ChickChick

Good morning all!
Wow, I didn't expect to wake up and be handed a scarlet letter!

Great posts today! I wish I had time to respond at the moment. But I have kids demanding pancakes. I'll be back soon!

Shell how did your basketball game go? I was just thinking about you while reading the other posts. Missed hearing from you.

kgirl41

I have have a lighter heart about it today lol

shell77

Thanks for asking ChickChick! Bball game was fun. We ALMOST won, lol. My husband and I coach the team and all 3 of my kids are on it. I have 10 year old triplets (1 boy and 2 girls). My son loves basketball, and is very good at it. My girls decided they wanted to give it a shot this year and it's been a lot of fun doing it all as a family.

I am waking up on day 23 with a massive headache. I stayed up late watching tv last night and this morning woke up feeling a little under the weather. This too shall pass.

Happy Sunday!

ChickChick

Wow Shell you really have your hands full! Congrats on almost winning neither of our teams where even close yesterday. My 11 yo's team seemed to fall asleep during the 2nd half, lol. They woke up the last minute of the game, but it was a little too late. You guys are adventurous coaching. My Hubby helps out most practices, I bring bandaids and give hugs.
Congrats on day 23! Hope your headache feels better soon.

ReadyAtLast

Congrats to us all for getting through another day whether day 1 or whichever day we are on. 😀

ProfessorD

The task I gave myself today was to identify the pattern that is making me consistently slip up on sobriety around week 3. Now that I've thought about it, I think it's ironically because I start to feel good. I feel healthier, I'm almost always back to working out daily (for example: only recently, on Friday morning I was shaking and vomiting on myself. On Saturday morning I was running and doing push ups. Uh...what?) So, not only do I recover quickly and forget how bad it gets, but drinking the first drink feels like a celebration of what I've achieved. I remember that I like life, and so I illogically take a drink to reward myself. I might as well punch myself in the face.

Now that I've identified what I think the problem is, I need to develop a plan to counteract it. Any advice? What are some alternative ways to celebrate? When you are feeling happy or proud about your sobriety, what do you do?

Offthemast

Same here Professor D. I have to fight the, "F it. What's it matter?"voice too. It's like I don't know how to just feel good. Lol. It's diabolical.

ReadyAtLast

Hi professor. For me it's twofold. I need to focus on why I like being sober. I'm happier healthier more productive look better sleep better etc but also learn how to deal with urges cravings thoughts when they do arise. Because they will and do. It's normal. Urge surfing realising they are just thoughts and I font have to act on them. Reading my recovery stuff. Going over and over it. Reminding myself. Not getting too confident or not focusing on my recovery.

Trohyn

For me, finally it really is very simple.
After all the years of abusing substances just take a moment and assess.

1. Do the benefits of sobriety outweigh substance abuse. Yes.
2. Do not abuse substances.

Not easy, but very simple.

Sunflower17

I'm back on day 1 again 😢 i managed 8 days and was starting to feel really good. I thought I was cured (ridiculous isn't it?) and so I bought wine. I then stopped posting on here because I felt so ashamed. I'd made such a big song and dance about getting sober and then failed miserably.

I've come to realise that these forums really fo help. The support and encouragement is amazing! Thank you all so much. I shall come back here every day.

ProfessorD

Hi Sunflower! I'm realizing I'm ridiculous in the same way. Glad you are back and nice to meet you

Sunflower17

Good to meet you too!!

It's the realisation, finally, that actually I can't just enjoy one drink which has brought me back. I thought I would be ok but I clearly wasn't. When I'm drinking I don't eat and then today I've felt so ill I can't eat. So I've basically poisoned my poor body with alcohol and given it no respite whatsoever.

I want to do this. I will make sure I check in here often as I do think it is helpful.

ProfessorD

Yep, this is me exactly! This last time when I drank, I did so on an empty stomach after not eating all day. I had like 6 drinks, passed out, and woke up puking bile on an empty stomach. Couldn't eat until the evening. The whole time, I'm just thinking what in the world am I doing to myself? What adult person doesn't know how to feed herself? What person drinks that much on an empty stomach, and doesn't even have a snack? I'm a totally different person when I'm drinking, and it gets worse every time no matter how many weeks or days I've gone without.

ChickChick

I'm sorry you drank Sunflower. I'm glad you are back here though. Please be gentle with yourself today. Drink as much fluid as you can.

Sunflower17

We sound very similar!!!!

Sunflower17

Thank you ChickChick. I'm so disappointed in myself today. But being here is helping me stay focused and I am trying to look forward rather than back 😊

Trohyn

So why do you drink?
I'm confused.

ReadyAtLast

Sorry to hear that sunflower but you're back here which is fantastic. Can you change your plan this time ?

ProfessorD

Hmm, what are you confused by in my post? I guess I drink because I'm an alcoholic? Not sure what you mean...

Trohyn

What you've described in your post sounds horrible. Why would you consciously do that to yourself?