Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

[retteacher]

Hi Everyone:

I hope all is well w/all the absters here. I'm doing well. Yesterday, I went to the supermarket & right next door is a liquor store I used to frequent. It popped into my mind that I could go in & get a (small) bottle. Usually when those thoughts occur, I drive them right out of my mind. Yesterday, instead, I let myself think about drinking & the consequences thereof. I let myself think about how my otherwise wonderful day would be ruined and how awful I would feel both physically & emotionally. That did it! It wasn't exactly a craving. Just a brief thought. Sometimes turning my mind away works, but sometimes thinking about what would happen if I did drink works well too.

Anyhow, the important thing is that in those few seconds, I decided: NO DRINKING! Actually, there's no contest: misery or happiness, life or death.

Stay well everyone. Please all who come here, feel free to share regardless of what your level of progress is.

Mary

[charlee]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Morning absters
Mary, thank you for starting us off......and this abster is quite well, thank you......Our Wal-Mart is located in a large plaza and upon entering there is a huge discount liquor store that was one of my many frequently visitied establishments (you all know how we spaced our visits, hoping to avoid the "she's back" syndrome!!)......When I first gave AL the boot, I would pull in the lot and sit in my car, pondering should I or shouldn't I?????...Of course it would always be just a small bottle. I graduated to just driving past and thinking hmmmmm (drool)......Today I go straight to WalMart, giving one of my former haunts a passing glance. I do have the occasional thought, but it is a thought and not a craving. Time does help heal. Kudos to you Mary for recognizing the thought, not the craving....
Hope everyone to follow has a great Thursday...

[greeneyes]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

That is part of the exercise recommended by by Lenair. To contemplate the consequences in an exaggerated manner. There's more to it, but that's how it begins. It's a good way to chase away those thoughts.

[on my way]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Good morning all,

Big storms rolled through last night, first rain we?ve had in about a month. Yikes, the internet was down, (it?s kinda like a drug to me)?I was a bit worried earlier this morning.

Mary, yesterday I entertained the little bottle thought too but kept driving past the store. I wish I could banish those thoughts permanently. So, will it ever get any better? I made it to nearly 100 days before and still had the little bottle thoughts UGH!! I did get some AF wine recently and plan to sample that this weekend.

Hope you all have a happy, sober no little bottle day.

omw

[Cinders]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Good Morning Abbers,

OMW, I am not sure that the thoughts ever go away but remember they are just thoughts. It is the actions that matter.

All people have thoughts that they must not act on, not just us. My brother is an insulin dependent diabetic. He has thoughts of eating lots of carbs and sweets and must deny himself those things. They are just thoughts and he doesn't act on them.

Mary, Charlee, It is wonderful to hear you both doing so well. I am walking right next to you guys. :l

Greenie, Lenair didn't tell me that. Hmm. I shall try it.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Love,
Cindi

[A Work in Progress]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Hey everyone! Cindi, good point: everyone has thoughts about doing stuff we know we cannot or should not do! It is sort of funny, sort of sad, and sort of understandable that we fear them, focus on them, and exaggerate their importance so much, when they are about ALCOHOL!!

My favorite grocery store, near my house, is one of the places I routinely bought booze, and of course I still go there several times a week. I always give the liquor aisle a glance, and watch out for what I am thinking and feeling. So far (6 weeks now) I have not had strong urges or impulses to drive my cart down that aisle and snag a bottle. Instead, I have thoughts/feelings that could best be called a sense of relief, that I am no longer trapped in the cycle of "needing" it, buying it, drinking it, being drunk, being hung over, hating it, hiding the bottle, feeling ashamed.... then "needing" it all over again. Horrible, horrible place to be. So glad it's behind me!

wip

[Doggygirl]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Good day absters!! Funny the topic of the voices in our heads (by whatever name one chooses to call it) should come up. I was at an on-line chat meeting this morning where that subject came up as part of the broader subject of Preventing Relapse.

A person with 5 years sobriety had this to say:

Early on the little voice can be shouting and you react (at least I did) by gearing up for an all out battle...massive response of tools and weapons. As time goes on you get better at it and it requires less effort. Now it is often more like just waving at someone you knew long ago...and then going about my business. So perhaps it is the expectation that the voice "should" be silent that is unrealistic?

(That statement was impactful enough to me that I copied it off the chat screen into a word document LOL!)

So maybe the voice will never entirely go away? Maybe we just ignore it better?

For whatever it's worth anyway!!

It feels good to have done some work on my sober life and already have worked out today already!! (dont' ask me to be coherent after 8PM though....)

Happy sober day everyone!

CHARLEE!!! Is today your 10 month ani or am I imagining things???

DG

[charlee]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

DG
IMHO...The voice will never go permenantly away...I have come to the conclusion that, for me, the demon may lie dormant (I like the passing wave), but he will always be just napping.......As long as I don't disturb him, just let him nap in the furthest part of my mind, I am ok....I can live with that. Yes, 10 months today....where does the time go?
I really need to hop on that abbercise thread!!!

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Char: Congratulations! I think that is so awesome.

For me, it's all about being ready at times when I might feel tempted. I've been saying: "I'm a non-drinker" like a mantra lately. I want to have an identity shift & am working on telling that to my brain. I think it will eventually seep into all aspects of my being.

Mary

[Chief]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Char...a BIG congrats on 10 months!!!!!

Very proud of you, girl....

Don

[Seen the light!]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Hi to you all

Congrats on 10 months Charlee!! I am only on Day 10 and having a bit of a bad day today but its nearly time for tv and bed so I can cope - tomorrow is another day!

Just wondered if any of you who have managed to stay AF for a long time can give me any tips on how they cope in a social situation when others are drinking. Unfortunately all my friends and family are drinkers so it is unavoidable unless I never want to be in their company again! This is one of my biggest obstacles. I m trying not to think about it too much and take one day at a time but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

See you all tomorrow xx

[Doggygirl]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread


:cheering:CONGRATULATIONS CHARLEE ON 10 MONTHS AF!!!:cheering:


Seen, I'm not LONG term AF, but here are a few things I do when I have to be in situations with drinkers:

1. Make sure I eat before I go, and eat while I'm there - I crave less when I eat.
2. Decide in advance what I will be drinking, and where possible bring it with me.
3. Plan in advance what time I will leave. Limit the time I will have to deal with potential cravings due to being around it.

While eating is an important part of my strategy, I have adopted low carb eating (NO sugar) and that really helps me. Avoiding sugar is part of the MWO recommended strategy. Stable blood sugar levels will produce less craving.

Best wishes to you - I'm sure others will have many good ideas.

DG

[DogLvr]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Hi All - Mary and Cindi - I really liked your posts.

Charlee - HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on the 10 months - I am so jealous. I can't even imagine!

Seen the Light - it's funny that you posted that question today - I have been struggling more now that I'm not around any of the bigger drinkers in my life. I found it was easier to abstain when others were all drinking alot. Maybe a competitive side in me coming out that made me feel accomplished.

I hope everyone has a great night - I am hoping to do a run because my craving hour has just come upon me.

[Cinders]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Charlee,

Wanted to say congratulations on 10 months, again. That is so awesome!!

Love ya, girl.
Cindi

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Sept. 4 - Daily Thread

Seen:

I drink soda or water before I go. When I get there, I have another while others are having their first drink. I find the temptation subsides as soon as we're seated w/some kind of drink in our hands. After the first one, I'm OK. Mary