Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

[Doggygirl]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Good Day all!

beatle, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!! 29AF days rocks the house! You have worked SO hard at this and I'm so glad you stuck with it. You are truly an inspiration to me and I know so many others here, and yet to come. I'm curious - what were the results of your Antabuse experiment? I call you brave - if I were taking it I don't think I'd want to find out if the results are "as advertised.."

Welcome Tiny!! More Dog Lovers!! Congrats on Day 8 AF!

Mary, thank you for starting us off today. You always provide such excellent food for thought! That's a correct way to put it, at least in my case...."Drinking alone v. social drinking takes drinking to a whole new level..." I actually think I crossed the line way WAY back when drinking alone became OK. Then over the years, the balance shifted to less drinking with others and WAY more drinking alone. But once that alone stuff started.....I was slidin' down the hill without realizing it. (or wanting to face it)

Cindi, I'm sorry you are still fighting that sinus infection. I don't blame you for skipping the Vicodin. I hardly ever take pain pills for the same reason....I don't need another addiction in my life! And the docs seem to hand them out like candy these days. Boy...your description of "drinking alone" in the hotel bar amongst others where are there "drinking alone" sure struck home to me. So true. Drinking alone with others. Sad. I don't miss the road trip days. I admire you for being able to tackle your drinking issues in the midst of so much business travel. Oh - and I love your quote "Actions speak louder than thoughts." THAT is a KEEPER. (I'm stealin' it first LOL!)

Loppy, I bet you are happy the sun is out today! I too believe this is worth the struggle. I had the same thought Mary did about your brother - there might be a drinking problem VERY close to home. I remember a few years ago my own brother telling me about one of his best friends who went over the edge with drinking and ended up in re-hab and was really struggling. (we're very close, and I know his best friends really, really well) In my heart I knew I was ignoring my own problem. I wondered at the time if my brother was in part, telling me about his friend Ron as a "hint" to me. (it was before noon and I was drinking and he knew it - but it was a BBQ Day....blah blah) You bet I changed the subject fast! For your brothers sake I hope not...

STL - I'm right there with you having to re-learn social situations without booze. I think we think (or the Beast wants us to think) we can't be funny, conversational, etc. without booze. NOT true.

Pamina!! You are just a ray of sunshine! I like your June project of figuring out what you were avoiding while drinking.

Char - I'm a kid at heart too always wanting what I can't have. Wasn't it great though to have girls night out without booze and find it's not such a big deal after all? Will you be the only un-hung one today?

4tb - Have a BLAST on your first ever adult AF vacation!!!

The outlaw dinner fell through because Mr. Doggy ended up having to work late. Funny how in the past, that was an all to common lie to get out of family things and stay home and DRINK. Here I was all ready to go, tiffed up a little and with a good attitude, and Mr. Doggy REALLY had to work late! Strange universe. Day 15!!! Yeah!!! Half way to the 30 mark!!!! Life is good.

I totally love you guys. How 'bout that for some sober soppiness. Happy AF Day to all who are yet to come.

DG
***************

[Doggygirl]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

JANICE!!!! Don't throw 100 Days AF. You can do it. I know it's hard and you have had MORE than your share of problems to deal with since I first "met" you almost a year ago. You've come so far...please don't let AL win.

Fighting with AL is unfair - we have to work so hard, and all it takes is ONE for AL to win. Please hang tough!!!!!

:l

DG

[Cinders]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice

Janice,

Go back in time and read your posts while you were still drinking and how f*ing miserable you were. I remember them so well.

Do not let this disease get you down.

I know you can get past this phase. Neil mentions them and look how long AF he is?

Whatever, though, you know I love and care about you.

I am sorry you are going through a rough patch. :l

Love,
Cindi

[Beck]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice,

Sent you PM. Take a moment to re-gain your sense of perspective.

Love,
Beck

[beatle]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice, you must keep strong-- we need you and your inspirational example. If you can't stay strong for yourself, pretend you are pregnant and we are all your unborn babies-- you must not give in to AL... for our sake! (I hope you don't think I am making light of it-- not at all, I'm just trying to give you another perspective and another incentive to stay strong.)

As for my Antabuse experiment, I tried a stiff drink on the evening of my first pill (250 mg) and I got short of breath (which was manageable), a throbbing headache, and big red splotches all over my face which looked horrible -- and no amount of make-up could hide them... that lasted for about an hour or two. So, no emergency, but enough to keep me from drinking even on one pill. (I'm off Antabuse now because it gave me awful rashes and I didn't feel I needed it, but I'm planning to use it as a backup prior to events in which I might be tempted, as I now know what the reaction will be from just one pill, and who wants that at a wedding or garden party?)

[Beck]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Hi everyone,

Finished that last bit of painting at my Mom's and now she wants something else done...grrrr. I just hope I'm setting a good example for my girls - maybe they'll paint my house one day...husband home...

Oh boy, posting late and will not be able to address all...sorry.

Welcome back Cindi, glad you are feeling better.

Char, sometimes I want to go WAAAAA!!! too - then I remember that I got myself into this mess. Like you and Cindi have said - once you make the decision to behave it is not so tough to stick with.

Beatle, welcome!!! this is a very supportive thread.

I'll share with the rest of you something I sent to Janice, you know that I have been waffling a bit lately myself. I have been writing a list of all the things I want to do this summer - some really fun stuff on there. Thing is I know if I let AL talk me into drinking during my move, I know I will end up losing June
and realistically the rest of the summer as well. Just don't want to let that to happen.

Sorry so brief,

Love to all,
Beck

[cowgal]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

hi

Janice, I hope and pray you are ok, GOD knows I have (and recently)drank over wanting not to remember/feel/deal with feelings, esp the bad ones.

Loppy, your brother just was uncomfortable w/ your AF status, you should see my FIL, SIL, MIL, husband etc (all heavy drinkers) when I am happy and AF and doing well..........they are EXTREMELY threatened. Maybe you can be a good role model for him at least..........

Everyone else, thanks for the supportive thoughts and prayers, they work, I was AF day 1 last night, past (for me) the MOST DIFFICULT day..............usually, but I haven't made it through a Friday in a while, so tomorrow I will design a plan.

Actually I am checking into an outpatient treatment center called Townsend at 3:30 tomorrow, then have my usual AA meeting (which I won't stop for beer on the way home from, DUH!!!) So that is my plan, tonight, AA and no beer stop as I feel good and regaining control now................

love to you all,

Cindi, watch out for painkillers, was my downfall after my knee surgery, I started drinking again on Percocet (not recommended)

MA

[charlee]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice
Please, please, please...think long and hard, and fight with everything you have...Ask yourself what will be accomplished? A nite of "take me away"...and then what? The same "stuff" will be on your plate when you wake up.......You are going thru alot of emotions right now..Please don't put your sobriety at risk........We are here for you.

[louise]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice, Please hang in there. It is scary about your mom and you are still grieving your dad. Come here for support, you won't bring anyone down. 100 days AF is great!

[Determinator]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Happy Thursday ABadingos!

Janice, XXXXXX to you dear. we know how it is when things are hard. Try to go for a walk every day and clear your head. don't skimp on your vitamins either. Sorry, nag nag

Beetle, great to see you back! and congrads on the great AF time!

Tiny, big welcome to you! you've come to a wonderful community. Wine was always my drink of choice too (for taste) but honestly when I had that perceived "need" to get wasted it didn't have anything to do with taste anymore. Straight into my dark place. ick!

Cindi, so glad you are doing better with the sinus pain! you are showing amazing restraint and judgement not taking that vicodin.

for me I found a leap forward in my recovery when instead of running from the "I need a drink" feeling or trying to distract myself from it, I stopped and stared it straight in the face. Analyzed it and watched it shrink away like the true illusion that it is. we are driven to drink by a largely unconscious part of our primitive middle brain, and the light of consciousness can and will dispel this agent of the dark.

I've obviously been in a philosophical mood

be well my friends!

[4theboyz]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

Janice!!! I found this snip from C. Steiners book Loppy put up yesterday to be quite meaningful.

By ignoring the realities of addiction and blaming ourselves for lacking willpower we make ourselves more powerless than we really are. Addictions are difficult to overcome but with help it can be done.

You are stronger than AL and deserve this sobriety!! You can do this and we are here for you - Hang in there!

[cowgal]

Thurs. - June 5th - Daily Thread

wow

that is powerful and sooooooooooo true 4theboyz!

Thanks, cuz I deal w/ that DAILY...............others.............I guess we all do, duh!!??

Love.

MA