The Brave Babes Battle Bus - We're All Going On A Sober Holiday!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Brave Babe's Bus. This is a bus full of drinkers old and new, sober and not, and those who are somewhere in between.

We are all at different levels of sober so you can bet that one of us has walked in your shoes.

If you want advice and support then you're in the right place.

Come take a seat or just lurk, we're happy to have you along for the ride.

And here is a link to the last thread so you can catch up on the journey so far HERE

Buttie for me too Mouse, feeling ropey today after too much wine last night. First time in weeks I have had any alcohol during the week. Could kick myself but haven't the energy to lift my foot

Hello. Just posting and running here. I heard the author of this book on the radio last night and I thought he was great, very compassionate. He talked about how he used to volunteer at a needle exchange and how important it was to thank the needle exchangers (not sure what to call them) for being responsible, etc. Basically treating them as humans, not sick addicts.

His book is about alcohol, not drugs. He advocates minimising harm, moderation and respect for the drinker's individual choices. I think he said that he drinks one evening a week. But has given up smoking altogether.

His organisation, HAMS, is free, and has meetings online. He is very keen to spread the word through the internet so I thought I would post a link here. You can read the first pages of the book on Amazon without buying it.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453636617?ie=UTF8&tag=thhaharene-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1453636617#reader_1453636617

hamsnetwork.org/

(He said that he works part time, in order to support the 40 hours he does per week for HAMS)

@silentcatastrophe only:
direct.tesco.com/q/R.206-8202.aspx?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=GSF_NormalFeed&utm_campaign=GSF_TescoDirect&utm_content=206-8202

I can't seem to c and p a little summary but it is on the HAMS website. In fact it looks a bit like what is going on here. There is definitely no need to buy the book. The website is pretty comprehensive. :)

Try to look at the successes, obrigada! If you haven't had a drink during the week for a long time, you are on the right track. We all need practice in new habits and we improve with it. So, be kind to yourself. It makes it so much harder when we are our own biggest critics. Is there anyone else there to kick you for you? If they did, I bet you'd be very cross with them. Don't even think about it!

I have found myself totally crippled by fear and guilt in the past. It has been totally disabling. These feelings thankfully are rare these days, but it was them that brought me to this thread, and the circumstances surrounding my family. It is also worth remembering that any sense of gloom and despair are probably hangover related, and will pass, so get on and forgive yourself! Don't live in the past!

Thanks for that, WantingValium! I will run out and buy one! Yay! I have been whizzing up grass with one of those tiny soup blades in order to make paper. It is so unsoupable, and I don't think it will cope with woodchips or straw. Damn!

Am reading CBT for dummies and Nutrition for dummies (!) in a bid to find my "off" switch and get healthier... yup.

Where have you been MrsT? I've missed your posts.

silent - you make paper? How fab. I love hand made paper.

obrigada - a slip, a little slip is all that was. You know you don't drink in the week, you have kicked that into touch so just do it again. Put it down to experience and move on. No point dwelling on it lovely.

How's your mum? xx

I've just been and got a place for Nemo to start pre-school in September. He is growing up so fast. I can stay with him for the time that he's there.

He'll start on 2 hours a week and then we can increase it to 4 hours. He'll have statement in the Autumn so then a support worker will go with him meaning that I can leave him.

Such a change in him

Wow pre school. IS it today Mouse that you have help with him for a couple of hours so you can do stuff?

I'm feeling better, had nothing to drink last night which is a first for a few weeks. Been looking at going away for a few days with the DC's in a couple of weeks - feels a bit lonely though going on your own - oh well

Obrigada as MOuse says its just a small blip

It's a beautiful sunny day here, best part is I know I won't be drinking today!!

Zany - no tomorrow. First session so should be nice to get to know her.

Glad you're okay.

Is there a spare seat? I think this is where I should be.
I posted this today in general health and it was suggested I come here.
I've told my Dh about my concerns (again........last time he said I was fine) and now he's not talking to me

Hello Isinde!!! I am SOO tempted to tell my lovely (but rather strait-laced) minister about your discovery on Sunday. Just the thought of it makes me .

Mouse-I was going to do a mini-yay about the pre-school place, but it must be a bit odd for you, even though it's a great thing for Nemo. Good luck for tomorrow, lovely.

Hello hangover, I read your other post, welcome on in . I've been posting here off and on for a few months; no miracle cures but lots of help, laughs and food for thought - whatever it is you're eventually aiming for. I'm NOT going to have a drink tonight, despite being sorely tempted right now-care to join me in that?

Isindie good to see you on the bus. Sounds like you had a fab meeting with Jesus.

Hangover I'm glad you took a look. You sound like you are thinking about your drinking and the way forward. On the bus there are many and various babes - some drink, some are cutting back and some have stopped (and started and stopped...but still trying). I stopped a bit over a year ago. I had been worried about my drinking for the best part of 10 years! Not drinking, just for today, has given me back a real joy in my life, not just the joy, and then the despair and loathing, that I found at the bottom of a bottle of wine (my poison of choice).

Can we help you tonight?

Sorry to run in and just post but I wanted to say night.

Night then xx

ISINDIE we've been worried about you and you've been off meeting Jesus?
Well, I never!

agghh!! she beat me to it!! i was going to have you all guessing which babe i met today!

OMG!!! it was isindi!!! and she is fabulous too!!! god, we were just so fabulous all over the place!! do you know what?, it was like meeting an old and trusted and much loved friend!!

hangover! i just looked at your post, you poor old love!! be really honest with yourself -i can understand the list of reasons you gave for drinking, i think just about all of can, but deep down you know you are only masking everything with booze, you need to stop drinking so that you can FEEL again! give yourself some time, some care and some gentleness and it will all come right again!

Welcome aboard hangover

I found this fab bus just a few weeks ago and lurked for a while reading a lot of the thread. They really are a supportive bunch. I too think it might be time for you to stop drinking and start thinking about what you really want.

Some of the best starting advice I've had is to take each day, hour or minute at a time and don't think any further ahead than that!

What is it I hear a lot?

"If you had a life like mine, you'd drink too"

Hi hangover I haven't read your post elsewhere, I'll look for it in a minute, I just felt the need to get that quote out whilst I was thinking of it

I used to blame all my drinking on all kinds of various troubles, most of them very serious to me but my life is so much better now that I'm sober.

I had a lapse last week when the shit hit the fan but the fall out from it was horrible so I'm not planning on doing that again anytime soon.

I go to AA but I struggle with some aspects of it. It has helped me enormously but until (if) I get over those hurdles I'm remaining neutral about it as I am definitely not ready for spreading the word. I keep going back to meetings though! I have no idea why I keep doing it, but I do and I enjoy them most of the time In fact I've been to my home group tonight and it was a great meeting. I really enjoy the company of the other people there and I have no desire to drag them down the pub/to the offie (which is a first for me )

Anyway, I'm rambling on here, but welcome aboard. Anywhichway is good, whatever works for you. There are all kinds of drinkers here addressing their problem in the way they feel works best for them x

I have also used the excuse that my life is shit to drink. Truth is it is much much shitter when I'm drinking.
Great to see you on the bus Indie!
Off to bed now Babes.
Sweet dreams to all. X

And welcome hangover. You're in a safe, supportive place. Looking forward to getting to know you better.
Night night.

HI

Another one here who uses 'oh well my life is a bit shit at the mo so I'll drink' excuse. Wanted to not drink tonight but have ended up having almost a bottle. More 'lets try again' from recent DP, bad day at work etc etc blah blah. I need to cut dwn more so I don't keep feeling like a failure