sat 15th thread

[bear73]

hello there - well I made it to the end of day 6 AF - saw friends who I usually drink/smoke with - lapsed with both. drank half a bottle of wine but still planned to not drink and smoke - thanks to all who posted support yesterday.
I guess it was too early for me to be in that situation - can be with peopel who don't drink much and who smoke and that's fine, people who do both (and who i used to regularly do both with) is a dangerous situation to me at the moment.

next time I will
ride my urge out
breathe
get out of situation (even hide in loo if need be)
visualise it going well (I wasn't )

any other ideas gratefully received thanks, Bear - have a good af day everyone

[hulagirl]

sat 15th thread

Aloha Bear, I do not attend the End of School Year faculty party because I do not want to be in that situation of drinking, nervesness, party, insecurities, all in the same place at the same time. You seem to have some good plans in place for your "situations". I think that most will agree that the longer one is AF the more control we have over decisions. Stick with it!

[Doggygirl]

sat 15th thread

Hello all and thank you Bear for getting us started this fine Saturday. And Hula it is good to see you from the "other side" of the daily thread LOL!!!

Bear, I'm like Hula and still avoid drinking situations that make me uncomfortable even after over a year sober. My priorities have changed, and my NUMBER ONE PRIORITY is my sobriety. The people who truly care about me understand completely. The people who don't give a crap and only care about having drinking buddies - well - I don't need 'em. For me, I have had to really build a different life. I still live in the same house but my activities are vastly different from the work to the social. Keep at it - you will figure out what works for YOU.

Thanks to all for your support after my doc rant of yesterday. The appointment passed with a chill in the air, but they didn't ask for the money from that billed error, and I didn't bring it up. (I had told them by phone "I am not paying this." So to bring it up, I think, would have meant stepping back from my firm position that I won't pay for their mistakes.) Chilly is OK. I got the prescriptions I needed. And since insurance doesn't cover this and the doctor can be quite a chatty one, and charges by the hour, the chill actually saved me some money. I'm a bit sad about losing our previous friendly relationship, but after the dispute it would never be the same again whether I paid the bill (I would have forever resented that) or not (she obviously resents that). As long as I get the care that I am going to her for, it will be OK. And I've GOT to learn to set these things aside in my head rather than let them take over my brain!!!

Well, I'm off to AA - maybe that will help.

Have a rockin' AF day everyone! Wow - the pupster likes watermelon, eh?? Cool.

DG

[lilmea]

sat 15th thread

Good Morning Abers,

bear73-At this point, I just don't put myself in slipper situations if possible. Just as I don't keep any AL in the house. My sobriety has to be my #1 priority. I agree with hulagirl, that the longer one is af the more control we have. But early on I think we need to be very careful about putting ourselves in tempting situations. Hang in there!

hulagirl-I take a bike ride everymorning. Although the bike trail I ride is pretty, I'm afraid it doesn't compete with the view you have.

Speaking of bike rides...I'm off for my morning bike ride. It's suppose to get hot here this afternoon so I want to get it in before it gets hot.

Hoping everyone a great af day.

[lilmea]

sat 15th thread

Hi DG-cross post!!

[Mstall]

sat 15th thread

Hi Bear,

with just 6 days under your belt of not smoking and drinking, you'd have to have an iron will to be in that situation and abstain.

however, you still made 6 days! on that i congratulate you! For me, I am giving up AL first for 30 days and then plan on quitting the smokes. I know I wont be able to be around smokers/drinkers for awhile. I'm just not that strong.

you can learn from your experience and make changes that will allow you to succeed and thats a good thing

pick yourself up, and try try again.

best of luck to you!

[Determinator]

sat 15th thread

Bear, ditto what the others have said.

I put myself in some very difficult social situations too early during several of my AF 'early days' and although I got through some of them unscathed it REALLY stressed me out and really wasn't worth it.

[Gold]

sat 15th thread

Hi Bear,

Six days is still six days and you've identified situations to avoid for the time being so that's all good. Keep going!