Raider

Well now that "holiday" is over....whew....and I'm an old bag....whew....
I have some questions....

1. Why do I continue to sweat at night? I know, real attractive. I sweat something awful. I kick off the covers, then I freeze.

2. Why was yesterday so difficult?

3. Is it because I'm so new in sobriety that the pics of parties yesterday killed me?

4. Why is it important to let people know what you are thinking/feeling in terms of sobriety?

5. Why do I still have urges?

When will all this madness mellow out?

Love ya' bunches!!!

Holli

Don't know how old you are, but have you considered that some symptoms could be menopause? Speaking from personal experience here...

Finnie

Hi raider. Keep going it will get better!

jdooner

1) You should get a checkup. You have changed many things chemically in your body by getting sober. Get a checkup and see if you have hypertension or something underlying that might be causing the night sweats.

2) Elaborate - could be many reasons

3) Not sure I understand - I find I can be triggered by pictures and songs actually

4) I find talking about stuff is cathartic bc its letting stuff out. We keep a lot of stuff inside and many are introverted. Sometimes we just can't absorb and the process of talking is like letting out a breath of air after two minutes.

5) Define urge. If you mean thoughts, you will always have thoughts about drinking. I assume they will become less, as the have with me but you have them. You are not your thoughts and so you do not have to act on your thoughts. I try not to focus on surprising my thoughts but rather how to deal with them.

Your doing a good job!

Randummy

1. I've been sweating then getting cold for a while. According to my doctor, it's totally normal and it'll take a while for my body to sort itself out. It's really annoying though!

I don't think it's important to disclose your feelings/thoughts to people where it won't serve you or them. I would never disclose to my brother, for example, because it would be bad for me and I have to put my sobriety first.

I'm a week sober and the urges are strong in certain situations. If I'm meeting my friends, it's a strong urge, but if I'm at home, it's okay. I think it's a case of establishing a new routine. It's hard though!

Looking4Help123

It could be PAWS that can last up to a year?

CAPTAINZING2000

Ah off coffee and soda

Define urges

hopeful4

I can only say that I experience the night sweats lately and I believe it is menopause a coming! I am 39. I also sweat when I am under alot of anxiety.

It is important to share what you are thinking/feeling because it keeps you from stuffing that which is not good for your recovery. You need to be able to open up for support.

I think the urges are just like any addiction, be in drugs, alcohol, sugar, caffine, whatever. We fed it to our body and it wants more. In time the urges will subside.

You are doing so great, keep up the good work!!!

Raider

Holli-I am 55. I have been on anti-M medicine a long time. I have had those kinds of "sweats". It's different.

JDooner-Seeing all the drinking and parties on FB. I wanted to be there partying too. I, too, am triggered by songs. Not now though, I listen to all Christian music.
Check up - yes good idea.

Captain- urges. Urges for liquor. Yes, thoughts. Like out of the blue, my mind says I would love to have a drink right now.

I think that I would not be too disappointed in myself if I gave in and got drunk. Here is my bigger problem, if I did, it takes me weeks or months even, to get back on that horse. I have learned that about myself too many times. Knowing this keeps me from giving in.

Raider

Hopeful you are a baby!!!!!

Tamerua

I think it takes a while for the urges to go away for some. I'm 15 mos in and last week we went to the beach and an urge hit. I can laugh at it now, I don't know how long you've been sober but it takes time for everything to get back to normal. Keep up the good work.

courage2

1) sweats -- don't know. That wore off for me pretty fast. See a doctor if it continues & is bothering you a lot?
2) Yesterday is over. Don't dwell on it.
3) Yes. Why are you looking at pix of parties? Avoid people places things that trigger you, including pictures of people, places & things. You're not ready for it. Focus on other things.
4) It's important because if you DO dwell on thoughts/feelings they can fester, get twisted, and lead you back to a drink. As alcoholics, a lot of us are secretive. Letting go of secrets is important. Sometimes the only way to practice letting go of secrets is just to stay open, even when you don't want to. You'll have to learn the difference between privacy & secrecy along the way, but if you have a decent support network, now is not the time to cling to privacy.
5) Urges to drink will last a long time in my experience. Physical urges lessen after a month or so, I think, but the mental reflex was learned over a long time (for me, decades) and it's always going to be a go-to place when you're stressed, bored, happy, sad.... It's a bummer but you will get better at shrugging them off.

Every time you think you can answer the thought with, then again, I don't have to. Maybe another day, but not today.

You sound great to me -- thanks for thread!

jdooner

I have followed and become friendly with you over the past year. I disagree - you would be very disappointed - to say you would not be is just your mind trying to trick you and make it easier to relapse.

Forget FB, toss on some Christian rock that you listen to and start Twerking Miley:-)

Raider

"just your mind trying to trick you and make it easier to relapse."

That is a horribly scary thought.

mecanix

1) sweats were pretty grim for me for about the first 6 weeks , i guess were all different though . One thing which helped was wrapping the pillow in a dry and fresh bath towel and changing it every day .


2) there are bad days there are good days . Sitting around letting ones mind wander into uncomfortable areas , face book accentuating what we might not be involved with . Why are you even looking at it ? a load of boring old drinkers… go and find fun and interesting things to engage yourself with , the more i could turn the volume up of the good stuff in my head the more drowned out the bad is ( try halford's winter songs for a christmas rock out winter song is a mex favourite ) .


3) Ambushes happen anytime anywhere . just be ready for the assault , these days i say deamon i know your name , i have eternal patience annoy me all you want , if your armour is strong it goes away .


4) A load of old garbage comes out my mouth , self distraction and distracting others whilst we cary on abusing ourselves is what we do sometimes . definite boundaries for ourselves and shining the light of truth into dark corners helps us live free and happy .


5) why Raider i believe you might be an alcoholic , urges are part of it . The more we work on our lives , making them sober, glorious and happy the less of a strangle hold escapism to alcoholic stupor has upon us .. Took about a year for me , they got less frequent but always tended to last 5 days .
The more you convince yourself that for you alcohol is just bad news & something your never going to do again the better . I really see alcohol as nothing good for me these days and never ask myself the question shall i have a drink .

Keep on

Bestwishes, m

Ruby2

I was just thinking that Hopeful is a mere babe. I will be 50 this year and didn't have my kids until after I turned 40. But. That isn't what brought me to respond.

Raider, I have 4 months now and I still get night sweats but more random now than at first which was every night. I am normally a pretty sweaty person though - runs in the family.

I still think "hmm, doesn't that look tasty" when I see alcohol adverts or drink recipes. I don't think that will ever truly go away but the impact it has on me has changed and now seems more of a passing thought rather than I have to have it NOW!

If you mean thoughts about drinking when you asked about thoughts of sobriety, if I am thinking that a drink might be nice I do tell people that I had that thought. It gets it out in the open, it is honest, and it isn't left to fester. The thought usually dries up and goes away. If I hide the thought or idea it stays secret then it can grow bigger. I can control it when it is tiny. If I let it grow I am more likely to act on it. Secrets have power and if your AV is telling you to keep the thought of drinking a secret it is because it can work to get you to act for it and drink. The people I tell though are people in AA or on here. I wouldn't tell my family that because they don't understand and would probably freak out.

Sometimes a song triggers a thought. Or a feeling. It is all in what I have associated with that song or feeling in the past. I just bought a new to me car and had to think hard about why I suddenly had thoughts of drinking all of a sudden when I hadn't had them at all recently. It was new and it was exciting and made me nervous all the same. I haven't had a car payment in a very long time.

Good questions. I haven't addressed all of them but I am tired and this chick is off to bed. I hope you had a good birthday!

Hearts

1. Sweats always went away by around day 4 for me. I didn't really mind them all that much. I liked that my body was squeezing out all of those toxins. Don't webmd (lol) it but I'm sure sweats could be symptoms of other things so if you could see a dr, that could be a good idea.

2 & 3. We all have our triggers. It could be that every one is partying around your birthday and you can't be involved in what they are doing.

4. I can't really answer that. Is that AA? I'm as honest as I "can" be and it makes me feel good and strengthens my resolve to not drink. To me, lying is sneaking is drinking and honesty is the opposite of all that.

5. Urges suck. When I'm having a good moment and I'm not having an urge I try to jackhammer it into my brain so I have something to think of when the urge comes back.

Lenina

(((Raider))) thats the Nature of the Beast. the good news? As you to Acknowlege and move on, it gets easier. I haven't have a serious craving or urge in years. I'm sober since December 1, 2007.

if you haven't studied Rational Recovery and AVRT, you might want to read up on it. The AVRT technique is very easy and gets to be second nature quickly.

As to the might sweats, see your GYN. You might need adjusting to the HRT. it might be a way your body is releasing the toxins from the alcohol. If you can, try to get a nice walk in daily. I try for at least 20 minutes and it helps me a lot.

Talking about "it" seems to help. getting it out in the open and acknowledging it helps to move on.

Play the tape to the end. Would you really have a "good" time? doubtful. Most likely you quit drinking for very good reasons. remember those.

Love from Lenina