Class of January 2022 Part 4
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 601
Ha! Scott - sounds like you actually enjoyed Covid! 
Bit fed up today, guys. 5 months sober. Good weather here. Everybody gearing-up for the street parties for Queen's Jubilee - kind of makes me dread the Summer. Sorry to say it, but surely we can be honest here? I feel like an Outcast - even my wife just told me that she's 'Going for a well-earned beer'
Bit fed up today, guys. 5 months sober. Good weather here. Everybody gearing-up for the street parties for Queen's Jubilee - kind of makes me dread the Summer. Sorry to say it, but surely we can be honest here? I feel like an Outcast - even my wife just told me that she's 'Going for a well-earned beer'
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,496
I am sure the UK is hopping this weekend. Dangerous stuff....public drinking and intoxication. Hope everyone stays safe. 
s
(Just thought I would present the other side, you know, the part that is not fun at all xxxx).
s(Just thought I would present the other side, you know, the part that is not fun at all xxxx).
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 1,704
Well, not sure I enjoyed Covid per se but I'll always take a bit of isolation if I can get it! We rather enjoyed that Covid period in 2020 when we weren't suppose to go anywhere.
I'm sorry you're feeling out of sorts Em. You can always be honest here. Recognizing the feelings, being honest to yourself about them and others and working through these feelings is what we have to do to ensure our sobriety. It's not easy. For a "Normie", that "well earned beer" is a treat. Much like an ice cream cone on a hot day. For us, that "well earned beer treat" is much different. That first sip will slam our brain right back into its addiction mode. If I drank that "well earned beer", I know I will be buying and drinking a half a 750 bottle of vodka likely later that day if not the next. I will be right back into daily drinking and within a week, maybe two, I'll be drinking at 6am to start my day. My blood pressure and resting pulse rate will sky rocket. If I can quit again, and I'm not sure I would be able to, I'll be back to pain of withdrawal and trying to regain my sobriety. I can't go through all that again. So my choice is to simply not drink and because I've been honest with myself about the outcome, I can deal with the feelings of being an Outcast. The alternative is so much worse and would probably kill me.
I'm sorry you're feeling out of sorts Em. You can always be honest here. Recognizing the feelings, being honest to yourself about them and others and working through these feelings is what we have to do to ensure our sobriety. It's not easy. For a "Normie", that "well earned beer" is a treat. Much like an ice cream cone on a hot day. For us, that "well earned beer treat" is much different. That first sip will slam our brain right back into its addiction mode. If I drank that "well earned beer", I know I will be buying and drinking a half a 750 bottle of vodka likely later that day if not the next. I will be right back into daily drinking and within a week, maybe two, I'll be drinking at 6am to start my day. My blood pressure and resting pulse rate will sky rocket. If I can quit again, and I'm not sure I would be able to, I'll be back to pain of withdrawal and trying to regain my sobriety. I can't go through all that again. So my choice is to simply not drink and because I've been honest with myself about the outcome, I can deal with the feelings of being an Outcast. The alternative is so much worse and would probably kill me.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Brit in Canada
Posts: 173
Woke up at my friend's cottage today after a drinking dream, panicked that I had made a mistake... Last time I was here it was a "big night".
Anyway once fully awake I realised... "Oh, I didn't drink anything" - such a relief and on reflection a great reminder of how it would feel to let myself down.
Day 168 I think...
Have a great day.
Anyway once fully awake I realised... "Oh, I didn't drink anything" - such a relief and on reflection a great reminder of how it would feel to let myself down.
Day 168 I think...
Have a great day.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Originally Posted by Enemdio 
Ha! Scott - sounds like you actually enjoyed Covid!
Bit fed up today, guys. 5 months sober. Good weather here. Everybody gearing-up for the street parties for Queen's Jubilee - kind of makes me dread the Summer. Sorry to say it, but surely we can be honest here? I feel like an Outcast - even my wife just told me that she's 'Going for a well-earned beer'
Bit fed up today, guys. 5 months sober. Good weather here. Everybody gearing-up for the street parties for Queen's Jubilee - kind of makes me dread the Summer. Sorry to say it, but surely we can be honest here? I feel like an Outcast - even my wife just told me that she's 'Going for a well-earned beer'
That outcast thing is AV driven…there may be drinking everywhere ( even in Australia) but there also be millions of folks not drinking and still having a good time…you can join me Enemdio
D
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Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,318
Also had a couple of those too RM and yes that relief is a fantastic reminder! Congratulations on day 168 or thereabouts lol.
En I hope you are feeling more settled now. Its certainly a challenging week here in the UK with these celebrations going on and it seems everywhere you look people are drinking and having fun!
However also just as many having a cuppa and having a great time too but I think our brains don't register those people so much.
As Scott said knowing and being honest with the outcome helps and I've had to dig deep myself these last few days as the AV has been strong today especially and that coupled with some family stresses had me romanticising today!
Brakes went on though and had a good think about the outcome agood scroll through here and now off to bed feeling better and relieved I saw it off and felt good about it but it unsettled me how easy slips can occur if you don't use all the tools you've built up, just glad mine worked today.
Vigilance...... ongoing always!!!
En I hope you are feeling more settled now. Its certainly a challenging week here in the UK with these celebrations going on and it seems everywhere you look people are drinking and having fun!
However also just as many having a cuppa and having a great time too but I think our brains don't register those people so much.
As Scott said knowing and being honest with the outcome helps and I've had to dig deep myself these last few days as the AV has been strong today especially and that coupled with some family stresses had me romanticising today!
Brakes went on though and had a good think about the outcome agood scroll through here and now off to bed feeling better and relieved I saw it off and felt good about it but it unsettled me how easy slips can occur if you don't use all the tools you've built up, just glad mine worked today.
Vigilance...... ongoing always!!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 1,704
Well done Brit. It was a beautiful day here and I got lots done. These were the days that were perfect for drinking in my old mind. Of course any day actually was a great day for drinking. That thought crossed my mind today. But that was as far as it went. A thought quickly squashed. Turned out it was a great day to not drink and continue to get things done.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 601
Hi All, Thanks for all the support and I'm happy to have taken it all to heart and not felt sorry for myself and not had a drink.
How-ev-er... as part of a distraction strategy to help me stop drinking, I entered an Ironman triathlon 5 months ago, which is next Sunday - 6 days away. Training's gone well and I was just beginning to think those lake swims at 4 degrees in January were worthwhile. Then my wife just got back from a trip to Europe and has tested positive for COVID this morning
OMG...
How-ev-er... as part of a distraction strategy to help me stop drinking, I entered an Ironman triathlon 5 months ago, which is next Sunday - 6 days away. Training's gone well and I was just beginning to think those lake swims at 4 degrees in January were worthwhile. Then my wife just got back from a trip to Europe and has tested positive for COVID this morning
OMG...
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,025
Hey Guys!
glad to see everyone still on board!
En and Brit - indeed lots of drinking around this last week here in the Uk. From my point of view I see it just as I saw people paddle boarding in Kent. Looks fun, good for them who do it, I don’t.
En, hope you are ok for the triathlon, technically no more rules here I thought though? Fingers crossed you test negative and don’t catch it too.
It s been a very nice full on bank holiday here, lots of quality time with loved ones.
Also reached 6 months sober yesterday, not really focusing on that but half a year sounds nice I must say
glad to see everyone still on board!
En and Brit - indeed lots of drinking around this last week here in the Uk. From my point of view I see it just as I saw people paddle boarding in Kent. Looks fun, good for them who do it, I don’t.
En, hope you are ok for the triathlon, technically no more rules here I thought though? Fingers crossed you test negative and don’t catch it too.
It s been a very nice full on bank holiday here, lots of quality time with loved ones.
Also reached 6 months sober yesterday, not really focusing on that but half a year sounds nice I must say
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 1,704
Good morning Januarys. I am at day 200 today. That feels good. We have all recovered from Covid. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis and is on an immune suppressant drug to control it. She took the longest to clear the virus from her system. I really didn't understand it when I read about people taking immune suppressants were hit harder by Covid but I do now. I hope everyone has a great day.
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