First days of AF thread...July 14

[National]

Hello everybody - Just a quick to note to see how everybody is doing?? After a solid 5-6 days, yesterday was a rough one as I went back to work. Everything seemed quite a bit more stressful and my anxiety level was definitely up. I'm usually fairly laid back, but yesterday wasn't much fun. When I got home, I was quite dizzy, anxious and my back muscles were killing me. Just did some reading and went to bed. Slept really well finally and decided to give the stress a rest for a day and work from home today (and slept in...I needed that). I feel really good finally when the stress level is low (weekends), but yesterday was an eye opener. Anyway, enough about yesterday. Today is today and I'm still AF and today is day 7. Good luck to all and let me know how you are feeling...Take care!

[sparkleAZ]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Dang it anyway, I caved in last night and drank. I am very disappointed at myself and am back on the wagon today. I had decided that a beer wouldn't matter but of course it turned into more than the one beer I had decided on. I won't beat myself up over this but just have to focus harder and realize that one turns into many more.

[National]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Hang in there Sparkle...the positive is that you understand what happened and that one can/will turn into many more. I agree, don't beat yourself up over this, just hop back on and keep making forward progress!

[~iirene~]

First days of AF thread...July 14

The 5th. day was a pisser for me.

[National]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Glad to know I'm not alone...I thought after day 3-4, things got better. I guess I was at home in a 'controlled' environment and then I went out into the real world and it was ugly. I'll try for better results tomorrow back at work (it will be day 8). Thanks.

[sparkleAZ]

First days of AF thread...July 14

One piece of good news, my husband woke up and put his booze down the kitchen sink. I am sure it will be much easier without a drinking spouse. I tried not to let it bother me that he was still drinking because this choice is personal and individual but at least it won't be in my face now.

[Changed1]

First days of AF thread...July 14

National;663977 wrote: Glad to know I'm not alone...I thought after day 3-4, things got better. I guess I was at home in a 'controlled' environment and then I went out into the real world and it was ugly. I'll try for better results tomorrow back at work (it will be day 8). Thanks.

Good on your for staying sober all those days. I am only on day 2 here. I do hear you about work. It's tough. I found drinking to be a relief from the stress of work. If you can work from home when things get rough, that's great. At any rate, congrats on day 8.

[MommaBird]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Sparkle I think it will help you alot if your husband doesn't drink in front of you. Like you said "don't beat yourself up", we've all been where you are and each day is a new day. Just think how proud you will be tomorrow when you didn't let 1 bad day turn into 2 bad days! I finally received my supplements and CDs yesterday afternoon. Haven't done the CDs yet, but started the supplement schedule with dinner last night. I was hoping that the Calmes Forte would help me with sleep last night, but I really don't think it did. I had another exhausting night of waking up over and over. I so crave a good nights sleep. Today is Day 6 and the cravings are under control so I am very thankful for that. That means more than sleep at this point. Hope everyone has a good day today. I am going to try to stay very physically active and see if it helps with the sleep. Keep up the good work National and thanks so much for starting these threads everyday.

[National]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Sparkle, Changed1 and MommaBird - we're all on different days, but there's no denying that we are all in the early days and fighting to get over the initial hump...I wish each of you the best of luck and I often wonder during the day as I fight it, how each of you are doing. It's great to hear from you! One thing I have definitely noticed helps is that I spend at least 30 minutes everyday trying get some exercise. Also, even if I'm not tired (which I haven't been in the evenings..only the morning), I'm trying to get to bed earlier...even if I sit and read or just lay there. At least I'm relaxing. Take care!

[prancy]

First days of AF thread...July 14

Good work to all on the early day challenges. We all know it is tough to give up some a strangling bad habit and it takes a while to know what to replace it with. I have been drinking iced coffee like they just invented it. But then it is very HOT here and it does fill me up. Also, my husband is gone this week and I am finding having the whole house to myself to be helpful. I log on here and get the support I need several times a day and also am doing some reading by others who have succeeded in eliminating AL from their lives. Last night I watched a program called Intervention on the TV (in USA) and it was about a man whose family staged an intervention. It was very sad and at the end he went into treatment and got sober but was diagnosed with esophegeal cancer and died 3 weeks after he got out of treatment. Sorry for the depressing thoughts but it is something to keep in in mind. We are not just destroying our emotional lives. Very possible we are destroying out physical health as well. I was out without someone yesterday who I always have drinks with and I just said that I had not been feeling well and that the last couple of times I had had drinks that I felt horrible. So I was cutting way back on the drinking for a while. He just accepted it and that was that.