Can we have a roll call of sorts - I would love to hear how many days all of us have so far.. I am finishing up day 3 with no alcohol...yay me! :)

:herewego day12 !!!: :thanks

8 days!
Most importantly, this means I have managed to survive the WE which is always my excuse... And I also had to travel for job... took planes, waiting in airport, lonely hotel room (all my favourites) and i went through sober.

Very pround of myself! Love this group too! Have a great Monday

7 days

:bounce

Day 7.

Hi Junebugs,
Just my nightly check-in.

Everything is going well. I had my first argument today with my partner since sobriety. It was around 2 pm so my drinking trigger didn't go off. Had it been 8 pm it would have been more of a speedbump.

But, all the same it's interesting to have to deal with life in reality without the backup plan of alcohol. No free passes to relaxation. No false solution to the problem. Interesting.

I've definitely needed my space this week. The less talking the better. Whenever I am talking to someone I've found myself elaborating less and when other people talk all I hear is blah blah blah blah..... . I definitely keep up my common courtesy, but red lights, tailgaters, and lines at the grocery store make me want to hurl rotten eggs at everyone.

I am secretly really happy and proud and feeling good but for some reason I can't bring myself to really show it to the outside world just yet.

The argument today wasn't that big of a deal, more of a minor quarrel but I think it turned some sort of switch, unrelated to it. As I drove off to lunch by myself the floodgates opened and the tears wouldn't stop.

This was the morning of day six and I think I became completely overwhelmed with the immensity of what I am accomplishing here. I think they were tears of sorrow, relief and joy all wrapped into one. They were big heavy tears.

Has anyone else had some sort of overwhelming flood of emotions come all at once?

Melinda,

I hope you manage to sleep. Crying is such a good thing. I always feel it makes me re-connect with the child inside me. With that child we all pretend is not a child anymore when we enter 'adulthood' whatever it means. In my opinion, it means we all get into the world of pretending. Pretending we are responsible, pretending we do not need a hand for almost everything, pretend we do not throw tantrums because we are unable to manage emotions... And of course, being an adult means permission to do 'adult-things' like drinking...

Sorry this is not very coherent... but yes, I feel huge waves of emotions going on. Feels like instead of loosing control, alcohol heps me stay under control. Weird, eh?

day 2

Good Morning :)

I would love to join you all if you have an open spot! :)

I've been around SR for a few years and most active during the summer months, which are the toughest for me when it comes to consuming/abstaining from alcohol. I am a member of the July 2008 and August 2009 groups :)

I am married to a great guy and we have two young boys, which I home school. My problems with alcohol began after I became a stay-at-home mom, but looking back, I believe I was always in the "danger zone", but just didn't know it. At my worst, I would drink alcohol 4-5 evenings per week, consuming a bottle of wine or a 6-pack each night. I was able to break out of that cycle last fall and only drink on occassion. Things were going quite well and then as the warmer months (spring) approached and we got busier, I could feel my red flags going up and I started getting some pretty clear messages (I am Christian and they were from God) that I needed abstain COMPLETELY from drinking alcohol. The last time I felt God reaching out to me, I did not listen and this time I wasn't going to make THAT mistake again. I won't go into detail because I know not everyone here is of the same faith/belief. If you'd like for me to share my story, PM me :)

I had (and still have) every intention of listening this time, but I gave into temptation while on vacation this past week and am feeling the consequences of my actions. Things have not spun out of control or anything, but I can see that this is not going to be an easy battle. Summertime is a very social time for us and while it is easy for me to abstain/control things in the fall/winter, it is NOT in the summer. We are constantly surrounded by situations with alcoholic rituals and I am easily tempted in those situations. Yesterday we took my husband out for dinner and I ordered drinks. That was my sign that I had so easily forgotten the very clear messages I have been receiving. This is my pattern and I recognize it...

Anyway...I hope my post doesn't sound too cryptic and that it makes sense. I am on Day 1 and counting. Fortunately, I don't have to break out of any daily drinking routines this time and have no withdrawal to experience. It's just the ongoing temptations I will experience through the summer months. My goal is complete abstinence in all situations. I hope we can support one another on this path! It's definitely NOT easy...but all it takes is saying, "NO!" to that first drink...

Have a great day everyone :)

Welcome!

Day 9 for me. whoo hoo. Feeling good. Very tired today, but have had an emotional 3 weeks ( apart from the sobriety status, of which I'm very proud) In work 08.00 to 19.00 too, which isn't good on a lovely, hot, sunny day like today. Have eaten loads today, so better keep an eye on the diet, otherwise I'll look like a Weeble! Anyway big hugs to you all. Stay strong, it's good to know we're all here for each other, good or bad! G.xxxx

I celebrated my first birthday sober Saturday night! Last year I threw a huge party for my 35th, probably 60 people in my apartment and booze flowing like water -- this year was very different. I met some AA friends for coffee and then practiced with my band, who took me out for a b-day lunch. Then, it being a Saturday night, I had friends putting on several different events unrelated to me and I hopped from one to the other, only telling some people that it was my birthday. Now that I don't drink anymore I find I have trouble staying out late and was home by midnight.

I knew this birthday was going to be a big trigger for me so I'm proud to have made it through. I look forward to celebrating the next one shortly after celebrating my first AA birthday!

GG

It's really great to see so many folks doing well - hope we get more people checking on too :)

Welcome back BreakFree :)

D

:grouphug:..sounds like we're gettin
into the swing of sobriety..:c011:

BTW: Melinda!!
..tears wash our eyes,so that we can see 'life',more clearly...Ozy..

Hi Junebugs,

Day 7 for me and feeling great. I think the rollercoaster is slowing a bit after seven days. Feel much better and more normalized. See ya later. Going to the gym now!

It sounds like we're all doing awesome. Let's keep it up.

Day 4! Just got back from an end of the school year party - I was really concerned beforehand about looking weird not drinking, or what to say if someone offered me one, etc... but guess what - I just went and got myself a diet soda and noone even cared/noticed... I guess with all I am going through right now I just feel like I will stick out but really - lots of people just have soda.. just seems so alien to me! :) Yesterday I had major cravings being alone all day..but today at a party with alcohol all around I really didn't have any cravings.. felt really good to not be drinking..:)

To my class of June 2010. I wish you all the best of luck and will be thinking of you. If anyone wants my contact details, PM me, I will keep the account active for a few days (unless i get suspended) but a number of events has made me realise that I don't belong on this site. I wish u all so much luck

I am joining the June group
 

Hi group,

This is a fresh start for me. I quit for 5 months back in 2007 then started again (dumb & I really don't know why)

That's all for now, on the site with my iPad and typing lying in bed is tuff, great for reading but not typing.

Tomorrow I will give all my details,

Thanks for being here.

I will soon ba able to use my bus & signature line again but for now please disregard.

M

welcome back Rob :)

D

Hi again... I'm back. Day 1.

I'm so sorry I lost touch with all the posters and new people in the group, but hope to get caught up soon.

BREAKFREE!!! It's fate! We're on here together again!

(((LillyRose))) We're here for you! I hope you don't leave, k?

So I had 14 days sober, feeling great, back from yoga retreat, then my daughter graduated 5th grade and we had an awesome day together, taking pictures, having fun, and then we went out to eat to celebrate. I decided to give into my white wine craving as it was a "special night." I planned on having only one glass, but I had two. Figured that wasn't TOO bad, but it was bad. My sleep was entirely messed up that night as the alcohol was kind of a shock to my system after being sober for so long.

I ended up drinking again on Thursday night, can't explain what excuse I came up with, but drank at home and drank WAY more than I wanted to. A full bottle of wine and cracked into a second. I was still drunk the next morning and had to pretty much stay in bed most of the day and waste the day. My hangover did not go away until like 5:00 the next day -- ughhh!!!

And finally, I tried another attempt at "moderate" wine drinking which ended up with me drinking most of the bottle of wine. This was last night. I woke up around 12:30 in the morning (or night) and was miserable. I decided that enough was enough. I got up, poured the remainder of wine down the drain (there wasn't much left). Then I took a red magic marker and wrote "GOODBYE" on the label of the wine. I went outside and walked to the woods. I threw the empty bottle in the woods (I hate littering, but this was for a spiritual purpose) and I said a little prayer (I'm not really religious, but pretty spiritual and believe in SOMETHING).

I had a miserable hangover all through the night, but woke up at 10:00 am feeling somewhat okay. I had a good full day and want to start again.

I know that alcohol has no place in my life, that my life will be so much better without it, and really hope this is it. June 21st -- beginning of summer and time to start again.

Laura