ubntubnt

Dumped all the booze in the apartment. 22 cans of beer, 2.5 bottles red, 1 white, 1 champagne, 1/3 bottle Vodka. Put it all in box. Walked outside up to the first pretty girl I saw and gave it to her. "Happy Christmas". Indeed it will be.

hpdw

That was a brave and wise thing to do .

3 weeks sober for me now ,

Anxiety is quite troublesome ATM but I always go a bit funny at this time of year .

I feel confident and positive about life in general just a bit jittery and achey and some head fog which comes and goes .

I don't want to take benzo's or SSRI's that my GP offered .

I prefer to heal naturally and working on different ideas ,meditation being one ,green juices being another and of course SR is a great tonic .

Love and peace to you all

Soberwolf

Have a nice sober Saturday everyone

GhostFace

Good morning Ali, hang in there.

forabetterlife

Good morning December Class. I am on day 5 and I've been lurking here as I am hesitant, as usual, to join yet another class. But I take it as a sign that I see so many familiar names (neverthought, applekat, ghostface, cute, soberjim, sleepydots, chickchick, newhope, maximus, jsbodhi, and, of course, my kindred spirit, ladybug - sorry if I missed anyone, those are the names I caught this time) that I took it as a sign that I need to join you all and be a part of this so we can help each other, rather than isolating myself out of shame and overthinking everything.

2015 has not been a good one for me. First and foremost, I lost my father in January- the most devastating, life-changing experience of my life. Then this summer was the end of an 11 year relationship that I’ve been hanging on to far too long, as well as putting down my dog of 15 years. So, despite my efforts to curtail and abstain from alcohol, I always found a reason or an excuse to drink again. You know, the old, “Who wouldn’t drink at a time like this?” that the AV feeds us. However, as I knew all along, but ignored it, drinking does not serve me well. It only pushes me further down that hole.

I am determined to have a head start on 2016 as I am eager for this dreadful year to be over and start learning how to deal with all that life has face me with, without the crutch of alcohol.
My father struggled with alcohol his last few years and I know he wants me to learn from him and I know he is beside me all the way.

Ladybug- sooo glad you and your babies are safe after your accident. As you know, that’s really all that matters.
Love to all, very happy to be here.....

Stubbs16

Happy Saturday all. Yep it is cause I woke up sober today.

Hope everyone enjoyed a good sober yesterday.

Ubntubnt, thanks for the encouraging words yesterday. I am thankful for the good things I do currently enjoy. I see them, but most times Im so focused on whats going wrong, difficult in my life, I tend to focus only on the negatives. Because my life is always like this, full of drama and alot of bad luck too. It better to try and look at things with a different perspective though. I agree. Good on you for giving away the booze, very good indeed!

Thomas, I commend you on your decision to do things naturally. I got caught up in the benzo cycle, and even through I cant say I had any real withdraw, its better to take another approach for anxiety issues. Good on you!

Well, Im looking forward to another sober today. I keep telling myself, everyday Im getting healthier, and stronger. I KNOW ITS TRUE.

Have a great day class.

Stubbs16

FABL, so good to see you hon.

I relate to everthing you said about the av feeding us bs reasons to drink. Its such a trap, and a lie, isnt it? We can stop the cycle. Im very sorry you had a rough year. May the future be brighter for us all.If nothing else good happens, we can at least be sober, right?

Applekat

Hello FABL! Good to see you. Sorry for your year. I think it's a great idea to get a jump on 2016. That's what I'm hoping to do, too. I hope to start running again, and getting healthier again. This is a step in that direction!

TheRake

Waking up with no hangover and appreciating it.....

Like a natural animal....

I had zero cravings last night...until.....

1) I allowed a girl that I was seeing a while back to bother me (yes she didn't bother me....I allowed her to bother me...that's responsibility for my experience .)
Bang! EMOTIONS now a "craving" or a reaction brewing......damn I better feel what I'm feeling.....I did. This is key for me. When I don't allow myself to feel....bang conflicted and contorted emotions then give the impression of craving or a need to escape. I felt what I was feeling and let it go, no big deal

....and I had to remind myself of the rule: BACK YOU CAN'T GO! That rule is there for a reason....you can't go back because there is too much bloodletting and resentment. You can't go back because there is only now and the future. Time to run a TIGHT SHIP again Mr Rake. Back you can't go....ever.

2) A friend texted and asked me if I was planning on going out: Bang! HABIT the little thought....well I could delay this until after the weekend....well I could delay this until after Christmas......NO! NO! NO! I'm waking up fresh tomorrow! and I'm tired of rewriting the days in my agenda....I already got too far ahead of myself last time and I had to cross out in my diary "day 52" and that pissed me off!!! NO, I'm staying in.....me time, alone time, introspection...

emotions and habit.

My thoughts for the day

Have a great day everyone! try stay clear of those ditches y'all

julesonya

Waking up sober is no nice. I do take ambien to sleep so I'm a little groggy but i actually slept instead of staying up drinking wine, falling asleep for a few hours and ten waking up to drink more.

I'm really glad I didn't give in. My stomach is feeling better after a full day of food and not like a bird.

Neverthought

I'm right there with you wishing away day (3), e.g. last night. I was quite irritable and my son was running on high energy. So, eventually I went to the bedroom and watched TV. Of course, that didn't go well with the wife. You can't please everyone. I'm going to be selfish until I get back on track which isn't too far away. Then I can shoulder the burden again. Though I still managed to watch/play Jeopardy with the wife and build/repair things with my son. So, I wasn't a total dead-beat.

Hey gang,...Welcome back FABL....

Nice job on pulling through on a Friday everyone.

On to day (4) and my Mastiff woke me up around 6:30 a.m. to go outside. I felt like I ran a marathon. I felt like I had a 50 lb. bag of sand attached to me.

So, I had a dream last night, which I think related to the retirement party on Thursday, but this time I drank and could barely walk and was hammered. I found this interesting because I have a super high tolerance and never get sloppy drunk. Anyway, thanks for listening to my ramble.

Ultimately, thinking with a clear head already and thrilled I didn't drink last night.

I thank all of you and all of the stories I read on SR throughout the week. Have a great sober weekend friends......

Jackie1214

I've been trying but with all the fatigue and stress in my life at this particular time, it's hard to implement any of the tools I've learned about in the last month. I'm just too tired. But giving in and drinking a bottle of wine at night just contributes to my fatigue. Vicious cycle.

I'm going to try again. I'm going to try to stay calm and just breath and ride out the cravings. I've always been a strong woman. I need to muster up that strength for this.

Thanks everyone. This is the place I come to to be educated about my addiction and try to kick it.

julesonya

I was right there with you last night. Tired, stressed, withdrawal symptoms were nice a high and I kept thinking, one bottle, just one.
But I didn't do it. I made some tea and rented a movie (thank god for Apple TV bc if I had to leave to get anything I would have stopped) I watched a full movie, totally sober for the first time in a year.

Neverthought

Wherever you are in the world, have a great day!

To a great group of people supporting each other and appreciating what life is all about:

Soberwolf - Thank you for stopping in each day and providing inspiration.
CuteNGayYay
Camryn474
Ali123
GhostFace
McCartney
Highwind
SleepyDots
Soberjim
Applekat
Ubntubnt
Tans
Abraxas69
RedAndy
Jbmetzger
Nmd
Krisinwi
JJ9
Grendhar
Melki
MeHere
Snowbunting
ChickChick
Thomas59
SoberRunner
Worried75
Kirky
Sean30
Jsbodhi
julesonya
Ladybug2
DreamBig42
Forabetterlife
Jackie1214
....last but not least Dee

And thank you to all those that stop in periodically to provide inspiration.

Camryn474

^^^ I love everything about this!


This made me smile. I have to commend every one of you that have spouses and/or children. I can't fathom that sort of responsibility while also trying to get sober. I guess it is probably easier than trying to manage while drinking though!

Hi, forabetterlife. I am so sorry for the year you have had. I hope you can find some comfort in this class as you navigate sobriety. You've been hit with one thing after another and here you are, wanting to get sober, wanting better for yourself, wanting to learn from your father and honor him. That takes some serious strength. I hope you'll post often.

I'm so glad to see so many people made it through the night! Congrats all around!


Well, I slept! At least until when the neighbor's car alarm went off and my dogs went crazy. Such is life. I did wake up with a sugar hangover though. I've overloaded myself with carbs since Thanksgiving and gorged myself last night on sweets to beat down the cravings so I've got to get back on track. I want to try to cut sugar out altogether. I think I would feel better if I could.

Day 4 has started off pleasant. Many things to do so I'll check back in later! Have a good day/night, gang!

Neverthought

Way to go Camryn! So, what are you up to today?

I've read about many SR champions, that once they reached their milestone(s) (I guess the real milestone is lifetime abstinence, but you get the point) with sobriety they began to tackle other substances such as reducing sugar intake or avoiding drinking coffee, e.g. stuff like that. But I don't think that was until like a year plus of sobriety.

We'll see what Dee has to say?

Anyway, just checking in. I completed putting up the decorations outside. That was a lot easier than last year (if you know what I'm saying).

Cruising along on day (4). I hope to check in later this evening or tonight.

Cya!

MidnightBlue

Hi, guys.

I am from class October 2012, 3+ years sober now - and mostly thanks to SR.

I dropped by to say to you that though all this pre-during-and-post holidays time provokes a lot of temptations, feeling of "lacking" the joy, "ole good times", "party spirit", romanticizing alcohol and being under constant bombardment of ads and media about "NY and X-mas should be that way otherwise you are deficient", and so on, it is still not that emotionally scary as it may seem.

I used to be a big fan of wine and, sure Champaigne for NY. Jingle bells and bubbles in a glass - it was like the Earth and the Moon - it you take away the one, the other will go to pieces.

It will be my 4th NY without "Sparkling companion" - and it's just getting better every time.

It is not booze that creates festive atmosphere. It is not "making a wish while you are drinking your champaigne" that makes dreams come true and goals achieved, and hardest tasks fulfilled. It is not wine which brings the tenderest warmth to the heart.

It's all inside you already. Now (I know, I know, I sound like some motivational guru now. ). Even if pain that's been numbed by booze is breaking through, or all the problems decided to gather troops and attack at the same moment - somewhere inside you there's that warmth and happiness which is hiding. Welcome it to your life.

And get some good plan ready at hand - better 2 or 3. Get your own sobriety troops ready. Just like a good commander-in-chief gathers reconnaissаnce, fortifies border line and stocks ammunition to give a battle to the invader at any moment.

There will be a lot of invaders crowding near your border - protect your territory and stick to your guns. When the siege is over you will be looking not at a plundered city, but at the growing fruit of better life.

Best wishes to all.

Have a great sober day.

Camryn474

Thank you, MidnightBlue! Congrats on your 3+ years of sobriety. Your encouragement is empowering.

Neverthought, the original plan for the day was cleaning, errands, and visiting with family. I've wound up doing none of that. I'm currently posted up on the couch enjoying my Christmas decorations and watching Christmas movies. Much more enjoyable.

I've also heard from people to tackle one thing at a time. Back in January (I was still drinking) I decided I was going to get healthy. Healthy in that I was going to change up my diet. If I had really wanted to get healthy I would have quit drinking. I found once I stopped drinking though, that controlling my diet was a good way for me to stay focused on sobriety. So, I'm hoping to do the same now. If it begins to be too much I'll gladly back off it in order to keep from picking back up the drink.

Hi, Jackie. Staying calm, breathing, and riding out the cravings are good ideas. Posting here seems to be helping me. It's nice to know there are other people going through the same things I am. I hope you'll keep posting and let us help you pull out that inner strength. You can do this!

Selfrespect

I'm joining the class. This is my first time quitting. Today is Day 1.

Dee74

Welcome selfrespect and FABL, and welcome back Jackie

I'm certainly not adverse to self improvement on other things - sugar etc...many of us are 'all or nothing types', and I certainly was/am.

The trouble is if you to cut out too many things at once you may overload yourself...you may even start interpreting cravings for sugar, food, whatever as cravings for alcohol.

I actually made myself sick by going from a very heavy sugar diet to nothing.

My body was really bashed around by years of alcoholism - and I'd neglected to factor that in...

I think it's ok to be kind to your body for a while, get a handle on not drinking and then think about what's next.

D