Sober NOvember Challenge

[Dewdrop]

Sober NOvember Challenge

WoooooooooooHooooooooooooo Anon you are amazing girl!!!!

Molly what the hell are strawberry strings??

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Right - they are appalling long thin red sweet things bout 3 ft long and you just keep shovelling them in your mouth, you can suck them up like spaghetti or bite them off in bits - well you did ask
Molly

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Oh Dewie, well done broaching the subject with your mates - reckon you've covered yourself there! I suppose someday soon I'll have to 'come out'!
Molly

[Dewdrop]

Sober NOvember Challenge

mollyka;1008370 wrote: Right - they are appalling long thin red sweet things bout 3 ft long and you just keep shovelling them in your mouth, you can suck them up like spaghetti or bite them off in bits - well you did ask
Molly

:what?:

[gettinghappy]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Molly, so true about the hair pictures. I am going to wish that I have hair past my arse pretty soon here, to cover it UP! Need to get away from the goodies! Our Christmas stroll is tonight. Should be fun. I am so happy to be sober. Last year, not so much! Santa has usually had a few, so I will leave that up to him this year! Anon, you are fantastic! Good for you! And Dewdrop, WOW, 3 months that is really something to be proud of. And to be feeling so good too! Day 23 for me! I better find my warm coat. It is 20 below zero today. uch:

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Whats your christmas stroll GH? Sounds lovely whatever!! Feels 20 below here but prob not that bad! Heading to bed now, enjoy the evening!
Molly

[choice]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Congrats Dewdrop on the 3 months. :goodjob: We are so close to the same day and it is so helpful to go though a lot of things at the same time. I've been getting myself out of the closet more and more on telling people about being AF myself. I just told my best friend in Denver over the phone a couple of days ago. She was very supportive.

I have to admit, her and I really enjoyed drinking wine together and at times I've wondered if I'd ever be tempted when it came to seeing her again. Same thing happened as Dewdrop where we began talking about "normal" drinking. She told me she witnessed me in a blackout when I went home the last time and was very confused because she had never scene me that drunk before. A few months ago I would have been very embarrassed. Instead I tried to remember when my drinking turned into blackouts. I never use to, but I think the past year or so,,, it was starting to happen a lot. I believe it must be the progression of heavy drinking over time. Anyway, she admitted that she might have a problem herself and we began talking about why we drink- taking the "for fun" out of it. It's not surprising... because we are such good friends that our pattern was similar.

Anon, WAY TO GO!!! I'm so impressed.
Limers, sorry to hear about what your going through, :l

Everyone!!! :h

[Choochie]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Quick check back in for me....

ANON - OUTSTANDING - SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!

DEW - CONGRATS ON APPROACHING 3 MONTHS - QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!!

Choice - blackouts are one of the markers of alcoholism - they say even one!

Have a nice night everyone - wish I could stay longer, but gotta go.

Choochie:l

[choice]

Sober NOvember Challenge

:l Choochie
Whenever I think I can moderate all I need to do is know I can't because of the black outs. Once I joined MWO I started to learn more about blackouts and I shook when I found out what I was doing to my brain. I have not had a cat scan of my brain, but I saw a picture of a middle age woman's brain who was an alkie.... The cat scan showed huge black holes in her brain. (I know I've posted that before and it's graphic... it's just that it is so scary to me) It helped me so much to read book after book about AL. Blackouts are a serious problem.

Speaking of telling people about being AF, I don't know if anyone remembers me posting about a woman who was trying to convince me it was okay to drink, but that is finally what I told her to stop the pressure. I said "I can't drink I blackout after 3 drinks". For me (aside from the obvious reasons blackouts are bad) once in a blackout I begin to power drink and I'm completely unaware of how fast or how much I am drinking. To people who don't really know me, I appear "fine". My closest friends and family members have said I can be the life of the party but they started to notice a glazed look that concerned them. I think I was going to loose this facade soon too, as I felt my behavior was beginning to become sloppy. But for the most part I was able to hold phone conversations, text, e-mail... etc. Since sobering up, I am still finding posts on face book that I have no memory of ever posting. I am amazed and scared at how these posts look legitimately written by a sober person. I'm sure that would soon turn into a babble as well. I just decided to stop before I made a complete fool out of myself.

whew, I think I'm having a rough day. :upset:

[Choochie]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Choice - I was like that too. No one ever realized I was as drunk as I was -- the next day, though, my god - I don't ever want to be hung over again as long as I live.

Like you, it helps me a lot to read about the physical destruction of alcohol. Ethanol truly is poison. If we only knew the half of what it's doing to us - we just can't see inside (well we can as in your cat scan example, but not while we're doing it). I'm convinced it's linked to cancer too - much more than they know. Let me know of any book recommendations you have.

I really can't believe what I was doing to my body. I'm just so thankful to have found this place so I can stay sober. Don't know what I'd do without people like you to talk it out with.

Happy to go down this road with you and all the other wonderful people here.:l

[gettinghappy]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Choice and Choochie, I just read a book about healing an addicted brain. It really is shocking to see pictures of an alcoholic brain. It looks like severe swiss cheese! No wonder it is hard to stay on track or really listen or rationalize. I think it takes quite a while to start connecting thoughts again. I think that's why it's so easy to talk ourselves into drinking again. It's really brain damage. Hopefully we all can continue to give it time and heal. I've also had plenty of times where the last half of the night was anyone's guess. Anyway I hope that will remain in the past.

Molly, The Stroll is kind of a Christmas farmer's market where people have tables to sell their crafts and things and kids sing and Santa is there. It was really nice. Good night!:coolsanta:

[choice]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Wow, gettinghappy,

I have been having huge trouble listening, rationalizing, and problem solving. In the beginning to stay AF I did the ODAT, posted, made a plan, stopped smoking, worked out, changed diet.....drank water lots of it... My fiance is a little past 30 days AF one min he's saying he wants to moderate and is now saying he's too scared to drink because of stress and that he'll loose his mind. He is really coming up with odd and unusual solutions to problems and it's freaking me out. Then he shakes his head because he knows it's odd and keeps questioning weather he is a strong person or not. I'd stir him towards a better solution but can't because I feel completely brain dead/numb.

This week has been a real test. It's like we are the blind leading the blind. I am so very thankful I am on this site and finding answers to what the heck is going on. I've noticed that when I talk with my mother on the phone I am completely ignoring what she is saying. Not on purpose, and I know it's hurting her feelings. I'm trying really hard to concentrate but can't. I agree with you gettinghappy, I can see why people turn back to the drink because it's pretty unsettling dealing with myself right now. You know I really can't believe I gave myself brain damage. At least I can do everything I can to save what I've got. OMG I'm glad I stopped drinking when I did. Good luck to everyone staying away from this terrible drug. :l:h

[gettinghappy]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Well, it also said that in time your brain will heal. Campral is a new drug that speeds repair to the brain. It helps with cravings too, but mostly compared to the other drugs it looks like the only one that helps heal the brain. Then maybe we will start paying attention better. It's a real thing. All these years that I have heard that alcohol kills brain cells and joked about it! I am going to continue to read as much as I can to learn. I do think the medicine has helped with cravings too because I have gotten through these 3 weeks pretty easily so far. It's worth asking about maybe.:h

[JackieClaire]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Well another Monday morning and I'm so happy and grateful to be hangover free and AF. Just another little reminder to myself why I am staying AF. I used lie in bed trying to think up yet another excuse to miss work because I was too hungover and so anxious I didn't think I could make it to the bus stop with out taking a drink.

anon, you are a star you really put me to shame. Well done you.

Molly I just love strawberry strings, but this week swapped to lemonade fizzy cables.........3 packets

Hate to say this but we're going to have to think of a December name.

Big hello to you all

[Wagoneer]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Morning all! Day 22 and feeling so much better! Ready to get back to normal....well, whatever normal is...lol

Jackie Claire - totally hear you about getting up Monday morning! Thank God those days are gone! Hoping that this week is slow at work so I can catch up on the two days I missed. If not, oh well, I will do what I can! Hope everyone is well and AF