The Braves Babes Battle Bus - NOT stopping at the pub!!

[Mouseface]

Hello

I'm Mouse. I've been sober for over a month now, thanks to the support of posters on this and previous threads.

No matter where you are up to with your sobriety, you'll find someone here who has been in your shoes!

Come and meet the other Brave Babes........

And here are the other threads for those who want to read them.

JWN's original thread (and the reason we are all here!)

Thread two

Thread three

Thread four

Thread five

Thread six

desire - well done sweetheart. I'm so glad you didn't chicken out! Before I went in I sat in the waiting toom with my heart in my mouth!

GAH!!

One thing at a time. Take control of your life back slowly. Don't overwhelm yourself. Small steps. Small changes. Small things all = big differences.

Take good care of YOU desire. Time to be selfish. xx

Hey You Lot

Silver here - am still following this thread every day - just a couple of thoughts - if anyone is having trouble sleeping I've found that Nytol HERBAL is fantastic - and meditation CD's - or just any chilled music send me off to the land of nod very easily.

Remember that at the time of day you would usually start drinking your blood sugar levels will plummet and that makes the cravings bad - keep a stash of chocolate or sweets or fruit juice - anything with a high sugar content and get it into your body - it really does help with the craving.

I joined a gym and started swimming about six weeks ago - I don't know about anyone else but I always used to think "yeah right" when people talk about the 'high' you get from exersise - IT IS TRUE - the endorphins kick in and you feel great - and going to bed feeling PHYSICALLY TIRED is just the nicest feeling. Have to admit that the sauna and jacuzzi after swim keep me motivated to keep swimming. I know joining a gym is expensive but think about how much you would have spent on booze. And I know not every one can get away from family/kids to go to a gym, but it is worth the effort of organising a babysitter if you can.

And this is from someone who has never done any exersise in her life until now.

And if you can try to go at the time of day you would normally start drinking you are keeping your mind off the booze - can't drink in a swimming pool!!

Just as few thoughts that might help someone on here.

Hope you are all staying strong.

I feel sort of relieved that I finally admitted that all is not right with me Red

desire - it's a big relief isn't it? Was your doctor lovely to you? (My doc is amazing and so kind that I almost cry just walking into her room, ha!)

silver - hello you! Lovely to hear that you are doing so well. I really should exercise more at all! mouse are you still shredding?

Thanks Red I have calmed down and will..

Take It One Day At A Time !

Just another thought - I see my GP regularly as a kind of mentor - he is fantastic and knowing that I am going to see him every week keeps me focused. And the feeling of pride every time I tell him I've not had a drink really helps me - I'm lucky that he is so understanding and supportive - (and also very cute ) - if your GP is not interested or helpful then find one that is.

Off for a swim now - can't wait to get in that sauna!!

xxx

Red - no. I can't at the mo because of my pain. Have got some other gentle exercises to do. And of course I'm trying to diet.

Again.

desire - you sound much more positive already just for taking this step.

hi all!! bit late today, i have been stuck in the pantry and that job has led on to the cupboard under the sink - OMG! (as dd would say) what a bloody hell-hole!

anyway, i have just read all the lastet posts and i am yet again astounded by the kindness of strangers, you are a truly lovley lot of women! (and miflaw) - i think the posts of warmth, affection, advice and encourgement are absolutly fantastic - i am so very grateful to be here! lets remember

TODAY WE WILL NOT BE DRINKING!!

"but I cannot get my head around never drinking again."

So don't try. Think of an ambition that you had when you were, say, 15 that never came true. Could you, at the age of 15, have "got your head round" it never happening? Yet here you are, x years on and, though the thought may make you a little bit sad for what might have been, in general you've got by just fine so far. Why should this be any different? You are not OBLIGED to mentally make your peace, right this instant, with never drinking again.

So don't.

Social drinking - as far as possible, I avoided drinking situations until I felt a bit stronger. However, my friends divided into two uneven-sized groups. The big group, I suddenly realised, had really not liked being with me when I drank and tolerated the drinking because they liked me. They were positively glad that I had stopped, especially as I put no pressure on them to join me in not drinking - my not drinking is about me, not anyone else. Most new friends I met, including my current partner, were also like this. She drinks, I don't, no problem.

The smaller group were either purely drinking buddies or real friends that I had been drawn to because, shall we say, we had a lot in common. The drinking buddies I never saw again, because they were in ther pub and I wasn't (believe me, whatever your views on "wet" places, those particular pubs are not where you go to socialise). The real friends were hardest of all - I tried to stay in touch but, like the old me, they wanted every meeting to revolve around eight pints or a litre of wine each. Have you ever tried drinking eight pints of orange and soda in one sitting? For those few. the invitation is still open - let's meet up, but in a cafe; or go to the pictures; or x, y or z.

They neevr take me up on it but I remain hopeful ...

so far i have only kind of 'dropped' one particular friend, i have come to realise that she proberbly has a drink problem and is not too happy with me for trying to give up - all my other friends have been nothing but supportive and helpful, they care about me and want to see me get well - the only social occasion i have turned down is a trip to a local beer festival tomorrow, our gang of mates are all going, asked if we were, i had no problem with dh going but for me it was a step too far - after all, the only reason to go to a beer festival is to drink beer, im buggered if im sitting there for hours watching them get slowly pissed while i overdose on cranberry juice!

dh is taking me out to lunch instead!

we did have a laugh about them asking a alkie to a beer festival though! nitwits!

sorry saf!, thing is, i have had this job in my mind since last summer! - i have at last got my arse into gear and got on with it!

I didn't say it was your choice - I said that you would be the one doing the drinking.

I don't believe you do have a "choice" any more - except to choose between drinking to excess and not drinking at all.

But that's just my view.

What is certain is that the issue is a mental one. On a physical level, it isn't going to "just happen" - you are either going to let it happen or not. And not will probably involve not drinking.

SAF - no one can dictate to you what you should do tomorrow night! It is totally your choice whether you drink or not. I really, really hope that you have a brilliant night whatever your choice ends up being. And be sure to let us know how it goes!

Hello JWN! I cannot think of many things more painful than hanging around a beer festival and being sober, argh!

mouse - doh to me for forgetting that the immense pain you have been in recently would possibly not go hand in hand with psycho-Michaels!

"it's a tricky one because this kind of occassion is about drinking to excess isn't it, it's what it's set up for - to go out and get drunk."

I can't answer this - I can't seem to find anywhere a description of what exactly is happening or what it's in aid of - but I have to say that my gut instinct is, "no."

occasions that are "about" drinking to excess normally involve three or more teenagers, a field or a bus shelter, and the maximum ABV:cash ration achievable with £10 and a fake ID.

OR they involve three or more rough sleepers, a bench and a recently cashed giro.

If "this sort of occasion" means a party or a Big Night Out, then what it's "about" for everyone but you is dressing up, meeting in town, dancing, flirting, maybe pulling, and then having a fried breakfast the next morning. The drink (and drugs if relevant) is an essential part, but it is not why anyone is going out - much cheaper, quicker and safer to get pissed indoors.

You are honestly the only attendee who is thinking along those lines. If you find anyone else is in the same boat, tell them about this thread.

"it's not fair on her" - horse shit.

SAF - I agrre with what Red has just said. It's up to you.

Sounds like you have thought long and hard about going out and how you'll drink or not drink.

Red - yeah, Jillian will be mighty pissed off with my absense but hey, life goes on. Just need to watch what I eat and I am uber hormental so that's not easy.

Meh.

Just seen it's just the two of you.

In which case you need to know that the majority of people don't do this AT ALL once they pass 21 and/or leave uni.

They have the party I described on a more intimate footing.

'agree'

mouse - do you watch 'The Biggest Loser'?? I love it! (Obviously I mean USA! Although such is my devotion to the format I watched quite a lot of the Aussie version recently! Sad, sad, sad!!)