Class of May 2016 Support Thread Part 6
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: England
Posts: 446
Morning guys. Still sober. It's Friday this is my only day at work this week. I rang in sick Monday and Tuesday and was doing first aid training Wednesday and Thursday so nice short week. At the first aid training someone was talking about alcohol and I mentioned I hadn't had a drink for over 2 months (I didn't want to say it in days or I would have sounded like an alcoholic) they all gasped! ! how do you cope they said . Don't you miss it? now I wonder who is more of an alcoholic the people on the course who thought my 2 months was crazy and could barely believe it could be done. Or me? I'm starting to think the only people I know are alcoholics I don't know anyone else who doesn't drink or could even imagine quitting alcohol. Good luck for the weekend everyone. More hedge cutting in store for me.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 973
Morning All and Happy Friday!! Off to work, then the gym....should be home fairly early so I'm thinking about getting creative in the kitchen. Something seasonal and yummy and maybe even healthy 
Hubs is on the last stage of sealing the garage floor (thank goodness). Who knew sealing a garage floor could be so complicated? Next, drywall (eye roll). Anywho, I need to come up with some good sober plans for the weekend! Lots of spare time on my hands as my grandson is on vaca with his momma. Canoeing tomorrow, so that's a start anyways 
Wishing you all a great day!
Hubs is on the last stage of sealing the garage floor (thank goodness). Who knew sealing a garage floor could be so complicated? Next, drywall (eye roll). Anywho, I need to come up with some good sober plans for the weekend! Lots of spare time on my hands as my grandson is on vaca with his momma. Canoeing tomorrow, so that's a start anyways Wishing you all a great day!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 973
Originally Posted by purplepeopleeat 
Hey sober buddy. The new job is great. I love it. I needed this fresh new start. Plus this job is so much less stress which helps with staying sober. How r u? Hope things r going well.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 973
Happy Belated Birthday Arp!!!!!
(hmm, hmm-fa-la-la-la. The following well wishes are to be read in song. Please pick out the tune of your choosing and sing away in a jubilant manner...
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday! Happy, Happy, Happy Belated Birthday! Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, to You, to You, to You!!!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 551
Originally Posted by Simplicity4114
Morning All and Happy Friday!! Off to work, then the gym....should be home fairly early so I'm thinking about getting creative in the kitchen. Something seasonal and yummy and maybe even healthy Hubs is on the last stage of sealing the garage floor (thank goodness). Who knew sealing a garage floor could be so complicated? Next, drywall (eye roll). Anywho, I need to come up with some good sober plans for the weekend! Lots of spare time on my hands as my grandson is on vaca with his momma. Canoeing tomorrow, so that's a start anyways Wishing you all a great day!
Hubs is on the last stage of sealing the garage floor (thank goodness). Who knew sealing a garage floor could be so complicated? Next, drywall (eye roll). Anywho, I need to come up with some good sober plans for the weekend! Lots of spare time on my hands as my grandson is on vaca with his momma. Canoeing tomorrow, so that's a start anyways Wishing you all a great day!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: 45th Parallel, Michigan
Posts: 816
Thanks for the well-wishes, y'all...it was a pretty good day, dinner out with immediate family, and my sister gave me pork steak (she's thoughtful that way!) Weekend ahead: danger, danger! My head is on right this week, at least; I'll be fine. Short gig tomorrow at a memorial service, play five songs on the piano, net $75...I'll take it!
Everybody stay busy and sober this weekend; free time, for me, at least, is hazardous to my health! -- Arp
Everybody stay busy and sober this weekend; free time, for me, at least, is hazardous to my health! -- Arp
Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Oak Creek, WI
Posts: 517
Hey everyone!
Happy Friday to all the Mayflies! Not too much going on here. Quiet day on deck here for me. Haven't slept well the last two days so I think I may have to take a nap, or just relax.
Hope everyone has a good day. Glad to hear your birthday was a good one ARP!
Happy Friday to all the Mayflies! Not too much going on here. Quiet day on deck here for me. Haven't slept well the last two days so I think I may have to take a nap, or just relax.
Hope everyone has a good day. Glad to hear your birthday was a good one ARP!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 551
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 551
Are you on the relapse ladder? (From Sobertool App)
"Are you climbing the Relapse Ladder?" Relapse is at the top of a nine step ladder of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The lowest rung is called happy memories. "Happy memories" means that you are thinking about the good times you had while you were using. The next rung up is called "I wasn't that bad." This occurs when you tell yourself you weren't really that bad, that your addiction was someone else's fault, that your problem was caused by anything except your disease. The next rung higher is stopping treatment. This means that you cease going to meetings, you stop practicing the steps, you don't have time to see your therapist, you stop talking to your sponsor, you don't do your daily meditation. When you stop treatment, you pretend that you can stay sober by doing nothing. The fourth rung is called high risk situations. Examples are you return to the bar that you used to frequent, you begin hanging out with your old using friends, you spend long periods of time isolating in the basement where you used to drink vodka. You put yourself in these situations not thinking that you will use there, but just to experience the feeling of being there again. The fifth rung is called, emotional imbalance. During emotional imbalance, something causes you to get really angry, irritated or otherwise emotional and you remember how your drug, drink or behavior took away the pain of the emotion. You may even get really happy and you remember how you always drank to celebrate. Now you are really getting higher on the ladder, and like any ladder, the higher you go, the more dangerous the climb. Also, the higher you go, the more committed you are to reaching the top. The sixth rung is fantasizing. Now, you are spending increasing periods of your day thinking about using for no apparent reason. Fantasizing leads to the seventh rung, getting ready to use. This means you intend to use and you plan how you are going to relapse. You tell yourself that tonight when my husband is asleep, I am going to sneak out to the Bar. You make arrangements to buy drugs. You return to the internet porn site. You get dressed to go to the casino. You think through the exact steps of where you are going to go to get your drugs, drink, or act out. On the next rung, you actually get the drugs or order the drink. You acquire the tools of relapse. On this rung, you may feel a terrible panic, and unless you reach out to someone (which is now incredibly difficult to do because you are so committed to reaching the top), you step up to the final and ninth rung which is Relapse. As you know, the Relapse rung has a crack in it and cannot bear your weight. So you come crashing down. Sometimes the crash happens immediately. Sometimes, the crack worsens over time. But since there is a crack, you will fall. If you survive the fall, you will feel guilt at having relapsed. You will resolve to stop using. And unless you get treatment, you will start the terrible climb back up the relapse ladder beginning with the first rung which is…..
TODO
If you are on the Relapse Ladder, you need to get off on the lowest rung possible BY TELLING ON YOUR DISEASE! Remember there are two parties involved in a relapse. There is you and there is your disease. If you tell someone that you may be on the Relapse Ladder, you are telling on your disease, not you. So, ask yourself if you are on any of the nine rungs. If so, say to yourself, "I must get off the ladder now" five times to yourself with increasing emphasis. Then pick up the phone and tell your trusted friend, confidant, therapist, or mentor which rung of the ladder you are on and that you want to get off. (Leaving a voicemail message also works). If you can’t connect with someone, read your recovery literature, pray to your Higher Power, write down which rung you are on and list the consequences which made you want to get sober in the first place. Do something recovery oriented and don't substitute your drug of choice with another drug or bad behavior lest you start a new addiction. Then try to connect with a supportive person as soon as possible. This process works regardless of your philosophical or religious beliefs. Remember, sharing with another doesn’t mean that you only reach out when you have a recognizable craving or urge to use. Sharing means that you reach out and discuss where you may be on the Relapse Ladder.
"Are you climbing the Relapse Ladder?" Relapse is at the top of a nine step ladder of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The lowest rung is called happy memories. "Happy memories" means that you are thinking about the good times you had while you were using. The next rung up is called "I wasn't that bad." This occurs when you tell yourself you weren't really that bad, that your addiction was someone else's fault, that your problem was caused by anything except your disease. The next rung higher is stopping treatment. This means that you cease going to meetings, you stop practicing the steps, you don't have time to see your therapist, you stop talking to your sponsor, you don't do your daily meditation. When you stop treatment, you pretend that you can stay sober by doing nothing. The fourth rung is called high risk situations. Examples are you return to the bar that you used to frequent, you begin hanging out with your old using friends, you spend long periods of time isolating in the basement where you used to drink vodka. You put yourself in these situations not thinking that you will use there, but just to experience the feeling of being there again. The fifth rung is called, emotional imbalance. During emotional imbalance, something causes you to get really angry, irritated or otherwise emotional and you remember how your drug, drink or behavior took away the pain of the emotion. You may even get really happy and you remember how you always drank to celebrate. Now you are really getting higher on the ladder, and like any ladder, the higher you go, the more dangerous the climb. Also, the higher you go, the more committed you are to reaching the top. The sixth rung is fantasizing. Now, you are spending increasing periods of your day thinking about using for no apparent reason. Fantasizing leads to the seventh rung, getting ready to use. This means you intend to use and you plan how you are going to relapse. You tell yourself that tonight when my husband is asleep, I am going to sneak out to the Bar. You make arrangements to buy drugs. You return to the internet porn site. You get dressed to go to the casino. You think through the exact steps of where you are going to go to get your drugs, drink, or act out. On the next rung, you actually get the drugs or order the drink. You acquire the tools of relapse. On this rung, you may feel a terrible panic, and unless you reach out to someone (which is now incredibly difficult to do because you are so committed to reaching the top), you step up to the final and ninth rung which is Relapse. As you know, the Relapse rung has a crack in it and cannot bear your weight. So you come crashing down. Sometimes the crash happens immediately. Sometimes, the crack worsens over time. But since there is a crack, you will fall. If you survive the fall, you will feel guilt at having relapsed. You will resolve to stop using. And unless you get treatment, you will start the terrible climb back up the relapse ladder beginning with the first rung which is…..
TODO
If you are on the Relapse Ladder, you need to get off on the lowest rung possible BY TELLING ON YOUR DISEASE! Remember there are two parties involved in a relapse. There is you and there is your disease. If you tell someone that you may be on the Relapse Ladder, you are telling on your disease, not you. So, ask yourself if you are on any of the nine rungs. If so, say to yourself, "I must get off the ladder now" five times to yourself with increasing emphasis. Then pick up the phone and tell your trusted friend, confidant, therapist, or mentor which rung of the ladder you are on and that you want to get off. (Leaving a voicemail message also works). If you can’t connect with someone, read your recovery literature, pray to your Higher Power, write down which rung you are on and list the consequences which made you want to get sober in the first place. Do something recovery oriented and don't substitute your drug of choice with another drug or bad behavior lest you start a new addiction. Then try to connect with a supportive person as soon as possible. This process works regardless of your philosophical or religious beliefs. Remember, sharing with another doesn’t mean that you only reach out when you have a recognizable craving or urge to use. Sharing means that you reach out and discuss where you may be on the Relapse Ladder.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Illinois
Posts: 292
Hope everyone is well. Take good care of yourselves. Eat healthy food. I'm having a pain day. Trying to treat it with humor. I finished the Augusten Burroughs book now I'm reading or listening to David Sedaris on the Internet. There are many essays on The New Yorker site. Here's something from the BBC.
BBC Radio 4 - Meet David Sedaris, Series 2, Nuit of the Living Dead and The End of the Affair
I love him. I dream of getting to one of his book signings one day.
BBC Radio 4 - Meet David Sedaris, Series 2, Nuit of the Living Dead and The End of the Affair
I love him. I dream of getting to one of his book signings one day.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: England
Posts: 446
Well simplicity...
I am definitely on the relapse ladder. I go up and down it every day. Never get to the top. maybe will one day I think I will.always be going up and down that ladder. ..
Interesting post thanks.
I am definitely on the relapse ladder. I go up and down it every day. Never get to the top. maybe will one day I think I will.always be going up and down that ladder. ..
Interesting post thanks.
Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: TX
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by Lonelywombat67
Hope everyone is well. Take good care of yourselves. Eat healthy food. I'm having a pain day. Trying to treat it with humor. I finished the Augusten Burroughs book now I'm reading or listening to David Sedaris on the Internet. There are many essays on The New Yorker site. Here's something from the BBC.
BBC Radio 4 - Meet David Sedaris, Series 2, Nuit of the Living Dead and The End of the Affair
I love him. I dream of getting to one of his book signings one day.
BBC Radio 4 - Meet David Sedaris, Series 2, Nuit of the Living Dead and The End of the Affair
I love him. I dream of getting to one of his book signings one day.
Hope you get to see him one day as well...sorry you are in pain today but glad you have your sense of humor intact
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 4,553
CG that relapse story is so powerful and useful too....I'm watching TV on my own (bf drunk) got a programme on about Caroline Aherne.....so many talented people have passed away in 2016......biggest loss for me is Victoria Wood (look her up my US friends) she was the best comic in the UK ever (not just a female comic) . Sorry just having a moment......take care mayflies.....xxxx
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: 45th Parallel, Michigan
Posts: 816
LW: I, too, love David Sedaris; instead of staring at meaningless Netflix crap tonight, I'm going searching for some of his stuff. The fact that you love him assures me that I was right about your sense of humor; mine has gotten me through some pretty rough patches.
I'm proud of myself tonight: my Perfect Storm of a trigger (client cancellation on a Friday, lots of unexpected free time) failed to sink my battleship! Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead, etc. and such...
Between Sedaris and now Victoria Wood, I'm looking forward to some sober yuks this evening. For me, laughter is the best medicine; I just came up with that phrase, all by myself! God, I'm clever -- Arp
I'm proud of myself tonight: my Perfect Storm of a trigger (client cancellation on a Friday, lots of unexpected free time) failed to sink my battleship! Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead, etc. and such...
Between Sedaris and now Victoria Wood, I'm looking forward to some sober yuks this evening. For me, laughter is the best medicine; I just came up with that phrase, all by myself! God, I'm clever -- Arp
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