af Wed 5 Feb

[treetops]

MAE absters. Wed evening here and a national holiday tomorrow ? Waitangi Day.
So how are all the folks who are braving the cold?
Narilly ? bet you wish now that the butter chicken pizza had some calories in it
Lav ? hope you are safe and warm. You too PPQP, also Yah and you also Sam. I guess its not too cold where you live - Catbuddy or where SF and Pauly live.

And we know its cold a lot of the year where Mick lives. I am being polite!:H (another reason why the Scots emigrated so much ? come on Mick, I am pulling your leg:H) ? anyway you buzz off to hot places given the chance.

SL ? good on you for not taking a detour on the way home. And this will become second nature soon.

Pauly ? hope things are not too tense with you and the family. Surely your hubby?s employers will work something out ? as long as hubby shows that this won?t happen again. If he is good at his job they will want to keep him. That's the ideal but I know reality is not always so kind.

Kuya ? hope also that your work reorientation/economic plans take shape. Enjoy the warm weather expected on Waitangi Day.

Yes there is certainly a lot in the media at the moment about the big stars and addiction. Everybody seems to have a theory about this. I get annoyed that some commentators seem to think that ?doing rehab? and ?doing the programme? or the steps ?is the answer and because someone stops doing this ? they relapse. No offence intended here to anyone who does follow these programmes ? but as I am sure folk on this thread know ? its not the fail-safe answer ? or the only route to dealing with addiction.

Enjoy your sober Wednesday!

[Mick]

af Wed 5 Feb

mae all..how are we today?ok I hope...just a quick jump in today...got quite a bit to do today, so need to get a wee move on. Dont feel so great today either...just cant put me finger on it...twill pass.no rain here today,if the wind would disappear it would be like the middle of summer..well almost.just making a brew at the mo..anyone else?right onwards and upwards..have a great day everyone...be safe n sober

[paulywogg]

af Wed 5 Feb

Mae everybody,hope you feel better Mick,i think im coming down with something yet again or its just allergies,its not just me either son was sick yesterday and alot of customers been complaining about allergies,colds etc,TT,yes they have been talking alot about addiction in the media lately,i think because that actor who died was such a shock,he didnt "look"like a heroin user,you know the ones we picture in our heads,stereotypes,i do that with alkies too i always joke i can tell who "my people"are,actually not a funny joke at all,some talk on yesterdays thread on turmeric,i had started a thread on it cuz i recently started taking it for headaches,im not sure but i think it gives me headaches,but it could be cuz its in a capsule?who knows i probly just need to get to the chiropractor,i keep putting it off but i need too,have a good wednesday everybody

[narilly]

af Wed 5 Feb

Morning everybody.
It is very cold here today -28 on the way to work. Froze my arse off walking to work. Actually, it wasn't too bad but my legs did freeze even though I had long johns on.

PQ, hope you are keeping warm.

Mick, hope you feel better tomorrow. You too Pauly.

Waitangi Day, I never heard of that! Hope you have a nice holiday.

Det, Lav, SL, everyone, have a super sober Wednesday!

[Determinator]

af Wed 5 Feb

greetings ABerooos. even sicker today sad to report. hope to be more fun soon.
NOT resorting to al for relief though no matter what.
hope you are all good and well

[paulywogg]

af Wed 5 Feb

Just get some rest Det

[Lavande]

af Wed 5 Feb

Good evening Abbers,

Sounds like everyone is in sick call today!

I have been without power since the overnight hours due to a huge ice storm, not fun. Grabbing some light & heat via the generator right now. Looks like over 80% of the county is without power. I think it's going to be a few days until this is resolved.

Hope everyone feels better soon. I'm thinking of everyone!

Lav

[porqoui]

af Wed 5 Feb

MAE ALL....

Quiet thread today sounds like everyone is a bit under the weather. Knock wood I'm not. I'm just sick of the weather.

Narilly...it was exceptionally cold today. That slight wind went right through you. You be careful walking around out there. How far is it to work?

Pauly....i can tell who "my people" are :H :H I could too. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Mick...hope things are better with you too. You sounded a little down this morning. Did the wind disappear or was your "to do" list indoors? Hopefully you're having a peaceful sleep.

TT...totally agree with your comments about the media. One size does not fit all!! Hope your Thursday's going good.

Lav...that totally sucks.! I hope it doesn't drag on. How do the chicks fair during things like this? Gotta say those generators can be life savers. Be safe.

Det...sorry to hear things haven't gotten any better for you. As Pauly says, get some rest.

Now that I've thawed out it's time to think of dinner. Picked up some beef tenderloin for kebabs to go with my caesar salad. Have a peaceful night all......PPQP

[TheSunFlower]

af Wed 5 Feb

Quick pop in.

Mick...thank you for the article. I tend to think information that gives you links at the end to purchase product has an agenda. I do recall reading that there was a big push by companies to have addiction classified as a disease. This forced insurance companies to start paying for rehab and such. Big business to sell it, big business to create rehab centers. Rehab is big business....especailly if you can get someone to go several times.

TT...I haven't watched much of the coverage, but have caught glimpses of it. Everyone has an opinion....and even the addicted cannot agree Recently, I told someone I was sober....who gasped when they learned that I did not regularly attend meetings or "gasp" actively do the steps. I did mention that I was part of an on-line group that is there for me 24/7 and "gasp" all had gotten sober different ways. She then sent me a link to "In the Rooms" which is 12 Step. I understand the intention. But, there is such narrow mindedness in the recovery community itself. To which I gasp Not once was she interested in this so-called on-line group I was a part of.

I certainly understand the shock it can be when people relapse after a number of years. I personally have to look the other way, because for too long all I could see was relapse from people who got sober in the recovery rooms....and I thought "why try" if you are just going to have to battle 24/7 to eventually relapse. Coming from the queen of relapse....it was almost justified....because it was what was going to happen anyways. I just skipped the years of sobriety part...the 24/7 battle.

For me personally it does not help to classify it as a disease. I have to take personal responsiblity. It would be too easy in a weak moment to go "screw it, my disease made me do it. My disease let my family down...not me." When I keep in the forefront that it would be ME letting everyone down....it is easier to take it off the table. If I allow myself to lay the blame on anything, besides myself....is the day I could find myself in real trouble. So for me it is a personal choice to not call it disease....because personal responsiblty is key to keeping me sober.

[scottish lass]

af Wed 5 Feb

Hi all, car back - wallet empty!
Lav, so sorry - I hope you are able to stay warm and cosy, and hope you get power back soon. That will be a tough few days, let us know how things are.
Sorry you are off colour Mick, hope it is just a passing thing.
Det - chicken soup!!!
Getting the evening going - means supper, homeowrk, baths and hair washes - nagging for a few hours! Uggg!! Oh well, see you in a bit :l:l

[treetops]

af Wed 5 Feb

SF - I could be wrong but I suspect the preoccupation with 'doing the steps' and maybe also with going into rehab is especially an American thing. Its certainly not so common here. Maybe because we have so few in-house rehab facilities. Virtually none.
I don't agonize over whether I have a disease or what exactly caused my AL addiction. I can plot personal and social factors that facilitated the need for escape (Kuya mentioned difficult childhoods) - but who knows why I turned to AL later in life but my siblings did not get hooked on AL? We share the same genetic pool but we have different mental and physical problems.
I've been through analysis of my childhood etc (this was for my depression) but now I just want to get on with the rest of my life. I am so over rehashing the past - another reason why I avoid therapists!

Anyway - the weather sound right ghastly for many on this thread - but sunny blue skies in the Pacific today!
Hope the sickies are curled up in bed.

[scottish lass]

af Wed 5 Feb

Just read thru properly and see Pauly is "poorly" too - hope all get rid of the bugs saefly and easily

[porqoui]

af Wed 5 Feb

TheSunFlower;1623349 wrote: For me personally it does not help to classify it as a disease. I have to take personal responsibility. It would be too easy in a weak moment to go "screw it, my disease made me do it.

Oh I soooo agree SF. I used the "It's a disease" excuse for a long time. I read on a post somewhere here on MWO that it's not "disease" it's "dis-ease" and I certainty felt that! When I drink I am not at ease with myself.

TT...it is also a "Canadian" thing. The media can be so lame at times. Actually it all depends on what group/meeting you end up going to. When I "desperately" needed face-to-face I found a great group. It helped me get through the isolating myself phase. I was committed to doing the steps but then it became another stresser in my life and I didn't need that. Especially when I could log on and talk to anyone at anytime. I am so grateful to this thread.

Sl....well at least the car is home....

Frigid temps again tomorrow morining....be safe Narilly......PPQP

[Determinator]

af Wed 5 Feb

creaking greetings from snot-land. Lav, I'm relieved to hear you have the appropriate survival gear. (I'm now picturing you jumping out of a helicopter with a knife in your teeth LOL) ok, maybe that's the fever talking.

ironically it's the disease model that helps me to accept that I cannot drink. Like a doctor telling someone 'you have a peanut allergy, if you eat it you may die'. I'm a diagnosed alchy, and disease or not it just means one thing for me. no boozage. indeed there is no room in this for feeling sorry for ones self or saying we can't control our behavior because of a disease....I can see how that would be tricky.

taken 5K mg of C today. you'd think that would be doing something....

[porqoui]

af Wed 5 Feb

Determinator;1623405 wrote: Lav, I'm relieved to hear you have the appropriate survival gear. (I'm now picturing you jumping out of a helicopter with a knife in your teeth LOL) ok, maybe that's the fever talking.

:H:H....Why aren't you sleeping????