The cutting out/cutting down alcohol thread (part 7)

mookiepook

Hi DB - from 1st May, I've so far had 4 AF days so I think that makes me at 4 out of a possible 27 for May please.
Blimey, Fay you've been SO busy - where do you get all your energy from? I've been feeling carp lately - won't go into details but let's just say "ladies' problems", insomnia and now I'm full of cold but hopefully will feel more energetic soon - have started some new well woman supplements, downloaded some hypnosis stuff onto my iphone and returned to my yoga class. I'm determined to sort myself out and being AF will help too. Bye for now xx

Pippilongstocking

Oh Mookie - you poor thing - keep yourself well and well done on the AFD's - hypnosis stuff for the iphone - can you PM me some details if you've time?

Energy - um no - me?

Blame the long light evenings here - its still light now and not dark for a bit yet - also I'm moving house - the garden stuff is an interesting distraction I'm actually a gardener to trade its my passion (I'm studying something related at the moment) so the gardening for me is 'switch off' relaxing time as I'm in the writing up stage and all this post grad write up stuff is breaking my brain at the moment - there's also NO garden here - so I've got to put in the basics of one to be able to grow even one flower as we're 1 field from the sea and the north atlantic winds aren't kind!

Thanks for the kind words - look after that cold - xx

honeybear_2

Look after yourself, Mookie

graemecarter

mookiepook wrote: »

Hello everyone. Still trying to catch up on everyone's news - blimey you're a talkative lot on here! Proud to announce another AF day today - DB can you put me down on your list please cos I want to give up completely, I think it's the only way forward for me - and the easiest. I don't want to battle with alcohol any more, enough is enough. I will follow GC's wise advice and not drink today (every day). Sparkles - please add me to your challenge, I promise I won't let you down. Bye for now everyone - onwards and upwards - see you tomorrow, have a lovely Sunday evening xx

Sorry, I didn't articulate it that well. I didn't say every day. I just meant that I will not drink for this day only. I won't decide now whether to drink tomorrow - I'll decide that tomorrow. So it is truly 24 hours at time. No more.

I cannot say if I will drink again, thus I cannot promise myself if I will be AF next month, year, etc
That is too long a time period, and I cannot give up booze for a year (as I am an alcoholic).
However, I can not pick up a drink for a 24 hr period, so that's what I do. I have done it consecutively for a good fews days now, but ONLY by taking it a day at a time. I found saying I was going to do it and actually doing it are two different things.

If I keep things in today, then it is possible for me to get through today without a drink, whatever the circumstances.
Life happens for all of us, and a lot of it is hard, painful, depressing, lonely, sad and stressful. However there is NOTHING that can make me pick up a drink today, come what may. And that's all I have to do. Get through today and get my head on the pillow without a drink. If I manage that, it's a successful day even if the rest of the world has collapsed.

Good luck:T

honeybear_2

Thanks again, peeps

Bedtime in Bear Towers

Nite nite

graemecarter

jo1972 wrote: »

Very thought provoking posts yesterday GC.....

Thanks. It took me years to realise that actions speak louder than thoughts.
Part of me knew I wanted to be alcohol free, but that was only a thought until I put action in to get alcohol free.
Action meant changing what I was doing to stop drinking (i.e. hoping and prayng for more will power)
from something ineffective to something that actually has worked so far.

Not easy but well worth it. Whatever I put before my sobriety I will eventually lose. Job, relationship, family, home, money, friends, etc They must all come second to staying away from drink.
And putting sobriety first has meant my life in all those respects has got better.

However, I had to really want it and be willing to go to any lengths to get it. Things had to get bad first. I'd love to see things not get bad for others, but that's alcoholism for you. It takes away (sometimes very gradually) all that is precious in one's life. And eventually, it can take one's life years before they were ready to go.
I don't want my kids to be denied a father at any age, but especially to be denied early through my drinking. How sad it would be for them if I didn't live to a ripe old age because I had a disease (alcoholism) which can be treated.

graemecarter

barshamhillbilly wrote: »

Sorry - busy busy
Doing OK.... Under control but not where I want to be. Am seeing a Dual diagnostic team next week .... for people with anxiety / depression / mental health problems and an addiction. Attack from both sides.... hopefully it will work ??

Good luck with that BHB.
I know many people that were both alcoholic and mentally ill too (be it depression, bipolar, etc) that have made great recoveries.
The brain is a complex organ, but it seems that it is being more widely understood over time, and I am glad it seems that you will be getting some good help

elvis86

I can't believe how nice everyone is on here! Thank you for the welcomes 69chick, shaggydoo, and lurkio (sorry if I missed anyone!).

I've been shopping on my own today, great opportunity to think things over. I've been thinking of all the events I have coming up when I may potentially screw up.:D

Friday - BBQ at a friend's.
I'm usually okay at events like this, I shall take a set amount of alcohol and try and stick to drinking that. Maybe 4 lagers and a couple of bottles of Kopparberg?

Saturday - Fly to Spain for a week
Should be quite a chilled holiday, I went last year and we only went out properly twice in a fortnight. I shall be trying very hard not to get carried away, as I'm going on holiday with my housemate and his mum, and don't want her to see me in a state!:(

June 4th/5th - My birthday

Going to see Lady Gaga in Sheffield on my birthday, so won't start drinking until maybe 10.30, 11.00. Hoping that will mean I can't get too drunk, places in Sheffield can't stay open that late surely?:D

Out the next night with my friends. I think this will be my first real test. Going to try and put into practice some of the stuff people have suggested. No drinking before I go out. Stick to lager, try and not get into rounds (though, its my birthday, so people may be keen to buy me drinks, will have to be careful).


I've been out and bought new clothes this weekend, and whilst not particulary very MSE (though I did get loads considering the money I spent), its really made me feel good. I've lost 17lbs recently and been really trying to improve my fitness, its been nice to treat myself to some new threads.

Anyway, this has made me all the more determined to get a grip on my drinking. If I'm going to be looking so good when I go out at the start of a night, I don't want to end it in a drunken mess on the floor somewhere!:)

yellowmonkey

honeybear wrote: »

Me too. I can't sign up to something that I feel I'm letting people down on if I fail. It's bad enough when I let myself down.

Me too. Could do without the pressure

4AF for me please DB

SimIsOnTheUp

Hope you all had a relaxing Weekend.

Feels good, to have been 16 days sober, one day at a time

Starting my voluntary work, at the homeless drop in centre tomorrow at 9am.

Quite nervous, but that's to be expected. Looking forward to it.

Night night,

Sim x