Class of August 2018 Part Two
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
Class of August 2018 Part Two
Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
I need to stop
After two bottles of wine last night, falling asleep and then waking up four hours later... with that terrible anxiety and shame... I know I need to stop. Right now I’m so scared that this is finally the time that the anxiety won’t subside.
Nobody knows about my drinking problem and I don’t want anyone to know. I just want to put this behind me and hope that these almost four years of drinking hasn’t done any permanent damage.
Nobody knows about my drinking problem and I don’t want anyone to know. I just want to put this behind me and hope that these almost four years of drinking hasn’t done any permanent damage.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mayland
Posts: 80
Day 2 Evening
Today was a longggggg day at work. Usually I'd "reward," myself with a drink. Today I'm breaking that habit and logging on here. ☺
DB402- Thanks for the encouragement on the journaling. It is something I did as a teen and fell out of in college. I think getting back into it will be huge for me. Both in recognizing how I feel (instead of numbing myself) and organizing my thoughts. Congratulations on week one!
MSN1- Congrats on your first week too!
JT- Awesome workout routine. I was 3 pounds from my goal weight and I was running 5k's before my AV got the best of me again. I was never an athlete so that was probably the best shape I'd ever been in. I am so mad I let myself down. But my only direction is up.
Suzes and ODAATCAT- I'm glad you guys are feeling better. I can't wait to get to that point. Right now I'm starting diet planning. Hoping next week I can add the exercise but I'm not pushing it.
Everyone I hope your day/night is going well and tomorrow is a better, stronger day.💙
DB402- Thanks for the encouragement on the journaling. It is something I did as a teen and fell out of in college. I think getting back into it will be huge for me. Both in recognizing how I feel (instead of numbing myself) and organizing my thoughts. Congratulations on week one!
MSN1- Congrats on your first week too!
JT- Awesome workout routine. I was 3 pounds from my goal weight and I was running 5k's before my AV got the best of me again. I was never an athlete so that was probably the best shape I'd ever been in. I am so mad I let myself down. But my only direction is up.
Suzes and ODAATCAT- I'm glad you guys are feeling better. I can't wait to get to that point. Right now I'm starting diet planning. Hoping next week I can add the exercise but I'm not pushing it.
Everyone I hope your day/night is going well and tomorrow is a better, stronger day.💙
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: nj
Posts: 470
Be kind always,I am also 55.
Wishing you all well. Day 24 here. Went to the store today and walked past the alcohol aisle. Thought about what it would be like to have a glass of wine, but had no intention of buying any...still strong in my resolve so far. Once
I passed the aisle I was ok.
A friend who doesn’t know my struggle wants to get together for dinner this week. She will definitely bring wine. I haven’t shared my problem. I am less worried that I will crave a drink and more concerned that she’ll pick up on my abstinence. It may help that our husbands will be there too. I might just put that off a bit longer until I think about how I’ll handle the situation. Hope that since her husband has a heart attack a couple of mos ago that he will not be drinking either.
Seems like the longer you’re sober, the more “situations” you have to think about
Wishing you all well. Day 24 here. Went to the store today and walked past the alcohol aisle. Thought about what it would be like to have a glass of wine, but had no intention of buying any...still strong in my resolve so far. Once
I passed the aisle I was ok.
A friend who doesn’t know my struggle wants to get together for dinner this week. She will definitely bring wine. I haven’t shared my problem. I am less worried that I will crave a drink and more concerned that she’ll pick up on my abstinence. It may help that our husbands will be there too. I might just put that off a bit longer until I think about how I’ll handle the situation. Hope that since her husband has a heart attack a couple of mos ago that he will not be drinking either.
Seems like the longer you’re sober, the more “situations” you have to think about
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Western US
Posts: 8,999
Welcome OracleIam. I hope you find this a place of great support.
August 15 seems like as good as any a date to quit drinking so you might as well get to it!
I'm finishing up another day, happy to not be drinking also happy to have been involved in family. Not so happy about low energy and not getting much done.
So a bit after 7 pm here in the Rocky Mountains. Expecting you folks in Australia will be starting out another day and the folks in the UK will be waking up in a few hours.
May my fellow country persons be headed for bed sober and may the rest of you wake refreshed for whatever Thursday throws your way!
Edit: just realized Scrappy, Matrac and Myself were posting at the same time. Scrappy good on you for taking it slow and doing what you can. Matrac (spell check wants to call you Amtrak) I knew there was another double nickel age on here!
August 15 seems like as good as any a date to quit drinking so you might as well get to it!
I'm finishing up another day, happy to not be drinking also happy to have been involved in family. Not so happy about low energy and not getting much done.
So a bit after 7 pm here in the Rocky Mountains. Expecting you folks in Australia will be starting out another day and the folks in the UK will be waking up in a few hours.
May my fellow country persons be headed for bed sober and may the rest of you wake refreshed for whatever Thursday throws your way!
Edit: just realized Scrappy, Matrac and Myself were posting at the same time. Scrappy good on you for taking it slow and doing what you can. Matrac (spell check wants to call you Amtrak) I knew there was another double nickel age on here!
Sober Soldier
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,911
My only morning appt for work tomorrow cancelled and immediately my AV goes, “Oh great, don’t have to get up early. What a perfect opportunity to get drunk and not have to worry about getting up.”
Nah, I’ll pass.
Nah, I’ll pass.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 88
Welcome Oraclelam, I'm glad you joined us. Hang in there, the anxiety will subside and you will feel better soon.
Skrappy, I waited until I had a week of sobriety until I started walking. I changed my diet drastically on day two, and I've already dropped 6 pounds. Once my walking isn't as challenging as it is now, I plan on hitting the gym. My measly 1.5 mile brisk walk at night leaves me drenched!
Bekindalways and Matrac, I'm past double nickles, through in a penny for 56.
Congratulations to everyone hitting a milestone today, be it one day, one week, or longer.
The torch is still burning bright here in California, so I had better get to it and reach my goals for the day; yes, another sweat drenched walk waiting for me.
Stay strong and carry on!
Edit - cross post! Great decision mns1. Come on, we'll both go for a walk to help burn off those alcohol pounds and sweat out the toxins!
Skrappy, I waited until I had a week of sobriety until I started walking. I changed my diet drastically on day two, and I've already dropped 6 pounds. Once my walking isn't as challenging as it is now, I plan on hitting the gym. My measly 1.5 mile brisk walk at night leaves me drenched!
Bekindalways and Matrac, I'm past double nickles, through in a penny for 56.
Congratulations to everyone hitting a milestone today, be it one day, one week, or longer.
The torch is still burning bright here in California, so I had better get to it and reach my goals for the day; yes, another sweat drenched walk waiting for me.
Stay strong and carry on!
Edit - cross post! Great decision mns1. Come on, we'll both go for a walk to help burn off those alcohol pounds and sweat out the toxins!
Hillbilly Girl
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: In my Garden
Posts: 3,953
Hi All..... My iPhone crashed but just caught up on everyone's posts,,..... Welcome to those joining us in the journey,
Bkind,..... I am 55 too. Looks like there ads a few of us,
This temp phone is frustrating so probably won't be posting much but am here winding down in day 16 and will be reading here everyday. Great group here
Bkind,..... I am 55 too. Looks like there ads a few of us,
This temp phone is frustrating so probably won't be posting much but am here winding down in day 16 and will be reading here everyday. Great group here
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,055
Welcome, Oracle! I’m so glad you’ve joined us. I hated that dreaded 3:00 AM time. Every time I drank, I’d wake right around then, have a terrible time falling back to sleep, and just lay there feeling sad and depressed. That was only last Sunday for me and I never want to experience that again. Hang in there. Sleep is a beautiful gift....another thing alcohol robs from us.
Off to bed. This is an incredibly busy week for me which is good for keeping my thoughts off wine. But I’m missing out a bit reading on SR. Should calm down by the weekend, so I’ll post more then.
Happy Sober Thursday and weekend. Let’s hold each other accountable and enjoy the weekend sober.
I wish we could pipe in music to the thread, because I’m hearing the chariots of Fire theme song every time I read these posts. It must be the mention of all this exercise, torches, staying the course, the determination to persevere, etc.
Off to bed. This is an incredibly busy week for me which is good for keeping my thoughts off wine. But I’m missing out a bit reading on SR. Should calm down by the weekend, so I’ll post more then.
Happy Sober Thursday and weekend. Let’s hold each other accountable and enjoy the weekend sober.
I wish we could pipe in music to the thread, because I’m hearing the chariots of Fire theme song every time I read these posts. It must be the mention of all this exercise, torches, staying the course, the determination to persevere, etc.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 1,543
Day 18
Welcome Oraclelam! I hope you find this group supportive and useful. It has been invaluable to me.
Well first impressions this morning is “wow - this group just keeps on growing!”
What’s so impressive within the Augustonians is that we have had so few slips and wounded. Even those that have had a blip have come straight back and got their head down again (you know who you are - you’re better at finding your resolve again quicker than I’ve ever been able to).
Thanks for the messages of support about my exercise regime. It’s not really an intense desire to be some fitness freak in my late forties - it’s more a crippling sense of vanity!
Suze - I understand your anxiety about the weekend. Matrac - I see you’re in a similar situation too. These dates loom up so quickly and seem to present our inner resolve greatly. Of course our AV just loves these dates as he/she figures they are going to have a hell of a party teasing us in the run up and during the event. I always try and imagine my AV’s crushing disappointment as I sit there and watch his other victims slowly drown into the morass of brain fog as I watch them sink lower as the night goes on. Don’t get me wrong - I have no sense of schadenfreude watching others get drunk - neither do I have ANY sense of superiority - I’m just relieved it isn’t me anymore.
On that note I haven’t shared until now that I am going on a short trip with Mrs JT to France and Belgium on Friday next week. We will be away until the following Tuesday. We will be with quite a few people and lots of booze will be about. Me and Mrs JT are determined to make it something akin to a ‘Spa Weekend’ as there will also be healthy eating options, a gym, spa, and lots of walking/sightseeing to be done. To be honest I’m more worried I might not have internet access to get in to SR for four days. But I guess what I’m sharing is that I understand the tension/anxiety that comes with these kind of dates looming. I know I cannot let my guard down during those four days for one second - because a second is all it takes and then it will be months of hell again for me (and my long suffering, worried wife).
Right - I have lots to do again (how did I manage when I was drunk?) I’m enjoying typing away by candlelight in my dark sitting room as daylight is about to break in the UK in about 30 minutes. I’m off for a walk (the dog is still sleeping!) so it might be a 3.5 mile solo effort today and then shower, suit and off to work in the big, bad corporate world. I’m determined to get a haircut, visit the gym and finally submit an important paper to our biggest customer today as well.
I repeat - how the HELL did I manage when I was drinking? (It’s a rhetorical question - I didn’t).
Love, strength, camaraderie and resolve to you all.
Regards,
JT
Welcome Oraclelam! I hope you find this group supportive and useful. It has been invaluable to me.
Well first impressions this morning is “wow - this group just keeps on growing!”
What’s so impressive within the Augustonians is that we have had so few slips and wounded. Even those that have had a blip have come straight back and got their head down again (you know who you are - you’re better at finding your resolve again quicker than I’ve ever been able to).
Thanks for the messages of support about my exercise regime. It’s not really an intense desire to be some fitness freak in my late forties - it’s more a crippling sense of vanity!
Suze - I understand your anxiety about the weekend. Matrac - I see you’re in a similar situation too. These dates loom up so quickly and seem to present our inner resolve greatly. Of course our AV just loves these dates as he/she figures they are going to have a hell of a party teasing us in the run up and during the event. I always try and imagine my AV’s crushing disappointment as I sit there and watch his other victims slowly drown into the morass of brain fog as I watch them sink lower as the night goes on. Don’t get me wrong - I have no sense of schadenfreude watching others get drunk - neither do I have ANY sense of superiority - I’m just relieved it isn’t me anymore.
On that note I haven’t shared until now that I am going on a short trip with Mrs JT to France and Belgium on Friday next week. We will be away until the following Tuesday. We will be with quite a few people and lots of booze will be about. Me and Mrs JT are determined to make it something akin to a ‘Spa Weekend’ as there will also be healthy eating options, a gym, spa, and lots of walking/sightseeing to be done. To be honest I’m more worried I might not have internet access to get in to SR for four days. But I guess what I’m sharing is that I understand the tension/anxiety that comes with these kind of dates looming. I know I cannot let my guard down during those four days for one second - because a second is all it takes and then it will be months of hell again for me (and my long suffering, worried wife).
Right - I have lots to do again (how did I manage when I was drunk?) I’m enjoying typing away by candlelight in my dark sitting room as daylight is about to break in the UK in about 30 minutes. I’m off for a walk (the dog is still sleeping!) so it might be a 3.5 mile solo effort today and then shower, suit and off to work in the big, bad corporate world. I’m determined to get a haircut, visit the gym and finally submit an important paper to our biggest customer today as well.
I repeat - how the HELL did I manage when I was drinking? (It’s a rhetorical question - I didn’t).
Love, strength, camaraderie and resolve to you all.
Regards,
JT
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: UK
Posts: 25
Hi All, I wanted to join the class.
I'm on day 2 today and wanted to get day 1 out of the way before posting. I feel a bit silly posting my story up again, as I had done that on my first attempt at the start of the year. So i'll share that once I've got a bit more momentum.
I was in the Dec class and managed a dry January having drunk every day for years. For some reason, I convinced myself that I didn't have a problem and just needed a reset in order to moderate. I drank "normally" for a month or so then have gradually slipped back. I have managed to cut down quite a bit and obviously i know that moderation will never work (as if further proof is needed), so not all doom and gloom.
So last night was tough to get started, my wife was annoyed with me for not drinking with her and trying to tempt me all evening. However I stayed strong and made it through. I had a good workout in the gym and my legs are pumped this morning. It is amazing waking up without that groggy background feeling, I hope I don't take that for granted this time around.
I know that week 3 is when things get tough for me, so I need to come up with a plan of how to counteract this.
Thanks to everyone posting beforehand and particularly JT's hard hitting post a few pages back. It's that type of inspiration that has made me get started again.
I'm on day 2 today and wanted to get day 1 out of the way before posting. I feel a bit silly posting my story up again, as I had done that on my first attempt at the start of the year. So i'll share that once I've got a bit more momentum.
I was in the Dec class and managed a dry January having drunk every day for years. For some reason, I convinced myself that I didn't have a problem and just needed a reset in order to moderate. I drank "normally" for a month or so then have gradually slipped back. I have managed to cut down quite a bit and obviously i know that moderation will never work (as if further proof is needed), so not all doom and gloom.
So last night was tough to get started, my wife was annoyed with me for not drinking with her and trying to tempt me all evening. However I stayed strong and made it through. I had a good workout in the gym and my legs are pumped this morning. It is amazing waking up without that groggy background feeling, I hope I don't take that for granted this time around.
I know that week 3 is when things get tough for me, so I need to come up with a plan of how to counteract this.
Thanks to everyone posting beforehand and particularly JT's hard hitting post a few pages back. It's that type of inspiration that has made me get started again.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,097
Morning everyone
Welcome oracleIam
The last few days have been tough but reading glasses I here has helped so much. Your stories and journeys are inspirational and very moving. Thank you.
I love the idea of the torch lighting the way for us all and being handed around the world.
I'm also sitting cheering your exercise Tony 😀 that's some Weight loss too.
I've been eating well and totally changed what I eat and exercising since I quit. I've lost 7 pounds though not since I quit but since the school holidays started at the end of June. I can't really see a difference yet. Do you think know it's possible that the fat has been lost from around during my internal organs ?thought maybe some of you into fitness might know 😃
Have a good day all.
RAL x
Welcome oracleIam
The last few days have been tough but reading glasses I here has helped so much. Your stories and journeys are inspirational and very moving. Thank you.
I love the idea of the torch lighting the way for us all and being handed around the world.
I'm also sitting cheering your exercise Tony 😀 that's some Weight loss too.
I've been eating well and totally changed what I eat and exercising since I quit. I've lost 7 pounds though not since I quit but since the school holidays started at the end of June. I can't really see a difference yet. Do you think know it's possible that the fat has been lost from around during my internal organs ?thought maybe some of you into fitness might know 😃
Have a good day all.
RAL x
Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London, UK
Posts: 165
Hi All,
I just spent half an hour writing a post with a message to you all individually. When I posted it the site told me that I wasn't logged in even though it said I was at the top of the page so the post was lost. Sorry but I haven't got time to do it again so, in essence: -
Congrats to you all on progress so far and welcome to anyone new.
We have a great group here. Very supportive and expressive, it has helped me greatly.
I haven't posted as much this week as I have been working on some personal stuff from my past which is going well.
I have mentioned before that I have been unable to find work for quite some time, that led to my drinking becoming out of control lately. This is why I am here. I have an interview tomorrow and, although I don't particularly enjoy what I do, I am looking forward to it. After all I have bills to pay and a family to look after. This is a big change for me. The old me would have been planning his weekend drinks or feeling sorry for his self. No more!
Yesterday evening a good friend came over. I suggested we go to the pub for a bite to eat. I had a meal and a lime and soda (my go to) and a very nice time. I had no desire to drink, but a strong desire not to. I actually felt a bit sorry for all those other people caught up in the illusion that alcohol in some way will enhance their experience. The old me would have been unhappy because he couldn't join them.
Today is day 9 and I'm off for a 3 mile run in the rain soon.
Have a great sober day!
I just spent half an hour writing a post with a message to you all individually. When I posted it the site told me that I wasn't logged in even though it said I was at the top of the page so the post was lost. Sorry but I haven't got time to do it again so, in essence: -
Congrats to you all on progress so far and welcome to anyone new.
We have a great group here. Very supportive and expressive, it has helped me greatly.
I haven't posted as much this week as I have been working on some personal stuff from my past which is going well.
I have mentioned before that I have been unable to find work for quite some time, that led to my drinking becoming out of control lately. This is why I am here. I have an interview tomorrow and, although I don't particularly enjoy what I do, I am looking forward to it. After all I have bills to pay and a family to look after. This is a big change for me. The old me would have been planning his weekend drinks or feeling sorry for his self. No more!
Yesterday evening a good friend came over. I suggested we go to the pub for a bite to eat. I had a meal and a lime and soda (my go to) and a very nice time. I had no desire to drink, but a strong desire not to. I actually felt a bit sorry for all those other people caught up in the illusion that alcohol in some way will enhance their experience. The old me would have been unhappy because he couldn't join them.
Today is day 9 and I'm off for a 3 mile run in the rain soon.
Have a great sober day!
Sober Soldier
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,911
Welcome numberthree
Lot’s of positivity on the thread this morning. Gotta love this group
Btw David I hate it when that happens! We appreciate your thorough and well thought out messages though. They help us all a lot
Lot’s of positivity on the thread this morning. Gotta love this group
Btw David I hate it when that happens! We appreciate your thorough and well thought out messages though. They help us all a lot
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