Brave Babes Battle Bus is Racing Along.....

[venusandmars]

Our lovely mouseface usually starts these threads but I've just noticed that the previous one is almost full, so I'm facing technology and get the next one set up.

Anyone, absolutely anyone, who feels they have a problem with drink is welcome here. Whether you're trying to stop, or cut down a little, whether you've been sober for years, or even if you're too scared even to contemplate what is happening. If you think it will help you to post, or lurk, then please do.

There's often a lot of nonsense and banter, but lots of good sound advice.

And there is always lots of support and care and no judgement.

This is the link to the previous thread, if you want to read what's been going on so far The Previous Thread

And this is the link to JesusWhatNext 's original thread started 6 years ago The Original Thread

[madein1995]

Drowing in a vat of cider, blackcurrant and vodka atm but hello all

[madein1995]

Sorry for opening the thread on a bad note

[madein1995]

Sorry for putting a huge downer on the thread already!

[dementedma]

Creeps in, bags best seat, and runs back to old thread...

[ClaretAndBlue30]

venus thank you!

Picks seat, grabs a bag of sweets and heads off back to other bus for a bit.

[obrigada]

Morning babes, slight hangover here, had some wine in my friend's house last night but we also had lovely meal and plenty of water.
Waves to all babes :)

[madein1995]

Sneaks onto bus with duvet and pillow, grabs a black coffee and curls up at back of bus to sleep off hangover

[Elba84]

Morning all, just finished work and tucked up in bed already. No drinking (assuming I resist the niggling urge to get back up again and head for the fridge...) so this is my fifth AF night (or morning) for April. Didn't think I'd be saying that at the start of the last thread! Going to try and grab a few hours sleep, will catch up properly later. Hope everyone's ok.

[venusandmars]

I filled up the old thread and posted links to this one, so hopefully no-one will get lost and all those who need us can find their way over here.

claret and elba well done both of you. I know you're in different places, with different goals but every step forward is a step forward. Sleep well elba you've made so much progress.

made there is an alcoholic author who said about drinking "I'm very clear that there is a line in the sand about how much I can drink, it's just that once I've started to drink I can no longer see the line at all" (or something like that). Anyway, I thought of that yesterday when you were drinking cider and black (with good intention) but then ended up added a hell of a lot of vodka into the mix.

I know you don't consider yourself an alcoholic, but there is something about your situation - the expense of getting taxis to the shop to buy booze, hiding bottles in your room, finding it almost impossible to stop once you've started - that really is a worrying set of signals. elba made a plea with you to act on this early. You recognise that this has the potential to cause problems with your life and your friendships, and we can all tell you from experience that it have the probability of risking so, so much more - your career, your finances, your mental health, your family. I'm sorry you're feeling crap this morning, and I'm in no way judging you, but can we help you make better plans for today and the coming week, so that you don't cycle back into the same place? Start by having no vodka in your possession. If you've got some left the use the hellish feeling of your hangover to chuck it out - don't keep it 'just in case'. Buy some nice non-alcoholic drinks - whatever you like, coke, Fanta, anything. Plan something to do in the evenings - watch a movie with a pal (and a big bag of popcorn), go to the library and study something for an exam, hang around with a friend who is happy not to drink (so you don't feel tempted), make a trip home at the weekend to enjoy being looked after and well fed. And please re-investigate getting back on course with your counselling.

[WillAndDisgrace]

thanks venus... I'm starting to feel like a proper babe now that on a second thread

[WillAndDisgrace]

lala I hope your ok, you really are going through te mill at the moment.

[Fairenuff]

made, from the old thread, I enjoy the drunk feeling but not the hangover is exactly what made me change my habits. I just got so sick of hangovers. I hate them more than anything and I had to come to the sad realisation that if I wasn't going to have hangovers then I couldn't get drunk because the two go hand in hand.

Turns out it was a good thing

I am so much happier without that drunk fuzzy feeling and every single morning I wake feeling pleased with myself, refreshed and ready to start the day. You cannot imagine what a treat is in store for you if you knock it on the head. You may have to start doing the odd day here and there until your habits slowly change but every day without alcohol is so much better than that horrible hangover feeling where you hate yourself and feel stupid

I agree with Venus, chuck the vodka away and get soft drinks in instead. Just do one day. Grit your teeth and get through the hours until bedtime and let tomorrow take care of itself x

baby can you ask to be closely monitored whilst you switch over? Will they let dh contact them if he see a shift in your mood/temperament/whatever the correct term is? If I understand it correctly, you might not be able to recognise it in yourself or might not be able to ask for help. I really hope it goes well for you, come and post here about it as often as you like x

Regarding the sw and weight loss, there is a long running thread (since January) that I'm on for a whole load of people who are trying to be healthy/lose weight through various different means. Come and join us if you like, they are all lovely (name change for that thread if you want to). It's here

[laladidah]

Hi all. Hope you are all feeling better than me today.

Just a quick one, there is a programme on Bbc2 this evening at 9 - Louis Theroux 'drinking to oblivion' in case anyone is interested. Obviously not the usual light hearted fare but I will be watching (even if it will only scare the crap out of me).

Thanks as always you lot

[AnotherGreenDot]

Hi, I've been lurking on this thread for a while and have finally plucked up the courage to post! Can I join the bus please? I'm trying to cut back on my alcohol consumption from 2 or 3 bottles of wine a week to 1 bottle (comfortably within the government guidelines) but it's so difficult sometimes.
The trouble start when DD1 was born 12 years ago when I had postnatal depression. I couldn't sleep for months (despite a loving DH who was very supportive) and I used alcohol to get to sleep and unwind at the end of the day. I ended up drinking a whole bottle of wine some nights and felt dreadful. Now I've had DD2 as well and cut down, but I've still been drinking too much.
Since1 April I've managed to do 5 nights a week alcohol free and about 14 units over the 2 drinking days (I think).
What I'd really like to do is get well below that and not even 'need' alcohol, though I don't want to go teetotal. I'd love to be a 'take it or leave it' drinker.
I also want to get better at ignoring alcohol when there's a bottle in the house - the temptation to open it is just too strong sometimes... So I try and avoid buying it unless for immediate consumption.
That's just for starters - wishing you all the very best!
PS my nickname comes from the green dot I put on the calendar when I've had an alcohol free night - you can't beat that feeling!

[dementedma]

Welcome dot. Have a seat.

[ClaretAndBlue30]

Evening babes, welcome dot - it sounds like you've made really good progress.

I think your target of being able to take or leave alcohol is a target for many of us on the bus - at least it definitely is for me. You'll find plenty of support here.

So my af sunday didn't happen....MIL offered me wine and I stupidly accepted. So I didn't even come close to managing my dry weekend! But i'll be back on the bus tomorrow ready for a stretch of af days.

I've found logging my af days on the dry january app (which continues to work post January) has really helped. Something about having it down on paper (much like yourself dot) is very motivating. So far I have:

January - 31 days
February - 14 days
March - 4 days (two holidays so terrible drink wise)
April - due to be 18 days

Anyway, i'm rambling on now - hope all other babes are ok, check in if you can!

[WillAndDisgrace]

I only had one Guinness and black today. My plan next week is AF Monday -Thursday then moderate weekend.

Welcome dot, sound like you have a good goal to work to.

Hope all the babes have had a good day.

[Elba84]

Hi dot and welcome.

venus thank you lovely x

lala I will be watching the Louis Theroux programme later...doubt it will be comfortable viewing though. Hope your doing ok today.

claret sounds like your relationship with alcohol is much more comfortable at the moment and your getting to grips with moderating, which is fab.

I'm also finding tracking helpful and have managed to be honest with myself the last couple of weeks. I want to aim for 7 AF days in April..then that's a whole weeks worth. But units wise I can't kid myself that the days in between are great, I'm still well over 50 in the last six days despite two AF days, thanks to two massive binges on Wednesday and Thursday (15 and 20 units) I only slept two hours today so although I'm drinking tonight I'm going to try and listen to my body and go to bed early. Next weeks goal is 3 AF days planned for the evenings where I would have most opportunity to go crazy (no work the next day).

will sounds like you have a good plan in place for next week. Is your DH back now? (And did you ever finish those antibiotics?! )

[laladidah]

claret - so proud of you! That is an impressive mark up. Keep up the great work... Mine is jan - 14 days, and then from then onwards, averaging about two nights a week. Sigh. The puppy has discovered barking. Uh oh.

will - hi! Hope you are ok.

dot sounds like you are doing well. These girls are the best! Even though I am a massive newbie myself.

Anyone going to watch that programme? Or just going to be me, depressing myself...

[WillAndDisgrace]

elba he is, and no

[laladidah]

Crossed post elba. Can we compare notes later? I am having a small glass of wine now. Might have one to give me strength to watch the programme... X

[Elba84]

Hey lala yes we can definitely compare notes later. I'm have a beer to prepare myself

I did a rough calculation today based on the average amount I think I have spent on alcohol over the last 10 years....it's probably around £20,000 (and I think that's a fairly conservative guess) I don't dare add up how much I've spent on smoking too And what have I got to show for it??? (Apart from debt)

[WillAndDisgrace]

lala I'm not sure about that documentary...

[ClaretAndBlue30]

I'm watching it now and my heart is already racing. I find his documentaries interesting though so will stick with it.

[laladidah]

will what do you mean?