Sober (AF) September Challenge

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hey Choice, sorry you sound like you are in a bit of a bummer! It happens - and it happens to non-alkies as well. Somebody pointed out to me that normal life isn't always mighty either and it's true!
What is normal Choice is that we (alkies) as a tribe will find ANYTHIN a reason to drink. 'Mr Kelly down the road just had a bath - oh I must have a drink' sort of thing. Yes, after we achieve the monumental 30 days which seems really huge when we start out and (to me anyway) virtually unattainable, it's like an anti-climax when we do achieve it, sort of 'well what's next' kind of thing. I actually think the most key part of early sobriety starts after the first month when we have to face up to our demons a bit. Stay strong girl, all these feelings are transitory - remember why you are doing this - remember your last awful drinking experience, your last awful hangover..........enough said?
Molly

[anon]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Made it through the dinner without ANY ALCOHOL. Such a milestone and with my Perrier water it was not even hard.
Good vibes for you Neart hope you get a good pass.
Knackered now so nighty night eveyone.

[anon]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Made it through the dinner without ANY ALCOHOL. Such a milestone and with my Perrier water it was not even hard.
Good vibes for you Neart hope you get a good pass.
Knackered now so nighty night everyone.

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Haha Anon - I just knew you would! Well done to you and have a lovely sober nights sleep, talk tomorrow:goodjob:
Molly

[Sunbeam]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hey Everybody,
I'm home from a lovely weekend in a cabin in the woods, taking a nature course. The weather was perfect. I learned so much, and will continue taking more classes. I have always loved gardening, but this is broader.

You all sound great, keep adding on the days. Hippie Chick, that was a great thought you shared a couple of days ago. One really needs to changed many things in a life previously dominated by alcohol. It is interesting to notice that it is all in the brain. Long, long after alcohol is out of your body, you continue to think about it, it influences your actions. Much of this is due to habits that need to be changed, but it is more emotional than that. Thirty days are great, but the work continues.

I's time for me to relax in my hot tub before bed. Take care, all.

[Hippy Chick]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Morning all.

Started to feel myself slipping away from here again so have made a point of sitting down first thing this morning and read what's been going on. So if my comments are a few days old you will know why!

Molly - please dont feel pressured into going to AA. This is your journey, so it is your decision on how you do it. With no disrepect to those who choose to go to AA, it is not for everyone. I certainly wouldnt even consider going there now that I have discovered this site. 15 years ago when i was pregnant with my son, I needed to stop drinking and AA was the only choice I could find so I went. But this site to me is what keeps me sober. Reading what people post, offering mine and (to use an AA saying) "keep coming back, it works if you work it", just because it is done thru a computer screen doesnt make it any less powerful than actually going to a meeting. In fact for me, if AA was the only choice, I know that I wouldnt be sober now. I feel closer to you people here than I ever did the whole three years i went to aa. FOR ME this works. And if it works for you, stick to what you know.
Choice - you mentioned about if you had a drink while on your own no-one would know. But the most important person would know, the only one that really matters would know - YOU! You cant hide from yourself, you cant lie to yourself...... So well done on not having that drink.
Anon - do you live in Liverpool?
Spinning - when we stop self medicating, we have to feel things that normally we wouldnt because we were numb. It is amazing the things that I feel now that I have to actually feel them and not all of them feel good!
Dewdrop - you mentioned about there being no easy answer to staying sober. You are SO right! There is no easy answer, but as long as we dont give up looking for it, we will stay sober and on the right path. It's when we give up that the beast that is alcohol takes over and destroys our lives.
Neart - congratulations on your post grad results.
Public holiday for me today. Got to find something to do rather than just finding another box to pack. Went to see "Wall Street" at the movies yesterday - dont bother going if you are thinking about it. I couldnt get passed Michael Douglas's new teeth so didnt really get into the movie at all. Oh well, my husband enjoyed it so now he owes me, one chick flick!
Take care and make a committment to yourself to get thru this week sober.
HippyC

[enja]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hey Team Sober September-

Haven't checked in for a few days but happy to report that I'm still AF despite a strong temptation when out with friends on Friday - got over it fairly quickly by focusing really hard on how I'd feel with the inevitable hangover rather that the *ahhhh* of the first drink - once I got over a brief boohoo, poor me moment I ended up having a great time, though did have to put up with one friend whining about it not being as much fun with me not drinking - WTF? Used my current meds as the reason not to drink but need to come up with a better strategy for this individual who actually refuses to believe I have a problem, despite knowing how much and how often I used to drink.

Firefox congratulations on 30 days AF - fabulous!!! :goodjob: Sorry to hear you're feeling low, hope it passes soon. Anon, Dewdrop, Peace, choice, HippyChick, Molly, Spinning, JackieC, neart and our fearless leader, Sunbeam - good to hear that everyone still seems to be hanging on despite various ups and downs, sorry I've left it a bit late to comment individually but must say I'm getting such valuable insights from all of your posts and happy to be among such an amazing group. :l:h:l

Today is my 4th AF week anniversary - got that 30 days within sight!

[witchywoman]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Well i have failed epicaly in the last few days, cant face myself or you guys at the moment, i'm so scared that i'm not going to find my way back, Why cant I do this, I'm so sorry.

[Dewdrop]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Witchy I was just scanning through our thread before I shoot out the door and have to post, hang in there, you have not failed at all and please come straight back here. We are here to support and help each other, it could be anyone of us at any time and this is a long, long road. None of us are out of the woods yet, not by a long chalk.

Okay you've had a slip up but don't let it spiral into something worse, get yourself off the booze ODAT and get right back on the sober path again. Let us know how we can help but the first step is to get a day AF under your belt and only you can do that.

I know you can do it, I have faith in you even if you don't at the moment but remember that's the booze brain talking. Lean on your friends Witchy :l:l:l

Dewdrop :h

ps I'll check in later to see how you are.

[neart]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hi all!

Witchy, hope you are okay? Don't beat yourself up, you haven't failed - this isn't a straight road we're on, so please go easy on yourself, spend some time on here today, take all the support there is and remember ODAT or even one second, one minute at a time. We are all here for you x

Molly, I agree with Hippy completely - I don't think you should feel pressured into going to AA. Sure it works for some people, but it doesn't work for others. And the people who want you to go probably don't understand the support that is here on mwo. You have to find your own path, both in life in general and in leading an AF life. So stick with what's working!

Choice, I hope you're feeling better? I've been a bit up and down myself too over the past while. I have to stop expecting miracles. And as Hippy and others said, as you know yourself, the most important person in this is you. That's who you're doing it for, first and foremost.

Enja, I know how you feel - I was practically arguing with a friend on Saturday trying to explain to him why I couldn't moderate, that I can't stop after one or two. I think it's true that the people who struggle most with us going AF are the ones who are insecure about their own drinking. My ex used to say that I was boring when I didn't drink...guess why he's an ex!!!

Hippy, I shall avoid Wall Street! I am going to see Despicable Me soon - I just love animated films

Sunbeam, so glad you had a good weekend in the cabin. Anon, fair play with the Perrier- i must try that!

Have a great day everyone x

ps I got a First Class Honours - am happy out!!!

[witchywoman]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Thanks Dewdrop,
I'm so angry at myself, I know I cant drink, I know its beyond bad for me, so why, even when i know all this do I end up going off the rails, I dont want to be this person, I'm so tired of the same old cycle, but i am really scared that I'm not going to be able to stop. ok so heres the thing I really dont understand, why when i'm so happy when i get a couple of weeks under my belt, so I drink, even when I go & buy a bottle I know its not going to make me happy, just going to make me feel bad, maybe I'm afraid of being happy, What I do know right now is I'm am going to go make a cup of herbal relaxing tea & get a good sleep, get up tomorrow, put my game face back on & get back on the journey. Thanks Dew, i needed that pep talk.
onwards & upwards
XX

[witchywoman]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Thanks Neart also,
must have cross posted

XX

[neart]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

That sounds like a good plan, Witchy, herbal tea always helps me. Get some good rest, like you said, and things will seem better when you wake. Then you'll be able to have a look at what triggers are there, what your plan is when a craving strikes, etc. We are here for you xx

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

MY CLEVER CLEVER GIRLFRIEND :goodjob::goodjob::goodjob: NEART YOU ARE A GENIUS:goodjob:!! FIRST CLASS HONOURS - YOU ROCK GIRL:wd::wd:

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Morning everyone else! Isn't she brilliant! (I know you're there Neart, just talking behind your back:H).
Witchygirl, come on hon. we've all screwed up - me royally on more than one occasion. The important part of this is how quickly you can get yourself back on the wagon. Doggygirl, one of the 'old campaigners' here talks about how she drank after 60 days AF and subsequently took 8 months to stop drinking again - so that is the important part and that is all in your hands now, DON'T LIFT THE DRINK! I was reading a book by an addiction counsellor and a point he made was that a counsellor will never project to a client that a 'relapse' is necessarily a bad thing it can be used as a very major learning tool - use it as such, you know the wine doesn't make you happy.
Dewdrop Enja Sunbeam(delighted you had a good weekend) oh and of course the bold Hipster! I agree with you about AA, however I am still fragile enough in my sobriety to think that other people ALWAYS know more than me - I do know that if I drink again I will go tho - it does seem to work for so many - up to me not to drink so
Have a lovely day everyone, on lates today and I think there is a transfer list out so am very nervous going in to work - don't want to be moved!
Talk later
Molly