Class of July 2008 Part 8
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Finished my second day. 
Started a new job today, too...one where I don't have to interact as much with coworkers or the general public, thank goodness. I don't have to be "on" the whole day, ya know? I wonder if a lot of my triggers come from social anxiety? I mean, I don't drink while at work, but I certainly did to be comfortable enough with social situations after work.
Anyways, hope everyone is doing well in the July class. I'm cheating on you all in the January class...but I'm sure you understand.
Started a new job today, too...one where I don't have to interact as much with coworkers or the general public, thank goodness. I don't have to be "on" the whole day, ya know? I wonder if a lot of my triggers come from social anxiety? I mean, I don't drink while at work, but I certainly did to be comfortable enough with social situations after work. Anyways, hope everyone is doing well in the July class. I'm cheating on you all in the January class...but I'm sure you understand.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
DC...the social anxiety stuff is a killer.
Alchohol ultimately makes it worse, but it feels like a quick fix. I totally isolated the last 6 months ... a bit worse each day. Now I'm determined to get out at least once a day and interact..even if it's only to get a cup of coffee at the quick shop...my budget can't afford it, but i consider it thearpy to be honest.
I lost my job last Septemeber when i went to treatment AGAIN argghhh!
The job was temp so that in and of itself was no big deal, but since I got fired....I can no longer work for the state and the economics here are bad..so i'm pretty much screwed.
I'm glad you're still doing the job thing. It helps with the not drinking and with the anxiety to still have a job.
had an ok day today....yeah i wanna drink...i don't know why..it makes no sense...I'm past the "physical craving" and I know it only makes things worse...but i want it....
Anyhow, made it through till now just 5 more hours to go and I can always sleep through that if need be. Then tomarrow I have a "recovering writters" meeting to go to, and I cant be drunk for that...so i'm looking good....
stay in touch...I'm hit and miss on SR...I sorta realized how bad my isolation was when i no longer did fb or sr....thats like really really low LOL
But I'm hangin in and its gonna get better...if I don't drink....if I drink...its just more stuff i'm gonna loose and i don't have that much left.
Alchohol ultimately makes it worse, but it feels like a quick fix. I totally isolated the last 6 months ... a bit worse each day. Now I'm determined to get out at least once a day and interact..even if it's only to get a cup of coffee at the quick shop...my budget can't afford it, but i consider it thearpy to be honest.
I lost my job last Septemeber when i went to treatment AGAIN argghhh!
The job was temp so that in and of itself was no big deal, but since I got fired....I can no longer work for the state and the economics here are bad..so i'm pretty much screwed.
I'm glad you're still doing the job thing. It helps with the not drinking and with the anxiety to still have a job.
had an ok day today....yeah i wanna drink...i don't know why..it makes no sense...I'm past the "physical craving" and I know it only makes things worse...but i want it....
Anyhow, made it through till now just 5 more hours to go and I can always sleep through that if need be. Then tomarrow I have a "recovering writters" meeting to go to, and I cant be drunk for that...so i'm looking good....
stay in touch...I'm hit and miss on SR...I sorta realized how bad my isolation was when i no longer did fb or sr....thats like really really low LOL
But I'm hangin in and its gonna get better...if I don't drink....if I drink...its just more stuff i'm gonna loose and i don't have that much left.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Ahhhh, the thread is back from the dead zone.
Nice to see ya'll.
Too bad DG is cheating on us though. I hope she's practicing safe posting so we don't catch something nasty.
Nah, DG it's good for you. As much as this thread's a great homebase those new threads are just more active than us more mature and socially refined types.
Nice to see ya'll.
Too bad DG is cheating on us though. I hope she's practicing safe posting so we don't catch something nasty.
Nah, DG it's good for you. As much as this thread's a great homebase those new threads are just more active than us more mature and socially refined types.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Ha! "Socially refined" indeed, JIT!
Ananda, did you get through the night?? I'm sorry you lost your job! Heck, the only jobs there are in this town right now seem to be call centre ones...which is where I'm working...but at least we're all segregated in cubicles so there's minimal coworker politics happening. All the sniping and workplaces really get to me. How long do you have sober now, hon? Clearly I haven't been keeping up.
I'm off to the gym this morning. I do like this feeling of being awake, present, FIT again. Also, I'm taking off all social pressure...I'm not thinking I "have to" go out on the weekends anymore, or "have to" spend time with people. If I was drinking to be able to tolerate the company of certain people, doesn't seem to make sense to be giving them my time, does it? So, I'm pretty sure the weekend should be ok.
Ananda, did you get through the night?? I'm sorry you lost your job! Heck, the only jobs there are in this town right now seem to be call centre ones...which is where I'm working...but at least we're all segregated in cubicles so there's minimal coworker politics happening. All the sniping and workplaces really get to me. How long do you have sober now, hon? Clearly I haven't been keeping up.
I'm off to the gym this morning. I do like this feeling of being awake, present, FIT again. Also, I'm taking off all social pressure...I'm not thinking I "have to" go out on the weekends anymore, or "have to" spend time with people. If I was drinking to be able to tolerate the company of certain people, doesn't seem to make sense to be giving them my time, does it? So, I'm pretty sure the weekend should be ok.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Class...or those that check in now again ....I'm waking up to day seven!!!! I really don't have any cravings at all. Although, I AM getting those, "Maybe that means I'm NOT an alcoholic after all!" thoughts...so I know to be vigilant.
Off to shop, hit the gym, read some books. I feel FANTASTIC!!!! Thank goodness for this group!! Thank goodness there are still some people from...wow...three years ago now...on here still as familiar "faces". lol
Have a great day, all!!!!!!! xoxoxo
....I'm waking up to day seven!!!! I really don't have any cravings at all. Although, I AM getting those, "Maybe that means I'm NOT an alcoholic after all!" thoughts...so I know to be vigilant. Off to shop, hit the gym, read some books. I feel FANTASTIC!!!! Thank goodness for this group!! Thank goodness there are still some people from...wow...three years ago now...on here still as familiar "faces". lol
Have a great day, all!!!!!!! xoxoxo
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Day EIGHT, sweeties!!! Have accomplished so much in my house this weekend! Just getting little bits of my life together again...like catching up on laundry...makes everything feel so great!! It's amazing how immediately beneficial not drinking is! Also, working out at the gym in the last week has started toning up the ol' bod again. Vanity really does keep the spirits up.
Hope you're all well!
Have accomplished so much in my house this weekend! Just getting little bits of my life together again...like catching up on laundry...makes everything feel so great!! It's amazing how immediately beneficial not drinking is! Also, working out at the gym in the last week has started toning up the ol' bod again. Vanity really does keep the spirits up. Hope you're all well!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Day ten: Still a tad freaked out by being able to remember all of my dreams at night. It's like I hadn't actually dreamt in years! Not even particularly scary ones (although there was a spider one last night! yikes!), just the sheer volume of them is getting to be a bit much. Maybe I should stop going to bed at 8pm. lol
Hope you're all well!
Hope you're all well!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Wow DG, I'm sitting here smiling hearing how you're doing. Ok, actually I'm laying here in bed because I woke up early and I'm just relaxing and decided to check in to the most socially refined thread going...ha. We've come a long way from our inappropriate days
Dreams are good, it's your mind working on sorting out and making sense of tons of input. Not that the dreams themselves have to make sense 'cause they usually don't appear to on the surface. I don't think the monster spider from hell is going to be working out with you at the gym tomorrow, but watch out for the gym lizards.
Hey, I'm jazzed about your 10 days! Proud of you for recognizing that old "maybe I'm not an alcoholic" trick and slamming it to the mat. When I first got sober I think I made it through the early going by concentrating on the fact that I was just fed up with what drinking was doing to me. Whether I fit anyone's, or my own, definition of alcoholic wasn't as important to me as just not wanting all the bad stuff that came along with the mirage of a the promised good time.
Dreams are good, it's your mind working on sorting out and making sense of tons of input. Not that the dreams themselves have to make sense 'cause they usually don't appear to on the surface. I don't think the monster spider from hell is going to be working out with you at the gym tomorrow, but watch out for the gym lizards.
Hey, I'm jazzed about your 10 days! Proud of you for recognizing that old "maybe I'm not an alcoholic" trick and slamming it to the mat. When I first got sober I think I made it through the early going by concentrating on the fact that I was just fed up with what drinking was doing to me. Whether I fit anyone's, or my own, definition of alcoholic wasn't as important to me as just not wanting all the bad stuff that came along with the mirage of a the promised good time.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
Thanks JIT! Wow, getting poetic there at the end, eh? I like it! lol
Day 11 here. Nothing too creepy dream-wise last night..although I did dream about being at work, so felt like I did a double shift yesterday. lol I feel so good, too! I've lost some weight, am getting muscle tone again from the gym, am totally here and present with my kids.
But....the weekend is coming up. I've started talking to a guy from my work who I'm interested in. I'm pretty sure he'll be asking me out for wings/beer this weekend. It's not that I want the beer...I'm just not sure if I'll be a downer without it, ya know? And yes, I realize this is justification. I think I'll dodge and weave going out with him for another few weeks...get more time in. Heck, just make him want me more! lol
Well lookey-there...sober me figured this one out.
I like it! lolDay 11 here. Nothing too creepy dream-wise last night..although I did dream about being at work, so felt like I did a double shift yesterday. lol I feel so good, too! I've lost some weight, am getting muscle tone again from the gym, am totally here and present with my kids.
But....the weekend is coming up. I've started talking to a guy from my work who I'm interested in. I'm pretty sure he'll be asking me out for wings/beer this weekend. It's not that I want the beer...I'm just not sure if I'll be a downer without it, ya know? And yes, I realize this is justification. I think I'll dodge and weave going out with him for another few weeks...get more time in. Heck, just make him want me more! lol
Well lookey-there...sober me figured this one out.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Good for sober you DG.
BTW, I read where starting a relationship in the first few months of recovery (you'll probably hear some say double or triple that but whatever the time is...) is not good for you or the other person.
There's a recent pretty good short thread here...
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post2826418
...where a member called Fridaynight made a really good point that I'll quote for you;
"no matter what your OTHER problems, no matter how large they loom, your first problem to solve is simply the alcoholism. You can't solve any of the others until you first solve the priority. We want everything to get better right away but I hear that "slow" recovery is real recovery."
A sober weekend is a good weekend and any day is a great day to be alive and sober.
BTW, I read where starting a relationship in the first few months of recovery (you'll probably hear some say double or triple that but whatever the time is...) is not good for you or the other person.
There's a recent pretty good short thread here...
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post2826418
...where a member called Fridaynight made a really good point that I'll quote for you;
"no matter what your OTHER problems, no matter how large they loom, your first problem to solve is simply the alcoholism. You can't solve any of the others until you first solve the priority. We want everything to get better right away but I hear that "slow" recovery is real recovery."
A sober weekend is a good weekend and any day is a great day to be alive and sober.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Looking forward to soberly watching my Chicago Bears play in the NFC title game on Sunday against the dreaded Green Bay Packers. Football games use to be big time drinking time. But then again so were any days that end with a 'y'.
Now drinking would just take away from the game.
Now drinking would just take away from the game.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: East Coast
Posts: 437
Hi All,
Just checking in here from philly with about a foot of snow coming down, this is getting old. I don't get here much - just very busy but like to stop by at least once in a while.
JIT - how are you? so sorry about the game. Green bay beat us too, not that it helps a chicago fan. I am so looking forward to baseball. Just getting along with life. The holidays just made me think about drinking- not really wanting to drink - just thinking about when I did. If it wasn't for coming on here to see how you are I would probably come here less which isnt saying much because I rarely find time. It is nice to still have this thread to come to and good to know you are doing well.
All-Not sure how many have been sober since inception of this thread but we are at or passed the 2 and 1/2 year mark.
For those still trying to beat this - it will get better. I always read this and thought yeah maybe for you but you have to give yourself some time. It will not happen over night just hang in there and come here often. This place was a godsend for me in the beginning. You have to talk to people who know what you are going through.
Happy Winter to all and know that Spring is coming soon.
Just checking in here from philly with about a foot of snow coming down, this is getting old. I don't get here much - just very busy but like to stop by at least once in a while.
JIT - how are you? so sorry about the game. Green bay beat us too, not that it helps a chicago fan. I am so looking forward to baseball. Just getting along with life. The holidays just made me think about drinking- not really wanting to drink - just thinking about when I did. If it wasn't for coming on here to see how you are I would probably come here less which isnt saying much because I rarely find time. It is nice to still have this thread to come to and good to know you are doing well.
All-Not sure how many have been sober since inception of this thread but we are at or passed the 2 and 1/2 year mark.
For those still trying to beat this - it will get better. I always read this and thought yeah maybe for you but you have to give yourself some time. It will not happen over night just hang in there and come here often. This place was a godsend for me in the beginning. You have to talk to people who know what you are going through.
Happy Winter to all and know that Spring is coming soon.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Hey Philly, good to know you're still out there. That snow is crazy back there this year with no end in sight. I know what you mean about not coming to SR as much. Lot's of times I check and look around but don't post.
I will say this about the 2 1/2 year mark. I really feel like I won't drink again. I guess what I mean by that is I don't wish any more about being able to become a social drinker. I don't see the point.
I will say this about the 2 1/2 year mark. I really feel like I won't drink again. I guess what I mean by that is I don't wish any more about being able to become a social drinker. I don't see the point.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: East Coast
Posts: 437
Hi All,
Must be time for my monthly visit to SR. Hope everyone is doing well.
JIT your last comment got me thinking (as usual you always get me thinking). About the social drinking- I was trying to figure out what would we hope for by social drinking- worse case scenerio we all can imagine but what would the best case scenerio be? Do we hope to have two drinks and get a headache so we wouldn't want anymore- so what is the point of that. Or do we hope to have two drinks and feel really good - that would only cause us to think when can we do that again.
I'm done rambling but I can't seem to even come up with a best case scenerio. For now I consider myself allergic to alcohol. Not sure how my body would react so why take a chance. If it were food and I had a chance to get sick from something that tasted really good I think I would eat something else that I knew would not make me sick.
Must be time for my monthly visit to SR. Hope everyone is doing well.
JIT your last comment got me thinking (as usual you always get me thinking). About the social drinking- I was trying to figure out what would we hope for by social drinking- worse case scenerio we all can imagine but what would the best case scenerio be? Do we hope to have two drinks and get a headache so we wouldn't want anymore- so what is the point of that. Or do we hope to have two drinks and feel really good - that would only cause us to think when can we do that again.
I'm done rambling but I can't seem to even come up with a best case scenerio. For now I consider myself allergic to alcohol. Not sure how my body would react so why take a chance. If it were food and I had a chance to get sick from something that tasted really good I think I would eat something else that I knew would not make me sick.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Road to recovery
Posts: 866
Agree with everything you just said.
Here's what we probably hope for from social drinking...we hope to fit in.
It's fools hope because you can't fit in by drinking.
We see people when we're young having what looks like a great time and being popular and they might be drinking and we think...I want that so I'm going to drink.
We could have seen the people that were drinking in the corner, not popular and said I don't want that so I'm not going to drink.
We also see movies, TV and advertising glorifying drinking.
Now when we're sober we may go to events where there is drinking and if we're nervous and up tight about not drinking we're not going to fit in. But if we're confident about being ourselves we can fit in anywhere and we don't have to drink to do it.
Now, whether it's even good to want to fit in or not is an entirely different discussion for a different day.
Here's what we probably hope for from social drinking...we hope to fit in.
It's fools hope because you can't fit in by drinking.
We see people when we're young having what looks like a great time and being popular and they might be drinking and we think...I want that so I'm going to drink.
We could have seen the people that were drinking in the corner, not popular and said I don't want that so I'm not going to drink.
We also see movies, TV and advertising glorifying drinking.
Now when we're sober we may go to events where there is drinking and if we're nervous and up tight about not drinking we're not going to fit in. But if we're confident about being ourselves we can fit in anywhere and we don't have to drink to do it.
Now, whether it's even good to want to fit in or not is an entirely different discussion for a different day.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: East Coast
Posts: 437
Hi JIT- I have just been busy and don't go on this site at work. Everything is fine now that baseball season has started. We should have a good year but who knows in baseball hopefully it will be fun to watch. Hope everything on the west coast is good. Life is good. It is funny to me that sometimes I think not drinking is a secret society. I know I feel better and love the mornings but especially when I am around those who still overly imbibe than they cant move all day. I think it really has to be out of your system for a while before you can reap those benefits therefore most never get to experience it. Just my thought for the day (it seems I am always rambling).
Hi all
I really do get excited when I still see this thread. I hope everyone is doing well. I do think of this site more often than I come here. I still think about alcohol but way less than I used to. Funny thing I got a cold and it was really bothering me yesterday and thought you know a drink would make me feel better (not that I thought about having one just that I wanted to feel better) anyway I went to bed as usual and felt better this morning and thought about how crappy I would have felt this morning on top of being sick. I do get alot of reinforcements like that and it keeps it in the forefront.
Well enough said and Happy Spring to All
Hi all
I really do get excited when I still see this thread. I hope everyone is doing well. I do think of this site more often than I come here. I still think about alcohol but way less than I used to. Funny thing I got a cold and it was really bothering me yesterday and thought you know a drink would make me feel better (not that I thought about having one just that I wanted to feel better) anyway I went to bed as usual and felt better this morning and thought about how crappy I would have felt this morning on top of being sick. I do get alot of reinforcements like that and it keeps it in the forefront.
Well enough said and Happy Spring to All
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
