Daily Thread: Feb. 3

[retteacher]

My goodness! I looked for it & didn't see it. Mary

[retteacher]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

I hope it's OK to start this thread off. I happened to be reading about drinking as an antidote to boredom. Boredom was a big impetus for my drinking...especially on the weekend when I didn't have anything pressing to do. The drinking took up time & energy. I didn't have to think beyond pouring my next drink unbeknowst to my husb who was sitting in the next room reading the paper or watching TV. I could tell myself that drinking was escape hatch from a very busy, complicated life. So, what was the payoff? Hangovers, guilt, shame.

I thank God that I don't have to do that today. Yes, those first few Sundays during football season were difficult. What was I to do? I found some great ways to clear my mind: reading, baking, b-sitting, etc. Then on Monday: no physical, emotional, spiritual hangover. Just pure anticipation for the day to come.

I hope all is well w/everyone.

Mary

[Lavande]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Good morning Mary & all Abbers!

Thanks for starting us off this morning! Running a little late myself. It snowed again last night - seems to make me lazy

Boredom & lonliness were my two biggest triggers! I realized that right at the very beginning of my AF journey & have taken all sorts of major steps to avoid those situations. It is blessing to be able to identify your triggers & do something about them!

Wednesday afternoon is set aside for watching my grandson while his Mom goes to class. He is 14 months old now & keeps me running. Great exercise program

Wishing everyone a terrific AF Wednesday - happy humpday!
Lav

[KateH1]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Hello Abbers,

Nice to see you Mary and Lav.

Drinking due to boredom....Honestly....I drank for Every and Any reason. I drank due to stress, I drank to celebrate....I drank to just drink. Yes, I did like the taste of "Fine Wine", with a meal....but then again, after the first bottle who could taste it anyway??? A while back I finally admitted to myself that I drank because I had a compulsion to drink and any event or none event was a reason to drink.

These days, I simply do not drink and I must say, life is better! Way better! I am able to tlive in the moment, I am able to read a book until falling asleep, or watch a movie and actually follow the plot! I can answer the phone in the evening knowing that I will not slur my words and that if I am needed, I can safely get into my car and drive. Alcohol no longer takes chunks out of my life, my self esteem and my confidence.....I Am a None Drinker and I Love it!!

Happy Wednesday All!

[Doggygirl]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Good morning! Mary, thanks for getting us started. That is a great topic - drinking out of boredom or lonliness.

Lav, sounds like you are definitely not bored or lonely on Wednesdays! Have fun with your grandson and all that great exercise running around with him.

Mary, in thinking about drinking out of boredom and/or lonliness, I realize that drinking AL was more of a CAUSE of it than a RELIEF from it. As I stopped doing other things of interest in life, and stopped seeing people (because all I wanted to do was drink) my life really DID get boring in the sense that nothing much was going on besides drinking. What a viscious circle!

Also, for me laziness was a factor. It was a lot easier to just pour drinks than to muster up the creativity and energy to figure out something else to do, and contribute energy to relationships so I would have friends to do something with. I am still working on that lazy factor which also comes with a bit of a fear factor. (trying new things, experiencing new relationships)

It was certainly my own fault that I was bored.

Great food for thought! Is everyone else sleeping in today?? (if you are, sweet dreams!)

DG

[Marshy]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Hello abberoonies,

I'm with Kate on this:

KateH1;800510 wrote: I drank to just drink.

That sums it up for me. And I also love being able to answer the phone in the evening now. (Ah, simple pleasures :H) When the phone used to ring when I was drinking, I always said "hello, hello" out loud a couple of times before I picked it up to see how badly I was slurring, and if I sounded bad, I didn't pick up the phone. Makes me cringe to think about it!

Zoom, zoom!

[KateH1]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

OMG! Marshy....the Hello, Hello, test! I did that all the time, or, I would try saying a simple sentence and if I sounded at all weird, I would not pick up the phone!! Yikes! I thought I was the only one who did that! You know, my daughter told me that even when I was not slurring my words she could tell that I had been drinking by the timber of my voice. Yes! Cringe!!!

Yes.....Zoom Zoom....

[greeneyes]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Zooming in for touchdown here. I drank to drink as well. Happy - sad, busy - bored, didn't matter. Just kept a drink in hand or in a hidey hole. Glad that's over with!

[Determinator]

Daily Thread: Feb. 3

Mary, wonderful to hear from you. and ditto everyone.

I got all my zooming done this morning. now I'm exhausted. time to peel some garlic

be well