Gilmer

I have heard a little about PAWS, but really don't know what it is. I'll do a search. Thanks, Dee! Glad you're back!

Reeny

Good for you, Lunetta. This is a great reminder. I feel a bit sad too but I know if I go back to drinking, it will kill me. No two ways about that.

So happy to see you back, Dee!

Dee74

Thanks Reeny

heres a good PAWs link guys:

PAWS | Digital Dharma

D

Gilmer

Thanks for the link. I don't have all of the symptoms, but I do have the lack of concentration/distraction and the emotional overreaction. I've been putting myself under a lot of personal condemnation lately. I've run it by some other people, and they haven't seen that my shortcomings are that big a deal. I haven't been truly depressed, though--I know what that looks like (I'm bipolar II, and was diagnosed years before my drinking got bad).

Siesta

Thanks for the link Dee and glad you are back online. I read the paws link back in my first 30 days but definitely needed to reread it now. Have lots of the symptoms and I'll be trying to recognize them now. Hopefully it will help.

Having breakfast with friends this morning in the sunshine then maybe a long solo bike ride down the riverbed trail today. Going to try to get my thoughts together and de-stress a bit. Trying something new tonight also. I have a Boston Terrier so I looked up meet ups in my area for Boston owners and there is one at the local "dog beach" tonight. Hoping to meet new friends and get out of this rut I'm in.

Hope you all are having a good Wednesday!

Gilmer

Siesta, my daughter's got a French Bulldog. You can see him on the Dog Lover's thread in Cafe Central. They look a lot like Boston Terriers. A dog beach is such a cool idea! Our little Wilbur would bark his head off at all other dogs (and then they'd probably chomp him in half)!

Gilmer

AARGH! All I'm doing is surfing the site! Nobody's even posting! It's 80 degrees outside and I'm sitting in the house! I'm not even working on a paper that's due this week! Somebody slap me!

Rosieblue

Dorris (hugs) thinking of you.

Gilmer out go on you know you want to OUT enjoy it.

Will catch up with you all more soon along with flu ok manflu lol hectic week in work new sytems going live actually enjoying the challenge which has suprised me dont think i would have coped hungover. On phone will crank up the old lappy soon.

Love you all xx take care

Gilmer

Thanks, Rosie--I've gotten my shower and I'm off to the bank and the grocery store!

Siesta

Well, breakfast was crummy. My friend took it as an opportunity to tell me he thinks I never had a drinking problem and just had marital issues that needed working out. He said I should be able to drink now that I'm back to being happy in my marriage. I started to tell him a little about how much I used to drink but then decided I don't need to justify myself to him. I don't think he'll understand and I don't think he wants to understand. Finally I just told him that he wasn't being helpful to me as a friend and politely excused myself. Really need the bike ride now to unwind.

Gilmer

Today is finally my 90 days! Felt like I've been waiting for it forever! Now I'll just count months. Good morning, everybody!

Rosieblue

Yay Gilmer well done

Good morning

I sort of had a run in with friend a few days ago we were in the same queue getting lunch the she called me a boring old @@@@ just cos I don't go out now lol. I laughed smiled and walked away ahhhhh. I wasn't the one that spent the whole of easter stuck in a pub how boring is that in all honesty. Just like a stuck record doing the same thing again and again. I feel sad at times like lynetta that I wasted so much time drinking it's not been easy stopping but I am finally starting to see the benefits of a sober life.

Dee74

congratulations Gilmer

D

Gilmer

Thanks, Dee! I'm so glad to be sober.

Reeny

Good for you, Siesta! You don't need to prove anything to anyone! Sounds like he might have his own issues.

Rosieblue, hope you're feeling better.

How's it going, Dorris?

100 days for me - yippee! Thanks for the PAWS link, Dee. I'm a textbook case! But I've made it this far and maybe need to spend a bit more time reflecting on all the positives. One wonderful benefit is not always double guessing myself because of a guilty conscience. Thinking back: why is my son acting so weird? Oh no, he hasn't found my stash, has he? ... And that sort of stuff happened all the time. No more!

Reeny

Congratulations, Gilmer! Great going!

Gilmer

Congratulations to you, too, Reeny!

Like2Hike

Congrats Rosie, Gilmer, and Reeny. Great work on reaching those markers.

Siesta - Sorry your friend gave you a hard time. I hope you had a good ride.

I've been very low key about stopping drinking but still managed to offend a couple of friends just by saying "no thanks" to their offers to go out for beers. So be it because my health is more important than their insecurities.

This PAWS thing has me rattled. I did not have acute withdrawls but certainly drank copious amount of alcohol for over two decades. The idea of the PAWS symptoms for up to 2 years after stopping drinking is like finding a **** in the punch bowl.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Gilmer

That's one way to get everybody to laugh hard at a gathering--use the expression "T*** in the punch bowl!" Don't count your chickens before they're hatched--you may not get PAWS at all. Either way, you're better off sober.

Sorry your friends got offended.

Like2Hike

Thanks, Gilmer. Next week I have an appointment with my GP doctor and will have over 100 days of no alcohol in the bag. She takes a keen interest in lifestyle practices and how they effect her patient's lives so I plan to come clean (hah!) with everything. Low energy and difficulty initiating tasks are the 2 new problems I'd like to resolve.

Anyway, as I approach 4 months I feel more solid than ever in sobriety. Dee's advice to stay vigilant is an integral part of the plan. The battles against alcohol cravings are much less frequent and far less severe than they were just 3 months ago. I only wish I could go back 20 years to knock some sense into myself to avoid all the troubles from drink.