Starting my 15 day solo RV trip tomorrow at 9:00 am EDT into the New England USA states, MA/ME/NH/MA/NY and back to NJ...wish me luck and continued abstinence & sobriety!

Have a great trip Toadie!! Be safe.

Sounds like we are all going through a bit of a funk called life. Allen Carr is right on when he says non drinkers dont have withdrawals or plan life around drinking.

He also mentions we all have to deal with life. People blame things on not drinking to ease the pain of life. Non drinkers just deal with life. When we were young we didnt need to drink to have fun. But we learned to associate many things to drinking. Its is a big addictive trap thats hard to unlearn. Just stick the plan. I wish you all the best.

Day 85 :)

Hope everyone's enjoying the fall weather. I know Kentucky can't be the only place that's getting the love of Mother Nature. Really wish California could get sum love, I'll be heading out there next Thursday for my 1st time. I'm considering looking for an LBGT AA meeting while out there. Something I wish we had here. I know that I could open up more with people that I have more than just drinking in common with. I'm so very excited to see how the other side of the US live lol, no but really I want to soak up all the culture & love that Cali offers!

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Free, you're coming to Ky? I have relatives that live in Costa Mesa. I am the only one out of my whole family that has never been to visit them. They come to Ky once in a while, they're up in age now so the visits aren't as frequent. The fall colors are coming on very nicely here in Ky and the weather has been so comfortable and it smells so good! Raining today , but we've had over two weeks of absolutely beautiful weather!
Toadie, good luck on your trip! Sounds amazing!
Letitgo, I agree..my whole thing is undoing the old so I can do the new. It is all about learning to live in a complete different way and it all starts with me, everyday. (Hug) thanks for that insight!

Hi everyone,

Sorry for my absence. I'll be back online later to try and explain things. I'm doing ok, could be doing better, but ok.

Hope you're all alright.

Day 76.

Still going well here. I'm in a nice routine now where I get up (after good sleep!), go to work, come home and do whatever I feel like fr a few hours before bed. I've come through a very stressful period at work and I'm enjoying the 'lull' a bit. Having said that, I start my new role Thursday so that will be fun and games.

I've not really been thinking about drinking much. I get the odd thought here and there if someone mentions it but u can largely ignore it. I certainly don't feel like i'm missing anything, that's for sure.

That first week and the withdrawals are still so vivid to me 2 and a half months on. I hope to keep it that way as I never want to even consider going back to that place.

Right now though I'm a dependable, hard working guy, im pretty friendly and I have my family. I'm still lonely yes, but it's better than it was. Rome wasnt built in a day huh?

Early recovery is rough guys - don;t fall for the lie that this is as good as it gets...it gets better...as long as we stand our ground and stay sober.

whats going on cbf? :dunno:

D

Day 71 and I can promise this is the most positive I've been in years. I believe your words Dee I'm hanging in for the long haul. Thanks! (Hug)!

Looks like the fortunes of the July class are a bit of a mixed bag at the moment. I'm definitely in funksville. Not drinking though. Good to hear how well some of you guys are doing, and I hope you are okay cbf.

Hope tomorrow is a better day for you Tooshabby.
Cbf we're always here for you.
Safe travels Toadie.
Good night/ morning to you all!

Free2B84, i am glad your coming out to Cali. Its a beautiful place. Everything is flat where i live so i really enjoy the mountains. I hope you find a nice lgbt meeting to attend. It must be tough not having support that you can relate to in Kentucky. People are much more open minded in Cali compared to the midwest imo. But we all know ahole people are everywhere also. I hope you enjoy it and am sure you will meet some great people. Congrats on day 85!

Hello again,

Sorry for my slightly cryptic earlier post! I've been out of action on here for a few reasons, but I don't think staying away is helping anything so, here I am.

I drank on Saturday night but haven't since, and that was a big part of my not coming back. It's like I don't know my own mind at the moment. Like I can't seem to take myself seriously. Why else would I keep slipping, slipping, slipping. I don't want to be a negative influence on myself or on others, and my experiences are becoming different to those of most of you other Julyers who are doing so well.

I know now that this isn't a great way to think about this sort of stuff. It's not like I'm some lost cause, sat at the bottom of a bottle day in day out, I'm TRYING to keep on top of things, I really am, by going days, weeks at a time. I just don't seem to be able to keep that final piece of resolve when things are getting tough. But without the support I take from here, things would inevitably end up worse. So, yeah, I realised that staying away will help no-one.

I think the worst part of these failed attempts is the mental side. To be back to square one so often, or more likely, to be viewing this as being back at square one, rather than taking note of the progress that has been made up until now. I guess I forget that if it was as easy as just saying 'no' and then moving on (which I suppose it IS in a way) then there'd basically be no alcoholics anyway - *POOF*, all gone, just a flick of a switch.

Sorry for going on a bit here, this is just an accumulation of not reaching out to my friends (and I truly believe that you are just that) on here in these past few days. Mentally I have to turn the corner, truly believe that I can and want to do this, otherwise I'll just keep going around in circles, always doubting, always regretting.

Thanks for listening

That kind of 'whats the point' feeling, or the more complex 'I can't move forward until I work this out', is music to your inner addict.

Sounds like you need a list of alternative strategies when things get tough cbf?

I did give you this action plan link I think? Did you look at it? :)
https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/conten...0/SMA-3720.pdf

Don't let your evil twin set the agenda. You can quit whenever you want and it's not necessary to have all the answers to do so, either.

A lot of us seem to over complicate things, I think?

Try and focus on the basics - do not buy liquor and do not pour it down your neck. It''s not easy - I'm not saying that - but it is simple../..and there is support here and in other places to help you get through :)

All that other stuff you're worried about can be sorted a little further on when you're emotionally and physically ready to face it.

You're not a lost cause by any means. You just need to tweak your recovery plan a little :)

D

Thanks, Dee. I'll read and re-read and re-read all day!

That AV ain't nuthin...:)

D

Aghhhhh....lost my post to cbf >:-/

Cbf - I think you are doing great. Like you say, look at the progress you have made already. I think I can trust a Scouse to take this in the good humour it's intended.....welcome to the bottom of the class!! I assume when you say your experiences are becoming different to *most* Julyers' you are not referring to me? (still kidding). Let's dig our heels in, eh? We can do this :-) All roads lead to Rome.

Sorry Free I misinterpreted your travels! Read the whole coming and going backwards! Have a safe trip!

Hey Shab, no I didn't mean you specifically, or anyone in particular. Just that the general trend seems to be people sticking it out, regardless of how they are feeling inside. You always cheer me up with your posts though, and thank you for thinking about me :-) :You_Rock_

CBF hang in there. Get back in it. Don't be ashamed. Forgive yourself learn from it make a plan move forward. (Hug)!
Tooshabby I hope your funk clears. I go in and out of it too. I try to look inner and see what's changed or what am I not doing to help myself. Glad you're not drinking. You know but I'll confirm- it'll pass friend. (Hug)!
Hump day! (I love that camel! It makes me laugh!)