fini

Jim,
we'll still be here when you can.
it's okay.

Notimetoloose

Merry Christmas Jim....not drinking is the best start for Christmas, and then it kinda just starts getting better from there...AVRT help me stop drinking and deal with the AV.
You write so well Jim...would writing down how you are feeling and what is happening inside help, .

ScottFromWI

I would disagree Jim. Drunk is a chemically induced state that slows you down and dulls our perception. Heaven and hell and the rest of the world keep on moving on whether we want it to or not. Dump out what you have and get some rest.

Soberwolf

Dump out the booze jimjim im with Scott

Jeni26

Jim, I don't know if you know but I relapsed too and I had years of sobriety under my belt. It made no difference to me. Once I had isolated myself from all forms of support and disconnected from people around me, it was just a matter of time.

Today, Christmas Eve, 2014 is my new day 1. I bitterly regret drifting off the path and I'm doing some pretty intensive work with my sponsor now to try and get back on track.

Let's not look back, we deserve sobriety. i am filled with self loathing and self pity too. Let's shake that off. Let's give ourselves the chance to be the people we can be.

You with me? X

PaulinaPolitely

JJ - there's the past, and what you've done, who you've been, and there's the future, who you are, and who you were when you were young, and who you can return to. It all comes back quickly, the mental and physical health, you will love it!

You don't have to be sad like this any more!

A sober Christmas is going to be really wonderful for you. Dive in here, as you are doing.

You can do this!

Dee74

Merry Christmas Jim.
My wish for you is that this is the Xmas where you decide to turn things around.

Whenever you want to talk, whatever you want to say, there'll be someone here.
D

SoberComposer

Hi JimJim,

I know what you mean about needing to talk. We are definitely here for you. I haven't drank in like five months but have been smoking herb. I could hardly find it but just by chance found someone the week that I quit drinking. I finally quit that a few weeks ago and.. BOOM. Life hit me in the face. I had to quit though because I knew that I wasn't facing the truth. It's hard though. Recently I have been overwhelmed by small things but let the catastrophes pass and try my best to learn why I reacted that way. As it turns out, I have a lot to work though. My need to please people and always wanting to explain myself. It's embarrassing. I've read that it's due to low self-esteem. I can start to see exactly why I drank so much. I have been working on boundaries though and reminding myself to not explain everything to people. I assume all of us have little things like that ingrained in our personality from childhood things. I know though that the only way to lead the type of life that I want to lead is by being sober though, from all things. That's just me though, I would never preach to others to how to lead their life. I wanted to share this though in-case you find it helpful. The only way that I could deal with the parts of myself that I was hiding from is with a clear head. It takes time though. I am starting to understand that quitting everything only opens the door for me to adapt to life and change certain behaviors so that I will respect myself. It is crazy overwhelming though in those intense moments. In some moments I just wish I had cancer or something so that I wouldn't have to deal but I know I can't go back, and it always passes even though it feels permanent. Earlier today I felt like everything was crashing down but after a shower and a few good movies and a nice dinner I feel good that I didn't cave. Honestly, today I wanted a reprieve more than any other time in the last five months but didn't entertain the idea.

Your post about needing to talk really struck a key for me, I guess that's why I opened up. I needed to talk too. I really hope you can pull yourself away from the booze and begin to build your life back together. It's up and down and much different than the life I knew but I can now see that one day I may have the life and relationships that I always felt I should have. I think I drank so much because I felt like a failure because I haven't had those things since I was like 12.

I very much feel your struggle JimJim. I wish you the very best on your journey and know that we are always here for you. A shining north-light in a turbulent sea.

Thepatman

Hey JimJim, wishing you a happy Christmas.

Celebrate dude, dump the booze, for today is not about material gifts, it's not about partying your mind and talents away, today is the eve of the Birthday of the one that made all things new.

He believes in you and so do we. Rise my friend and rejoice.

Dallow

You can make it a sober christmas, JimJim, I am sure of it!

It's noon here, and by this time last year, I'd already been drinking wine to "get normal" from a binge I'd started several days earlier. All christmas I was drinking just for maintenance. I didn't make an ass of myself, but I was shut down, and can't remember how it was.

This year I'm sober - but only about two weeks in, so I still have fresh memories of the situation you're in right now. I know it's horrifying. Drink the tea and push through an hour at a time. It's going to be hard, but there's no better time to do it but now.

You deserve to find yourself again and we want to hear what you want to talk about!

Take good care of yourself and have a peaceful and merry christmas!

SoberLeigh

Good morning/afternoon, Jim.

Hope to talk with you soon.

VikingGF

Hi, Jim. Here to listen when you want to talk.

MidnightBlue

Hi, JimJim.

It's still me, MB, your Octsobermate.

I still believe that every new day brings a new hope.

I do hope you believe this too.

Don't kill the hope with a drink. Don't shoot it dead with your own hands.

Shoot the bottle, not the hope.

Merry (Sober!) Christmas to you!