The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Off On A Journey Far & Wide, Full Of Support, With No Reasons To Hide.

[Mouseface]

Hey, I'm Mouse, one of the Brave Babes on this Bus. :)

We're heading to sobriety, in various different ways, in our own different ways, some of us are there, some not quite yet.

We're a group of non judgemental, mothers, wives, partners, sisters, daughters, girlfriends, and of course all of the male equivalents that run alongside those 'tags', but most of all, we are, or we have been, just like YOU. :) Real people with real concerns about how much we are drinking all of the time.

Our relationships with alcohol are varied, and you'll find most of us are wanting to do something about it..... desperate to stop the cycle of drinking, stopping, drinking, stopping, drinking more, stopping for shorter periods of time and then the reverse, doing ever so well and then 'something' happens and you're back to square one, a place that sometimes gets a little crowded, one little square filled with lots of people who all want out.

Sound familiar?

You're never alone here. Ever.

Come and take a seat, post or lurk. We won't bite but we WILL look after you, SUPPORT you, if you want us to. :)

And for those want to know how we've ended up where we are today, about three years on from THIS THREAD RIGHT HERE

To our last thread JUST HERE

It will be lovely to meet you so why not take a seat and have a gossip about all things booze related but also, DCs, husbands, wives, in-laws, out-laws, and everything in between.

There's always a seat for YOU xxx

purple thanks for messaging me, your very kind to look out for me while your having a tough time yourself. I'm delighted to hear you so

sounding so happy, have a great holiday!!! Hope all other babes are having a struggle free evening x x x

LOL about what has happened to me this evening. my husband has found my Allan Carr book under my side of the bed (I never hid it from him !) He said "What are you doing reading that - if anyone sees it they will think you are a pi@@ head"

Mmmmm I was I read it and now I haven't had a dri k in 87 days !!!!

FFS - he is more embarrassed that people will see "a book" than people seeing me off my face. What is that about!!!!!!!!

lon my teenage dd found mine, even worse they sent me 2 by mistake and she found one in a kitchen drawer and one in my room, seems I can't get from one room to another without having it closeby!!! I'm a hardcore pi@@ head!!!! Xxxxxxx

Hi babes, just checking in.

Well, I had wine tonight not as much as I would normally have and don't feel drunk, but still annoyed with myself. About four average sized glasses, which is too much.

Bloody wine witch and my lack of willpower :(

Baby lol -
Paw - today is new day

Is this the place to have a whinge about be hungover? I' m bloody annoyed at self for polishing off the wine and being all fuzzy today

Morning babes, paw don't dwell on yesterday, you've been so positive, one day at a time and all that . sticking lots of water, vitamins and eat well, bit of fresh air and you'll pass the worst of it. Day 3 here and feel terrible, sore head and achy limbs, what the hell has wine been doing to my body!!! X x x

Morning babes, Paw, as the others have said today is a new day.

Good advice for you from Baby Sticking, be kind to yourself today.

Babyjane I hope you feel better as the day goes on, I'm sure you will, these first few days are the worst as you know x keep going x

Paw we all have blips, and I think it is fair to say we all regret them afterwards so we have all been where you are. Dust yourself down and start again. Sorry I can't remember if you are trying to modify or give up completely?

Hello to the newbie I am so sorry your name has gone completely out of my head and I can't look at it now as my posting screen is in the way! This thread is for people trying to sort out their relationship with alcohol because it is causing them difficulties and they recognise there is a problem. Not necessarily alcoholic but a problem that needs to be tackled. Please tell us more about yourself if you'd like to.

Day 33 here and off out to the beach later with the DCs. I'm feeling a bit out of sorts the last couple of days but I am not sure why. I usually love the school holidays but lots of things seem to be rattling my cage and I don't really know the reason. It does still feel strange not to be drinking when I have all this time off, I don't actually want to drink but it feels like there is something missing. Doesn't make sense really.

Anyway love and strength to all

Pink X

Morning babes well day 5 and starting to feel some what normal i know tonight will be a trigger as I'm feeling more normal and it's Friday . I have to say I'm proud my husband rarely drinks and due to rugby etc he has had a few beers bout 3 all week which is well more than me for a change ha ha I'm so determined this time ! It feels blooming marvellous x

pink that makes a lot of sense, since stopping again my crohn's had flared up because I'm unable to channel my anxiety anywhere, wine would normally be my crutch so for the last few days my dd's ( 2 and 14) have really been pushing my buttons and I've nowhere to discharge it, I must learn to manage these issues without alcohol!!! I think
I've let them both away with far too much because of my own guilt and lack of strictness after 8pm (you can guess why) To push through my depression I must get my anxiety under control which means getting the home front ship shape.

Afternoon tis me, Mouse

Sorry I've not been around much - school holidays', DH's Birthday (which was a flop) and a very bored Nemo = stressed out Mouse but a sober one which I am VERY proud of. Still getting bouts of sickness and not sleeping because I am soaking with sweat 24/7. I have a shower and need another immediately!

Lonni - 86 days? That is amazing!! WELL DONE!!

This - I can honestly say that the following day was one of the worst of my life and not because of the hangover. - really struck a chord with me Paw, it's not the hangover that's always the problem is it? I find that it's usually the emotional side of things that outweigh the physical hangover symptoms...... you sound like you're doing great too :)

Right, DH is out so I best go help DD to make some cakes!! Be back soon xxx

Pink - I can relate to your something missing post - I don't want to drink but I do feel like I need to find something else to 'treat' myself with once kids have gone to bed x

Lurked for a few months, having befriended not just one Witch but a whole coven for years. I'm just a bit upset this afternoon as my best friend I was due to meet this evening. I did AF for a month earlier this year and then something bad happened, after which the wagon left without me, and I've been trying to get back on it which is easier said than done without boring you with the details of enablers, stresses and so on over months, but the last three weeks other than last weekend I have been pretty good.

I'm upset because my chum's bailed as I said this afternoon I don't want to drink (well, I do, but I want NOT to more). I was happy to go to the pub or whatever and stick to soft, but unless I join in then she'd rather not spend the evening with me after all. She knows that I have been trying to give up again only keep slipping up and she's had a bad week, but...

Not sure whether I'm hurt, cross or worried that I'm actually exceptionally dull without a vino. And not quite sure what I want to achieve from posting this other than that I think you ladies will understand and provide some wise words.

Oh - and thanks in advance for any replies!!!

very selfish of your friend IMO - what difference does it make to HER what oh are drinking ???? Sounds like she has her own issues with drink IMO - Since I have give up alcohol I have become more selfish - yes I care about my friends and other people BUT myself and my health comes first and no one or nothing is going to detract from that (I hope)

Well we have been boozing buddies for years and it's a bit of a sea change; doing it with others of course normalises behaviour. Many of my friends most people would consider excessive and in denial (I'm guilty as charged until more recently).

I knew it was going to be hard to continue socialising without drinking but do-able, only it feels harder to be actively avoided because of it.

Anyway everyone's posts i've read over many months have all been so cheering! And good luck to everyone for Friday night...thanks to whoever recommended Beck's Blue too.

Fantals welcome! To me, becoming AF is a bit like leaving a club - those who don't understand want to exclude you. I have managed only two AF days this week. Second week of reducing my drinking. Drinking tonight but, at least, drinking with food.

It is very hard to cut down / abstain. You have made a good start by joining the bus xx

Pink's post about something missing really resonated with me too. I usually want to "treat myself" on a Friday and that usually involves alcohol. I've definitely had to plan ahead and save a couple of nice things to do tonight/tomorrow so that I have something to look forward to that doesn't involve beer/wine.

It's also helping (in a perverse kind of way) that I'm not on my own in this, that there are others out there in the same boat. I know that sounds like a horrible thing to wish on people, but it is keeping me a bit stronger than I would be normally.

Ok, off to eat my magnum and read the Allen Carr book (on my kindle because I am a chicken )

Good luck tonight x

Hi Fanta - it very well could be as lonnika says . By you starting to address your drinking, it makes her question her own relationship with alcohol, which she may not be willing to do right now so she's pushing you away. I know I've been guilty of similar in the past.

I'm sure you're perfectly interesting, with or without the vino x

Evening babes

I've finished 'My Booky wook' now and I was bloody relieved when he finally went into rehab! Reading about Russell Brand's addictions is a very good antidote to drinking and drugging actually. I hope lots of teenagers read it.

Awesome babes just stick with it through tonight,stay away from that first drink and friday will be an enjoyable evening. I used to open the bottle and pour myself inside of a friday. Yuk! Spinning room,night sweats,guilt,hangover...

Having said that I was gazing longingly at a well dressed couple last night who were drinking ice cold champagne down by the river. Don't think I'll ever get to the place where I don't fancy champagne a bit, even if it's only a thought.

welcome fanta. Are you sure she turned you down because of her need to drink? I expect that you are quite right but I just wondered. Most people find socialising with someone on the lemonade to be fine,they don't give it a thought. So maybe your friend has a drink problem and doesn't want to think too hard about it. Hope you stay strong and your friend has a little think.

mouse what happened with Dh's birthday?

muskrat a magnum and a kindle recovery book is an excellent choice for a friday evening

Guggs That's not a magnum of Champagne, then?! x

Hello - just checking in. Hope everyone is doing good. :)

Back from my hols and, incredibly, still on the straight and narrow. (I'm not off the booze completely just not drinking when alone or at home). Only drank twice on holiday - once at the airport (bloody hate flying) and had one glass of wine in a bar with dh and the kids. So using my incredibly complicated method of non-drinking calculation I'm currently at 50/6 (fifty alcohol free days, six drinking days since I jacked in drinking a bottle of wine a night). Aside from a ridiculous need for sugar at every opportunity I'm feeling FAB.

Internet was crap on hols so settling down now to catch up on everything that has been going on in my absence - I've SO missed this board. Even just checking in on it everyday is such a massive help.