspiring posts to keep others strong. I have had a great ride here on MWO since 08!

Love & hugs,
~Addy

What site is that, Addy? I've looked at a couple others that would have been fine at the beginning but that looked like too much work to "start over". All the best, NS

[j-vo]

Great post Pepper! Thank you!

[crocster]

Good morning to the nest, and thankyou for the welcome Mattm, Lavande, and Byrdlady. Day one for me.

My plan is to replace drinking with activities that motivate me to continue not drinking. And to take Antabuse for as long as it takes to make healthy habits my new norm. The combination of a sedentary job and too much booze over too many years has added 35kg to my frame. After some point I gave up on doing what I needed to get fit and lose the weight and it became easier to sit in front of the TV with several glasses of wine and numb out.

I've now swapped the sedentary job for self employment as a lawnmowing contractor and it's time to leave the booze behind. I started drinking in my late teens to cope with crippling shyness and anxiety. That has fallen away a lot over the years (I'm 61 now) and I'm left with booze as a tenacious bad habit. I've never felt physically addicted to it. But it's become a crutch and my go-to remedy to handle (avoid?) Life!

My partner and I have also bought a couple of pushbikes and I'm rediscovering the simple joy of just getting out there. I may even buy some Lycra riding gear but you have my solemn promise that no pics of me in it will ever appear here (although they will be available on my website FatGuysinLycra.com for anyone whose boat floats at the thought :<)

I'm off now to check out a new lawnmower in racy Honda red and will check in again tomorrow.

Have a good day all.

[Guitarista]

Hello Nesters near and not so far.

Congratulations on tackling day 1 Crocster. Your plan and new career in lawnmowing sounds a beauty. Self employed, outdoors, physical. Good to shake that ass. All the best friend and good to see you here.

Cloudy outside here, but the grey sky's are few in my heart these days. Pourquoi? This sunnier disposition is directly linked, I say a direct result, of no booze.

Have a rippa out there y'all.

[rednose]

Hi All.
17 days 18 hours and then I blew it with one drink.
I have been dealing with depression and really felt like what the hell does it matter if I drink or not.
I know that does not make any sense because alcohol is a depressant. So here I am again starting at day one.
I did not get drunk, I only had one drink and I did not really enjoy it. So I have 17 days without alcohol I know I can do
it again.
Thanks for the support.

[NoraC]

Hi All.
17 days 18 hours and then I blew it with one drink.
I have been dealing with depression and really felt like what the hell does it matter if I drink or not.
I know that does not make any sense because alcohol is a depressant. So here I am again starting at day one.
I did not get drunk, I only had one drink and I did not really enjoy it. So I have 17 days without alcohol I know I can do
it again.
Thanks for the support.

Red - you did not blow it. You had 17 days 18 hours! That is HUGE!!!!! I had reached the point where I couldn't get 1 day in. So, you can do it again. Hang in there. Grab hold and start again. :hug:

[Guitarista]

I have been dealing with depression and really felt like what the hell does it matter if I drink or not.
I know that does not make any sense because alcohol is a depressant. So here I am again starting at day one.

Hi Red. Nothing can take away those AF days. Good job on those. Sorry you are dealing with depression. Do u know if depression is something you have going on anyway without booze in the mix? Either way, you are right that AL is a depressant and either way it will numb us at first, but then the other side effects kick in which are the down feelings physically and emotionally which affect our decision making and clarity of thought. For me, this would equal more drinking from morning to pass out, and repeat cycle till injury, organ failure, death, hospital, gaol, or fortunately for me, pulling myself up out of the quicksand to life which you have done only recently. Back on the horse friend. Push through anyway you can, but try to keep it simple and be kind to yourself. It doesn't have to be a struggle. Have some faith in yourself. You did 17 days and that is huge! You are worth it. You can do this and maintain it.

[NoraC]

This conversation led into my post on the Quit thread that was inspired by The Twilight Zone. Go here if you have the time and/or interest to read it: https://www.mywayout.org/community/ge...t-love-20.html "The Monsters are due on Maple Street".

I always hate it when folks disappear as you fear that they've gone back to drinking when they quit posting. Not the case here. I am just going to post more regularly on a site that has better forum moderators. Byrdie, I will drop in from time to time to read your inspiring posts to keep others strong. I have had a great ride here on MWO since 08!

Love & hugs,
~Addy

Addy - just wanted to say that I hope you keep checking in over here. You have made a lot of very thoughtful posts that I still refer to. I'll try to drop in on you over at the new site but this is home to me so please remember to stop back by. :hug:

[j-vo]

Red,
I know all about clinical depression. And it ain't pretty. In fact, it paralyzed me once pretty bad in my life, and had really bad bouts of it throughout my life. NOTHING can make anything good, lots of crying, insomnia, not eating...

For me, I need to watch this very carefully, as it would and could lead me back to booze. I mean the very low, low points that I was in. I hate to say this, but at those times it was so bad, I'd considered suicide. So I chose the better of the two which was to drink. But I know myself, and I haven't had those feelings in a long time, even when I relapsed here over and over again. Those relapses had nothing to do with severe depression. I need to continue to monitor myself always so that I don't go there to that dark place. Hope you start feeling better.

[j-vo]

Hi Croc and welcome!

[Struggles 106]

Hey j-vo! Here I am in the nest! Day 7 and feeling hopeful. I know about depression too and it is not fun.
I'm starting to think about what I can and will do, rather than why I have done before. The shame of drinking is just too much to bear. I'm tired,extremely tired, of it all.
It is stressful with my daughter and the baby here but really, had they not come along I could easily be dead by now. The baby is nearly 16 months and has some developmental issues. She is not walking at this point. I have known since she was born ( I got to cut the cord)
that so,etching was not right . It is subtle and therapy is ongoing. We could not love her more.
So I will head into the work week with my head up and my hopes high.

Love all of you
Ann

[Byrdlady]

Ok, Nesters, on three!
1......2.......3!
:butt::butt::butt:
Struggles, here is our 2 cheeked salute to you for 7 full days! You have conquered each day the week can throw at you! The worst is behind you! You'll get no cracks from us, we have nothing but admiration for your success! Stick with us, Im so glad you're here! B

[kuya]

I always hate it when folks disappear as you fear that they've gone back to drinking when they quit posting. Not the case here. I am just going to post more regularly on a site that has better forum moderators. Byrdie, I will drop in from time to time to read your inspiring posts to keep others strong. I have had a great ride here on MWO since 08!

Love & hugs,
~Addy

What site is that, Addy? I've looked at a couple others that would have been fine at the beginning but that looked like too much work to "start over". All the best, NS

I have been back posting for a few weeks and am aware that there is little or no moderation compared to when I first joined.

Strangely I notice that behaviour is actually far BETTER than it was.

Surely Addy you can remember the terrible fights that ensued between mods and abs? They were often very nasty, whereas the worst we have had is a drama over an avatar.

In a multicultural, multinational site populated by recovering alcoholics at all stages I am amazed that the site self polices as well as it does.

Rather than degenerating into a 'Lord of the Flies' we seem to have evolved into a civilised society that recognises that this is a valuable resource we need and rather than expect moderators to 'parent' us we are more aware and self controlled.

I have had an 'issue' with one member, used my ignore button to avoid over reacting.....and gotten on with the business of staying sober and helping others (as has the member who annoyed me I would add).

You have posted here since 2008 Addy. I am bemused as to why, who or what would induce you to leave when it is the most positive place it has EVER been.

[Guitarista]

Congrats on 7 big days Struggsy!

:butt:

[kuya]

Sorry Ann....got distracted.


CONGRATULATIONS on the most important first week my dear!

You will be sailing now, I feel it!