Class Of March 2018 Support Thread - Part One
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 316
Time for a long post! I'm working all weekend, so this is the last day of my break. Just totally stole Argi's idea of taking notes as I have thoughts. There are so many of you I want to respond to as I'm reading. And I know I can't to everyone. Here goes!
Argi, thanks for the post-it idea (should have thought of that before!) and the pats on the back. I had a lot of support in my decision, so I will share those pats!
Welcome, or welcome back Jiggery, mako, number3, normalElle, IdesKKMarch and anyone I've missed!
Notonlyme, I'm sorry you're going through that. I had to help my sister get out of a bad marriage a few years ago. It was a tough situation with lots of emotional abuse. She is doing well now and focuses her energy on making a safe and loving space for her kids, so I hope you will get to a place where you and your children feel safe and loved and whole once again. I think drinking can only be a hindrance to such an end, so I wish you strength.
Max74, best of luck snow-shoeing! Sounds fun and good for your recovery to focus on something active. I need to do more of that.
IdesKKMarch, I was listening to one of my recovery podcasts and he was discussing dopamine hypersensitivity and how alcohol has changed our brains and reaction to it. Basically, he likened it to our brains being baking soda and alcohol being vinegar. If you don't add the vinegar, everything is fine at any given time. But add it, and Boom! Just like the old volcano experiment of our elementary days, big reaction! Such is the reaction of our dopamine receptors.
Letsdance and Zombie, sorry you are struggling. We are here.
Strawberry, do you really live there? That would be amazing...and a struggle with the vineyard surrounding you.
Nichole, I hope your anxiety eases today. You have been such a cheerleader for us all. Wish I could be as encouraging as you have been.
Neverthought, it's nice to have someone on the same day as me. I think I've made you my accountability partner without you knowing it.
Hopefor18, I totally know the store rotation game! I don't miss that at all.
Footballmad, may you feel better tomorrow. I think we all have off days, sober or not.
And Jaytee, I'm sorry you're feeling bad. Is there a reason you have to wait so long for your procedure? I was thinking it was the health care system where you are. Here, you could probably get it done pretty soon, but then get a bill for a gazillion dollars. At least that's the way it seems lately. As far as the job, I work in health care and my profession is pretty specific. I live in a small-ish university town kind of off the beaten path, so commuting is out of the question. That being said, there are not alot of opportunities nearby for what I do. When something opened up elsewhere, I had to take it. I talked to friends and family members, and the consistent sentiment is that you have to do what is best for YOU and your family. As much as you might feel bad about leaving, this is your life and you can't base the decision on guilt. I even got the same thoughts from the co-workers I'm leaving. They were graciously understanding about my leaving - even though I know how tough it will be after I leave. Anyway, I hope that helps.
Have a great weekend, everyone! As I said, I'll be working, so less able to check in. My thoughts will be with you all!
Argi, thanks for the post-it idea (should have thought of that before!) and the pats on the back. I had a lot of support in my decision, so I will share those pats!
Welcome, or welcome back Jiggery, mako, number3, normalElle, IdesKKMarch and anyone I've missed!
Notonlyme, I'm sorry you're going through that. I had to help my sister get out of a bad marriage a few years ago. It was a tough situation with lots of emotional abuse. She is doing well now and focuses her energy on making a safe and loving space for her kids, so I hope you will get to a place where you and your children feel safe and loved and whole once again. I think drinking can only be a hindrance to such an end, so I wish you strength.
Max74, best of luck snow-shoeing! Sounds fun and good for your recovery to focus on something active. I need to do more of that.
IdesKKMarch, I was listening to one of my recovery podcasts and he was discussing dopamine hypersensitivity and how alcohol has changed our brains and reaction to it. Basically, he likened it to our brains being baking soda and alcohol being vinegar. If you don't add the vinegar, everything is fine at any given time. But add it, and Boom! Just like the old volcano experiment of our elementary days, big reaction! Such is the reaction of our dopamine receptors.
Letsdance and Zombie, sorry you are struggling. We are here.
Strawberry, do you really live there? That would be amazing...and a struggle with the vineyard surrounding you.
Nichole, I hope your anxiety eases today. You have been such a cheerleader for us all. Wish I could be as encouraging as you have been.
Neverthought, it's nice to have someone on the same day as me. I think I've made you my accountability partner without you knowing it.
Hopefor18, I totally know the store rotation game! I don't miss that at all.
Footballmad, may you feel better tomorrow. I think we all have off days, sober or not.
And Jaytee, I'm sorry you're feeling bad. Is there a reason you have to wait so long for your procedure? I was thinking it was the health care system where you are. Here, you could probably get it done pretty soon, but then get a bill for a gazillion dollars. At least that's the way it seems lately. As far as the job, I work in health care and my profession is pretty specific. I live in a small-ish university town kind of off the beaten path, so commuting is out of the question. That being said, there are not alot of opportunities nearby for what I do. When something opened up elsewhere, I had to take it. I talked to friends and family members, and the consistent sentiment is that you have to do what is best for YOU and your family. As much as you might feel bad about leaving, this is your life and you can't base the decision on guilt. I even got the same thoughts from the co-workers I'm leaving. They were graciously understanding about my leaving - even though I know how tough it will be after I leave. Anyway, I hope that helps.
Have a great weekend, everyone! As I said, I'll be working, so less able to check in. My thoughts will be with you all!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Greece
Posts: 943
Say anything ... Yes it's beutiful ... But my life here turned me into who I am today... I work the summers in a beach bar ... Live on a wine vineyard with barrels of wine in my outhouse .. It creeps up on you !
Went to the doctors today and I have a infection on my glands .. Hopefully will be on the mend soon !
In the meantime no booze !
Love to all x
Went to the doctors today and I have a infection on my glands .. Hopefully will be on the mend soon !
In the meantime no booze !
Love to all x
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Northeast, USA
Posts: 275
Originally Posted by Hopefor2018 
When I'm drinking, all I think about is whether I have beer at home; and if I don't which store should I go buy it at. Like most, I rotate the stores so it seems like I'm not there all the time. My whole evening is centered around getting and drinking alcohol.
When I'm not drinking, I still think about drinking. How I miss it and trying to convince myself that I don't miss it. Trying to figure out what to do between 4 and 8 p.m. so I don't drink. It's exhausting. Just sick of the whole thing.
On a positive note: 10 days sober! On a negative note: I want beer. lol.
Wish I could just get hypnotized and not think about it. Anyone try hypnosis for this issue, by the way? Just curious.
When I'm not drinking, I still think about drinking. How I miss it and trying to convince myself that I don't miss it. Trying to figure out what to do between 4 and 8 p.m. so I don't drink. It's exhausting. Just sick of the whole thing.
On a positive note: 10 days sober! On a negative note: I want beer. lol.
Wish I could just get hypnotized and not think about it. Anyone try hypnosis for this issue, by the way? Just curious.
I have not tried hypnosis. In fact, I am searching now for someone, with the hopes it might help for my chronic pain, and also for the drinking. Will post if I do ever hook up with one. And Day 10, bravo!
JayTee33, "This Naked Mind" by Annie Grace is my all-time favorite book. She talks a lot about the role of dopamine in drinking (numberthree you might be interested in checking out her book because of that). Thanks for posting that quote JT. It is quite powerful. Agree with Zombie79, about the striking effect of that sentence about alcohol erasing a bit of us every time we drink. I shudder to think of all I've lost.
Wow. I just found her website! Definitely bookmark-worthy. I chuckled at this page:
There looks like some great info, for example a Q&A on questions like "Are your missing the high from drinking?" and "How do I overcome cravings for alcohol?" And lots of personal stories. I sort of stumbled into it via a Google search, and the site has no search function, so it may be hit or miss what you can find. The blog page seems like a good page to start.
SayAnything, I'm officially handing you the long post mantle. You rocked it. Thanks for taking the time to put that together. I loved reading it.
Originally Posted by xxxNICHOLExxx
...we are came for the same reason and we all are going to end our addiction together one day at a time trust love faith and hope don’t be scared to ask for help we all been there remember life is what you make it nobody can change it but you and you deserve a good life let’s make another day sober if you happen to drink today dust yourself off make an action plan and start the day fresh tomorrow WE CAN DO THIS ONE DAY AT A TiME air hugs and high fives to your days remember post before you drink we make the class not the month...
And now for the confessional: I drank last night. The reasons don't matter because there are always a million of them. I spent a good hour in bed this morning hating myself; it seems my previous night's "oh, it's only one night, and not that much" didn't really carry over in the morning like I'd hoped (big surprise).
To quote Notonlyme: I hate hate hate alcohol.
But I am getting back up, and am revising my plan to close the gap that allowed me to drink last night. And I have 10 successful days prior to that in my backpack. There is definitely room for more so I'm going to see what I can do about filling it up.
It's great to read about everyone's successes, or struggles, or just what your day was like. Keep posting please!
Last edited by Dee74; 03-16-2018 at 11:56 PM. Reason: Had to remove annie grace link - any site with a shop is commercial under sr rules.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 316
Sorry, Argi, that will probably be my one and only long post. I'm not the most prolific talker or writer, but felt like I wanted to made a connection with people in the class. And I'm sorry you struggled, for whatever reason. It's good to see you come back here and address it instead of shunning this site, like I did for 4 years after I drank again. That was a long time to get to another day 1!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: GA
Posts: 700
So many bad memories associated with st. Patrick's day. That and my sponsor's decision not to work with me unless i quit smoking has me in a funk. I didn't call her yesterday or today. The whole thing feels very judgemental and makes me want to toss out the big book. Can't I quit one thing at a time? Maybe I do need to look at that part of my life but why do I have to rush it? I felt like I was making progress discovering my HP and working on my self-will and now it's all come to abrupt, unnecessary halt. I'm not going to let this be an opportunity for the AV to win. I've made alot of positive progress and I shouldn't feel ashamed of any part of it.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 752
Originally Posted by goodbyeevan
So many bad memories associated with st. Patrick's day. That and my sponsor's decision not to work with me unless i quit smoking has me in a funk. I didn't call her yesterday or today. The whole thing feels very judgemental and makes me want to toss out the big book. Can't I quit one thing at a time? Maybe I do need to look at that part of my life but why do I have to rush it? I felt like I was making progress discovering my HP and working on my self-will and now it's all come to abrupt, unnecessary halt. I'm not going to let this be an opportunity for the AV to win. I've made alot of positive progress and I shouldn't feel ashamed of any part of it.
Stop smoking what??? Pot???
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: East Coast US
Posts: 1,828
Hi again. Sitting here at home on a Friday night. Still no craving for a drink. That is good. But it will come at some point. Maybe not for another week or two. But it will come. So working on the plan. And a backup plan!
Several comments about romancing the wine. Yes, that is exactly what I do/did. On vacation, at the beach, sitting on the deck in the summer, a nice hotel on business....whatever it is, it always sounds really good to sit wherever and have a glass of wine. Or a martini. So many times I have tried to do this (well over 10 years!) and it never, ever ends with just one. Never. One is never enough. Isn't there a Grace Potter song about drinking? Something like "one is just too many, one more is never enough? Something like that.
Really working on coming up with a plan or two. I like how I feel when I don't drink. I love getting up early in the morning with no trace of a hangover nor wondering what the heck I did the night before and mad that I am wasting another day lying in bed. So it is indeed baffling to me how I can remember all of that, know that it NEVER ends with just one and actually think I can dip my toe in the water again (I don't think that right now, though).
For all you Irish folks and those that celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you can do it. You can have just as much fun without alcohol.
The weekends are tough for a lot of us. Check in here if you need to. I know I plan to do that.
LHW
Several comments about romancing the wine. Yes, that is exactly what I do/did. On vacation, at the beach, sitting on the deck in the summer, a nice hotel on business....whatever it is, it always sounds really good to sit wherever and have a glass of wine. Or a martini. So many times I have tried to do this (well over 10 years!) and it never, ever ends with just one. Never. One is never enough. Isn't there a Grace Potter song about drinking? Something like "one is just too many, one more is never enough? Something like that.
Really working on coming up with a plan or two. I like how I feel when I don't drink. I love getting up early in the morning with no trace of a hangover nor wondering what the heck I did the night before and mad that I am wasting another day lying in bed. So it is indeed baffling to me how I can remember all of that, know that it NEVER ends with just one and actually think I can dip my toe in the water again (I don't think that right now, though).
For all you Irish folks and those that celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you can do it. You can have just as much fun without alcohol.
The weekends are tough for a lot of us. Check in here if you need to. I know I plan to do that.
LHW
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 752
Originally Posted by goodbyeevan
Yes. I saw your thread on the other forum.
Last edited by xxxNICHOLExxx; 03-16-2018 at 06:55 PM. Reason: ..
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,443
For anyone new we usually close threads at around 500 posts and open a new part 
new thread here guys:
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-part-two.html
new thread here guys:
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-part-two.html
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
