The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Carry On Past The Christmas Party (part 2)

[TheMousefaceBeforeChristMouse]

Hello

I'm Mouse.

Welcome to the Brave Babes Bus - Gerald! Blame Silver for the name!

We are a group of MNers who post about our relationship with alcohol and how drinking it, or not, has an effect on our day to day lives.

Come and meet the other Brave Babes, say hi, take a seat or just read.

Here are the threads so far

Public Service Re 'disease' misinformation over.

WasIndie, there is something else I have been thinking about your drinking. You do seem to have a pattern of going 4 days, then drinking. You analysed this yourself and I think you said you were keeping a record of the units you drank. And I think you said that since you have been on this thread you have drunk a lot less overall. Are you still keeping that record? I know that to drink a lot in a single session is worse that
to spread it out, but you must be doing less ddamage to your health by going 4 days and then drinking? Or 9 days.

I cannot imagine the stress of pfb dts, a seriously unsupportive family, and being breadwinner. Give yourself a break. I do not know how you do it. I do not know how you have time to drink and recover.

Just wanted to pop in and say hi to all. I've been reading but not messaging, mainly because of time. I'm still doing ok with the drinking - had some wine last night and started to feel a bit tiddly and felt scared so drank some diet coke and then decided to go to bed. Phew!

Well done Ruby!! Stopping once you have started is THE hardest thing to do!

Thanks Mouse, you're right the stopping is the tough bit so need to be really careful. How are you doing?

Ruby - I'm really good thank you. Just having some fun with the family, playing games and watching films.

A lovely day

Hi all
Took myself to bed last night alcohol-free, and was/am determined to keep at it this time. I am not keeping well and think part of it is my insane desire to keep poisoning myself with alcohol. it's been tough today - I very rarely manage two days in a row
No more from the neighbours so far and have signed up for a pilates class in january in an effort to keep positive. the new year depression is nipping my heels...help me hang in there babes

aw, dementedma, I'm hanging in with you x You were alcohol free last night, and are on track for the same tonight - bloody well done you!!!

hello Lovely Babes, have been very much off line and very much 'drinking like a fish', but so want to make changes in the New Year [hopeful emoticon]

I did one month of sobriety in the lead up to Christmas so am hoping a new, more positive frame of mind, can help me in the new year...

I mentioned in passing my health anxiety...part of my problem is a sporadic aching under my ribs (at times I have to press it to relieve it), but sometimes the pain is more generalised across my central body...I'm SO scared I've done irreparable damage, it makes me drink more (I know this makes no sense). I had a ultrasound about a year ago which revealed no sign of bad damage or scarring. Could someone reassure me, in the light of the scan, that the pain is not life-threatening and there is a point in me quitting in the new year?

I am so impressed with all you BBs. From what I've read over Christmas, you've all massively reduced (or at least been thoughtful) about your drinking, and that is so commendable

Big festive hugs to all
xx

Hi Ma that is really great, well done. I found that I felt generally much better after a couple of weeks of not drinking. lost a few pounds as well, though well and truly regained now under a ton of Xmas chocs The pilates sounds like a great plan and I am sure this will help with the depression.
Threesteps I can't offer any medical expertise, but I do know that I tended to put every symptom I had down to heavy drinking (I think it is part of the guilt/self loathing syndrone) I have found that some symptoms are genuinely uinconnected to the drink and need to be checked out. I found it hard to face the doctor whilst hiding the extent of my drinking, so how about quitting for a while first and then getting it checked out?

BBwannaB - can't imagine a couple of WEEKS! this is day 2!
If i do start to feel better, then alcohol will have to be out of my life forever...a sobering thought, in more ways than one.
Still on soft drinks so think will make two days - going to bed soon to avoid temptation and also to stop me beating the crap out of DS who is refusing to go to bed and being jollied along by DH whereas I just want to thump him!!!

thank you BBwannaB, my plan is to stop in the new year (again!) and go to the docs for an MOT. My healthy scan is what's keeping me hopeful that I can turn this around at this point...

Demented, Pilates is great, I love it . Have a DVD that I've been doing a few times a week for the last year. I'm sure I'm more bendy than I used to be and it is good for the mind, makes me feel more positive and rested.

Demented

One.

Day.

At.

A.

Time.

Threesteps

The pain isalmost certainly not life-threatening. Even if it is, there is still a point in stopping, because your death will be infinitely more horrific if there is problem drinking involved. And so will living.

So stopping is win-win basically.

Cross-posted with you MIFLAW - hope you had a good Christmas .

I know I sound like a loon, but I've had this pain and since reading that one of the symptoms of liver damage is abdominal pain I've been scared, and, as proof of how stupid I am, this makes me continue drinking.

Because of my fear, I'm more inclined to continue to drink than to not.

When I stopped for a month, I still had the pain, which made me think it's no better even when I stop

I do have health anxieties, and this problem with alcohol is the worst thing for me, both physically and mentally. I am aware I over-dramatise things though, but sometimes even this awareness doesn't help.

I feel trapped in my stupid head and my poor abused body.

(p.s. I have been drinking tonight, no doubt I will feel embarrassed and ashamed tomorrow knowing I posted, knowing I find it hugely embarrassing to have posted drunk

Hi Ma well done for being alcohol free last night - how is it going so far this evening?

MOst of my family will be up tomorrow for a few days so I know I will have quite a few days of drinking but am going to try really hard to not have as much as I would normally do

Sorry Ma I didn't intend to alarm you - was trying to offer encouragement and a reason to carry on
Tact was never my strong point.
As Miflaw says it is one step at a time - you CAN do it.

BB, Zany, MIFLAW - thanks all. I am a little daunted by the task ahead but I MUST do this.
3steps - I too have health worries and can relate entirely to what you are saying but IF there is something wrong then alcohol is only going to make it worse.
I have made it through my second evening. I will not project.

Don't fell embarrased for posting threesteps. If you dont post and let us know how you feel (whether sober or drinking) then how will you get the support.

Demented 2 days is fab! For me, day 1 is always the hardest, so by day 2 you're off the blocks and I promise it gets easier.

You're right, don't project and just take each day as it comes. I promise you, when I'd given up for 1 month (even 3 months once), I felt great. The black cloud when you wake up in the morning goes, and it feels brilliant

thanks Zany. Keep strong over the next few days...one day at a time

Signing off now to watch Peep Show (my guilty pleasure!)

Wishing all you lovely Babes and MIFLAW a calm and peaceful night

x

Day 3 is always a challenge for me, never get past it and tomorrow DH is working overnight so will be alone in a house full of leftover Christmas booze [worried]
Can we have bus party tomorrow night for potential wobblers? I have eldeflower fizz and we can deck Gerald out in streamers and balloons saying "FTFO"

arrgh, always do this after saying bye bye, but Demented, could you not get rid of the booze for tomorrow night? Or at the very least, remove it somewhere temporarily so you won't have access to it? Does DH know you have a problem / want to cut down? Could you lock it away and give him the key to take with him?

I sympathise with you, DP is a wine club member and our front room is always stuffed full of bottles of wine - a veritable free offie for me when the mood grabs me

and yes, telling it to Fuck the Fuck Off is an excellent strategy!

Don't worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. Get that fizz in the fridge and make a plan is all you need to do right now. I will be around, but may be late as off to ILs tomorrow (never knowingly attempted sober previously). Wish me luck!

PLAN.

A key word in any attempt at sobriety.

Keep going Brave Babes, you CAN beat the beast xx