Class of July 2017 Part 3
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: AZ
Posts: 1,344
Good Morning Class. Just a quick check in this morning. Day 25 and feeling great. Four days beyond my previous record and it definitely feels different this time, largely because of SR, for sure. Can't wait to start counting in months, rather than days. Good luck to everyone in tackling whatever that b****** AV throws at you today. Don't let him win!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,850
Hey friends,
Checkin in. I was busy all weekend with my grands, we had a lovely time.
Great to see so many posting, and congrats to everyone here. Im not counting my days, but Im sober today and my goal is to stay that way!
Got tons of yard work to do, as today is nice (been rainy last few days here ). I will catch up on all the posting later.
Checkin in. I was busy all weekend with my grands, we had a lovely time.
Great to see so many posting, and congrats to everyone here. Im not counting my days, but Im sober today and my goal is to stay that way!
Got tons of yard work to do, as today is nice (been rainy last few days here ). I will catch up on all the posting later.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 174
Hello group. Today I'm meeting an old friend (also a drinking buddy) for what he said "for a couple beers). He doesnt know of my recent decision to abstain. I've wrapped my head around that I am not going to drink no matter what. Any advise that can help me stick to my guns is appreciated.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 219
D38
Hello all. Welcome to 3BlindMice.
Hi Runestone. Just keep thinking back to your last relapse. I seem to remember it was a fairly bad one. Just keep imagining waking up on day 1 again with that feeling. You know the one. All the best, sure you can do it.
Got to admit I'm feeling quite restless today. Moods have been up and down a lot the last few days. Hopefully it will pass. The booze must have really done a number on my brain.
Good to see the class still going strong.
Hello all. Welcome to 3BlindMice.
Hi Runestone. Just keep thinking back to your last relapse. I seem to remember it was a fairly bad one. Just keep imagining waking up on day 1 again with that feeling. You know the one. All the best, sure you can do it.
Got to admit I'm feeling quite restless today. Moods have been up and down a lot the last few days. Hopefully it will pass. The booze must have really done a number on my brain.
Good to see the class still going strong.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 426
(10) Another day :-) ...... improving slowly
@RuneStone
It's Russian roulette. You might be OK if you drink, or a month from now you might be homeless laying in the gutter covered in your own vomit and urine.
Do you have to go?
Can you tell him the truth and meet at home?
If you were a heroin addict trying to quit, and a friend said, "let's meet up and inject ourselves with heroin" would you meet him?
The last time I drank (that was supposed to be just a couple of beers) I came round with some sort of brain damage that has left me in an acute state of anxiety barely able to breath for hours on end (and it is torture).
You just don't know what horror drinking will bring when you are an addict. It's Russian roulette.
@RuneStone
It's Russian roulette. You might be OK if you drink, or a month from now you might be homeless laying in the gutter covered in your own vomit and urine.
Do you have to go?
Can you tell him the truth and meet at home?
If you were a heroin addict trying to quit, and a friend said, "let's meet up and inject ourselves with heroin" would you meet him?
The last time I drank (that was supposed to be just a couple of beers) I came round with some sort of brain damage that has left me in an acute state of anxiety barely able to breath for hours on end (and it is torture).
You just don't know what horror drinking will bring when you are an addict. It's Russian roulette.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Cornwall, England
Posts: 250
That's a tough situation Runestone, if you feel in anyway tempted I would postpone the event. If you can't get out of it, if just order a soft drink like there's nothing abnormal about it (which there isn't but it feels that way) keep a smile on your face and stay confident and remind yourself of why you don't want to drink anymore. There's no benefit and you will be angry at yourself tomorrow if you do drink, relapsing is such an awful feeling.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 1,356
Originally Posted by ClearPath64 
Congratulations to you Cute on getting through the interview process! Keep us posted on the next steps. It sounds like you are in a great place right now, and we wish you continued success. And, of course, congratulations on 30 days! 
. It's an airline job so this background check is thorough.. Haha. Just hope it goes smoothly. 31 days woo hoo
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 174
Thanks guys for the advice. So its going to be a group of us friends from a long time ago. I don't want to not go. I've told my friend thats in town that I've quit drinking. This should help me maintain. I feel very solid in my determination to not drink. I can do this!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK, South Coast
Posts: 605
Originally Posted by RuneStone
Thanks guys for the advice. So its going to be a group of us friends from a long time ago. I don't want to not go. I've told my friend thats in town that I've quit drinking. This should help me maintain. I feel very solid in my determination to not drink. I can do this!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Posts: 349
Originally Posted by ClearPath64
Congratulations on your check-up blondesober. You and I are of similar age, and apparently both very lucky that this disease has had no long term effects on our health......so far. I did start noticing, a couple of months ago, an annoying feeling in the liver area, when it seemed swollen enough to get my attention. That has gone away since I quit, but it was definitely a sign that things weren't quite right. I am 'all in' on the healthy retirement. My plan right now is to be healthier in my late 50s and 60s than I have been during my long drinking career. And, as you say, there is only one path to that. With the alcohol fog lifted, all things seem within reach. Let's do this together, shall we?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by RuneStone
Today I'm meeting an old friend (also a drinking buddy) for what he said "for a couple beers). Any advise that can help me stick to my guns is appreciated.
Anyway, when we met I basically said, "I'm not drinking because of health reasons, but you can do whatever you like". I think "I'm not drinking" sounds better than "I can't drink" (which might lead to him trying to convince you that you can).
We went to a food/drinks bar and he had a few alcoholic drinks while I had a few non-alcoholic iced teas. We talked about our lives, which made it easy to explain my life choices and why I'm not drinking.
After we finished though, it seemed like he thought I would be drinking next time. I tried to clarify, but I realized as we went our separate ways home that it's probably easier just to say it again next time.
Stomach problems are a great way to stop people hassling you to have just one beer. I simply said "I think it'll give me instant diarrhea. Sorry, but no thanks".
I hope that advice is helpful for you. If not, and you get really tempted, excuse yourself to go to the toilet. Then come back out saying you got a phone call (e.g. someone is sick) and you have to leave. Or claim a headache. Wish them all the best, perhaps even leave them money for a round of drinks for the trouble as you wave goodbye.
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by hns0685
Rubaduck- I have to tell you that your outlook has helped me tremendously in this past little stumbling of drinking beer over the last weekend. It really hurt to have 30-something days and then drink again. But you sharing your point of view has really helped me to reframe it in a way that I didn't throw it all away. I have a success rate of damn near 95% for the past month! Thank you.
Sometimes I feel like my point of view is quite to many posters on here. Phrases like "Have a sober day" don't work well for me, because when I was drinking I would spent most of the day under the legal driving blood-alcohol limit (what I would call "sober"). Six beers in 12 hours is fine to drive (according to law), but I don't even want to have one beer these days. So I'm "staying dry".
Whatever works for each person here is wonderful though, and I respect all points of view. I'm pretty sure we all have the same ideal goal. Let's keep marching together.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Basically any meeting for a few beers is a bad place for any of us to be, especially in early recovery.
I did what you're contemplating Runestone - I didn't drink, but I escaped by the very skin of my teeth.
First off I think its necessary to make it clear we're not drinking.
Give as much or a little detail as you like but make sure your NO is heard.
Your AV will try and convince you that one or two is ok -' just buy one beer and take a few sips from it' was a favourite of my AV.
Remember its the first drink that opens the door to all those things we're trying to escape from, not the last drink.
There are some more good tips here.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...val-guide.html
Next time you go out or meet up can you maybe try and make it a non alcoholic meeting place?
there's no need to stay at home moping as a non drinker either - there's hundreds of fun things to do that need not involve alcohol
Like I said I escaped by the skin of my teeth from a drinking buddy type situation...
That was the last time I decided my recovery needed to be road tested.
I played it a lot more cautious after that.
My sobriety is precious to me.
D
I did what you're contemplating Runestone - I didn't drink, but I escaped by the very skin of my teeth.
First off I think its necessary to make it clear we're not drinking.
Give as much or a little detail as you like but make sure your NO is heard.
Your AV will try and convince you that one or two is ok -' just buy one beer and take a few sips from it' was a favourite of my AV.
Remember its the first drink that opens the door to all those things we're trying to escape from, not the last drink.
There are some more good tips here.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...val-guide.html
Next time you go out or meet up can you maybe try and make it a non alcoholic meeting place?
there's no need to stay at home moping as a non drinker either - there's hundreds of fun things to do that need not involve alcohol
Like I said I escaped by the skin of my teeth from a drinking buddy type situation...
That was the last time I decided my recovery needed to be road tested.
I played it a lot more cautious after that.
My sobriety is precious to me.
D
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Oregon
Posts: 37
Ugh! Didn't even make it to camping . . . 
Thought I was doing good, made it to day 25, best in at least 5 years and I blew it. You all knew better than I and predicted this. Very disappointed in myself. Won't beat myself up, just disappointed. Gave myself permission to have "some" didn't go too overboard, but didn't portion it out like I thought. After 25 days my tolerance became different. Husband called me from work to say goodnight (he is a firefighter) and he could tell right away, even though I thought I wasn't that bad. But I allowed myself "some" three nights in a row now. Screwed up . . . damnit! Why does this have to be so goddamn hard. I just don't get it . . . . sorry, venting. I know you all get it, but this is part of my journey, I just need to vent to those who understand. Thanks for listening and caring. And I sincerely appreciate all of your thoughts and words, especially the past week, each one truly means a lot.
Thought I was doing good, made it to day 25, best in at least 5 years and I blew it. You all knew better than I and predicted this. Very disappointed in myself. Won't beat myself up, just disappointed. Gave myself permission to have "some" didn't go too overboard, but didn't portion it out like I thought. After 25 days my tolerance became different. Husband called me from work to say goodnight (he is a firefighter) and he could tell right away, even though I thought I wasn't that bad. But I allowed myself "some" three nights in a row now. Screwed up . . . damnit! Why does this have to be so goddamn hard. I just don't get it . . . . sorry, venting. I know you all get it, but this is part of my journey, I just need to vent to those who understand. Thanks for listening and caring. And I sincerely appreciate all of your thoughts and words, especially the past week, each one truly means a lot.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Wrigley, in all honesty it got way easier for me when I drew a line in the sand and committed to no more drinking no matter what.
I have 20 years to drinking - I decided to give at least 6 months to not drinking...10 years later I'm still sober
D
I have 20 years to drinking - I decided to give at least 6 months to not drinking...10 years later I'm still sober
D
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by Wrigley119
Thought I was doing good, made it to day 25, best in at least 5 years and I blew it.
Why does this have to be so goddamn hard.
Why does this have to be so goddamn hard.
We might be saying we're in single digit days compared to some people in our club hitting the month mark now, but hopefully next August we'll all be saying the same thing together, "One year".
As to why quitting is so hard, it's because alcohol:
1. Is an addictive drug, and often part of our social / after-work routine
2. Has got some of the worst withdrawal symptoms
3. Is legal, easily available and advertised!
No shame in finding something like that difficult. Same reasons as why smoking is so hard for most people too.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Oregon
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by Rubaduck
Making it to Day 25 was doing good! 25 dry days in a row probably was very kind to your brain and liver at the very least. There's a few of us here this week picking ourselves back up after a few days of dipping our toes in the water.
We might be saying we're in single digit days compared to some people in our club hitting the month mark now, but hopefully next August we'll all be saying the same thing together, "One year".
As to why quitting is so hard, it's because alcohol:
1. Is an addictive drug, and often part of our social / after-work routine
2. Has got some of the worst withdrawal symptoms
3. Is legal, easily available and advertised!
No shame in finding something like that difficult. Same reasons as why smoking is so hard for most people too.
We might be saying we're in single digit days compared to some people in our club hitting the month mark now, but hopefully next August we'll all be saying the same thing together, "One year".
As to why quitting is so hard, it's because alcohol:
1. Is an addictive drug, and often part of our social / after-work routine
2. Has got some of the worst withdrawal symptoms
3. Is legal, easily available and advertised!
No shame in finding something like that difficult. Same reasons as why smoking is so hard for most people too.
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