I'm an alcoholic

[owlets]

I'm typing this with a glass of cheap wine in my hand
I feel so useless. I know I need to give up. I want to give up, but I can't seem to get there.
This morning, after making a fool of myself the night before yet again, I swore I'd not touch alcohol at all today, yet here I am at half five with my drink.
(I don't have any children yet, before you start worrying about them. If I keep on like this, I never will. What sort of mum gets drunk and falls over regularly?)

Just to add to that, Owlets, I remember being stuck on my own over a bank holiday in the early days and actually had a really good weekend. The meetings I went to were particularly good because they were full of people feeling the same way - a bit nervous and uncomfortable about how to get through a long weekend without copious amounts of booze ...

The rest of the time I slept and did gentle things that weren't too much of a strain - reading papers, going for walks etc. So I think your plan is spot on!

Good luck. Have to say again how well I think you're doing

Hope it all went well over the weekend Owlets.

Hi Owlets - well done you for taking the bull by the horns and addressing your problem!

I wasn't going to post until I saw that bit about your DH and his wine - and I think that it is a good idea for him to be buying the little bottles of wine, so that there isn't an open bottle of wine hanging around. Not the cheapest option but definitely "supportive" in that he can have a glass without offering temptation to you; and given your recognition of what might happen if he gave up for the first few weeks as well (which is very perceptive).

Keep going - you're doing great! Like Ozziegirly, I am in Australia, so if you ever feel the need for support in the wee small hours, I'm usually on line.

morning,
I hope you've all had a good weekend!
Hmm, I thought I'd posted an update last night, but obviously sent it wrong, (or posted it on a thread I was lurking on. Is there a way of checking where I've posted?)
Anyway, the weekend went well! No drink, no temptations, no real desire to do so. Instead I filled in the holes in the plaster and painted the spare room (something I'd have been too tired and lazy to do if I was still drinking). I read the Sunday papers because I wanted to, rather than glanced at them lazily in an excuse to spend more time on the sofa like I used to.
My increased energy level is amazing - I've mentioned being 'hungover' before in my posts, but to be honest I never really felt sick, just under par and tired. I always managed to convince myself it wasn't the drink, just a sluggish disposition. It sounds silly, and premature, but I feel like a better version of myself already.
I went to 2 AA meetings over the weekend. I'm beginning to feel less awkward at them. I think they are really helping.
I'm so glad I posted up here 2 weeks ago. Without your support I'm sure I'd still be drinking. Instead, I'm energised, positive an excited about being sober.
Thank you ALL so much. I will keep updating (hopefully I'll remember to press send in the future too!)

Well done - it sounds like it's going so well.

My DH as well loved the increased energy when he gave up drinking. Even a year or so in, he still has that and says that he feels like he is finally living the life he hoped for, and is achieving things he could only dream about before.

I hope you manage to get it sorted OWLETS. Wishing you the best of luck , stay strong when you get off the booze and seek as much help as you can. An addition is bloody hard to crack so get all the support you need. Best Wishes X

Thanks Ozziegirly. I really do feel its going well.
I'm not working today, but its 9:00 and I'm itching for things to do. Crazy! This is not the me i'd grown used to.
Well done to your DH for being sober for over a year. I hope to be reporting the same thing in 2011!

Thanks Maltesers. I'm making the most of all the support I get. x

Hi Owlets so glad you are doing so well - keep going and keep posting!

OWLETS I have been lurking on your thread, but not posted.I am so impressed with your achievement, you are an inspiration, keep up the good work,you should be so proud of yourself.

Good Morning!
Well I'm still sober - 3 weeks by the end of today!!! I'm so happy with myself.
I had a dream last night that I was completely pissed and I woke up horrified with myself for those first few hazy moments when my sense of reality was still sketchy. Cannot describe the relief that it wasn't real! How stupid!
I'm feeling so much better in every way.
Thank you again everyone.
I'll continue to update.

Hi Owlets! Glad you're doing so well. You sound so positive.

Drinking dreams are quite common once you've stopped, and I find them really scary! I went to a wedding last weekend and dreamt the night before that I had a glass of champagne 'by mistake' - almost woke up in a cold sweat. The relief, as you say, is overwhelming. Just 'Thank God I didn't go back there'!

So impressed with how well you're doing. Keep posting - wish I'd had Mumsnet in the early days.

Owlets, DH had drinking dreams every night for weeks after he gave up, he also used to describe the relief when he realised it was just a dream!

Well done on 3 weeks, that's really fantastic, you're doing so well.

Hi, just read this thread for the first time.

Just wanted to add my support Owlets- sounds like you are making fantastic progress. Well done to you! My dad has a drinking problem, and it has tainted my childhood and seriosuly affected my relationship with him into adulthood. It's so good that you have recognised that this is something you need to sort out before you have kids. I really admire you.

I'll keep an eye on this thread, so keep us updated!

Owlets

Three things to remember about drinking dreams:

1. they are very normal
2. they are only dreams
3. they are never good dreams - only nightmares

You're doing great, keep at it!

Hi everyone,
I've been so busy lately I've not been able to update at all, but wanted to pop on quickly to say
I'VE BEEN SOBER FOR OVER A MONTH!!!
I'm so happy, Its getting easier, and my confidence has pretty much doubled since quitting the drink. I'm a stone lighter (combination of no alcohol and no stodgy hangover eating). I treated myself to a quite drastic hair cut today and I feel really fab.
thank you all of you for getting me through this. I am a new person, who I prefer, and I have every intention of staying this way.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Just came across your thread, owlets, and wanted to say very well done to you - it's a great achievement. Make sure you keep on getting RL support on a daily basis so that when difficult times occur you're not tempted back.

owlets So pleased for you, prior to giving up how much did you used to drink.I want to pack in the booze myself, and your story has been amazing, you have acheived so much in booting away the demon booze.

Owlets that is fantastic news

owlets - I've just read a few message in this thread but wanted to say a huge congratulations and good luck to you.

my stbExH is a very heavy drinker and we have just this year split up as a direct result of it. It's made me very sad as we have two small children and in reality I still love him (or at least tbh used to until again and again and agian he chose the booze over us) I so wish he could have done what you have done, but in the end the drink was more important to him.

I think you've done brilliantly, you sound in great form, so positive and proud. Well done. I really mean that.

Owlets WELL DONE - you're doing so well.

The one piece of advice I would give is keep going to meetings, even if you feel like everything else is going fine. IT's easy to get complacent and forget how bad things were in the past.

But you're doing fantastically well, well done and keep it up!