The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Off To Find The Summer Sun and Sobriety!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse :)

Welcome to the Bus, take a seat and enjoy the ride. We're a Bus full of drinkers, non-drinkers, those who are trying to give up for life, those who are giving up for a few hours because that's all that they can manage (which is fine!) or quitting just for today......

We don't wear Judgey Pants (they're far too last year darhling ) but we have hugs a plenty and tough love when it's needed. Which isn't often!

So, what have you got to lose? If you're reading this, you're thinking that you are no longer happy with the way you drink, which tells me that this is the Bus for you. :)

If you'd like to see where we've been so far and what we've been up to, take a peek HERE

And if you want to knnow why we're here in the first place, take a look at THIS THREAD RIGHT HERE :)

See you soon x

thanks green yes, i need to view it more positively. will go for another AF tonight.
indie yes, silver is back and we all got a bollocking for the state of the bus . She has taken back the keys and the drivers cap from you, thank God.

Day 31 AF here. Woohoo, I've made it a whole month! That's genuinely the longest unbroken AF run I've had since I was 17 (other than when I was pregnant)

I feel pretty good although I'm still tired and probably eating too much but I'm doing more exercise now so it's still positive on balance.

My tricks have definitely been to find something AF and nice to drink and to keep busy in the evenings, whether reading or playing games or jigsaws or something else to keep my hands and brain occupied. I've also treated myself to a coue of new things to remind me how much I'm saving by not buying alcohol all the time.

Next step for me is to work out if (and how) I want to drink going forward. I'm struggling to imagine holidays, weddings, gigs, festivals etc without some alcohol involved but I'm going to try and remain AF whilst I work out what I want

coue? couple I mean!

pervy you rock, that's fantastic. I am festivalling this weekend. Only thing worrying me about not drinking is having the stamina to keep going till midnight - way past my bedtime! Plan on drinking one day out of three, though not to excess (hopefully!) it will be diet coke all the way for me :) i'll let you know how strange it is!

Hi Green, Guggs, Lon, Faire, Ma, Joey, Babyjane, Pervy, Obrigada, Pawprint, Sylvana, Purps, Pink and mouse, Jango, this is, annie and LRD
Silver Whereabouts etes vous in France? Is the weather nice? It is here, not too hot though, thank goodness.
Indieeeeee Get that fat brown arse firmly planted back on the seat in the side-car!!!! I've missed you, where have you been fgs Jupiter? No internet??? You do know that me and Ma (whispers) have had to talk to each other? and that's after her calling me 'that French trollop' ahem Also, that wispy bit of condensation floating around the side-car is in fact Spirit the Dog - we will have to stop trying to wipe him off the window.

Woop Woop Pervy - what changes have you noticed?

Feeln ok here - just read a great book called delirium would recommend it. I just wish I didn't suffer from health anxiety !!!! Never mind - onwards and upwards -

Hope all babes good and looking forward to bank holiday weekend x

Greeneyed thanks and good luck! I did Download this year and was a mess for a few days afterwards. If you're camping, don't forget your earplugs!

lonnika thanks! I'm generally feeling less anxious, have more energy and I think I've lost a little bit of weight. The best bit though is the changes that I worried about that haven't happened. I've still been able to meet friends, have meals out etc etc without feeling like I'm missing out by not drinking alcohol. I was hoping for a personality change and turn into a super relaxed, calm parent but I've spent most of the afternoon shouting at DS so it's definitely not a full miracle

Now need to find a new series of books to read...

pervy I'm not camping thank God, done all that, don't wish to relive It at my age. You have to get so drunk you pass out each night! Staying near by and going to drive, except maybe for one day when I might have a couple. Will be so nice to come back to a bed and a shower :)

lonnika have you had any CBT for your health anxiety? It helped me loads though Dr Google can still get me in a spin. Stay away from the internet!

Green - I may try that thanks - did u get it through the GP or pay private ? I try very hard to resist Dr Google - getting better - I am def less anxious now than before x

I hope it's ok to pop my head in I have been reading this thread and I had a thought
I think that I have to many other issues to sort out and they are reasons why I drink .. But I'm starting to think if I stopped drinking my other issues would sort them selves out
So sorry for butting in any thoughts on this would be much appreciated x

Hello all,

back from a couple of weeks holiday, in, very sunny France, not as tanned as I might be, owing to a major reaction from an insect bite (steroids and antibiotics anyone ). No sun or in the water for three days, eek!.
I haven't had a chance to read back, so I send all love, and say that I am really struggling tonight, I always do, first night back, am I being strange???. Both Dc's came over, with Gf's, and it was really nice, just what I had hoped for, but, coming back it all seems a bit flat, if you know what I mean.
Actually, blo**dy fed up.
Sorry, such a me post, just needed to talk.
xxxxxx

Welcome tango . we say on here that you should deal with your issues in the order in which they will kill you.
The drinking will certainly make any other issues worse.

Hey thurso
Post-holiday blues?

Hi Tangg , Welcome,

Lots of people on here much wiser than me! Definitely the drinking puts blinkers on other issues. Sometimes that what you want, but it really doesn't help in the long run.
I do know how you feel, don't even think about butting in, this bus is the open all hours, for everyone.
xxx

Ma, and then some!!!

Ah thanks for the welcome

Hmmm Im feeling stuck in that I have made some big changes in my life and now nothing's moving, im frustrated with my life and I'm thinking its the drink

I left a 16 year controlling relationship moved away etc
So nothing else's going to kill me ;)
Maybe it's time to out my drink
X

Hi everyone ! Yes, lovely babes on this thread, very welcoming. Welcome Tang. I'm on day 3. Driving home from work today and all I could think about was "I'd kill for a glass of vino". But I didn't cave in. I had a nap for an hour instead, felt great afterwards. Hope everyone is doing good :)

Hello lovely babes just checking in end of day 3 work went well day 4 tomorrow send love to every one x

Evening lovely babes

baby I'm reading the 'ice and a slice' book- very accurate description of hangovers and that stupid pretend high you get I get when you drink. And it reminded me of a few occasions where semi clad dancing occurred. Good reccomendation,thank you.

Can I just say hi to everyone, I'm not good with the name checking,I know. Good luck to babes who have put the bottle down tonight. sylvana having a rest rather than a drink is a good idea. Day 3 is the hardest af day of all,after that the craving begins to lessen.

tang welcome. Lots of strength & love on the bus. you sound as though you are making a decision.

thurso Hi there, yeah getting back from holiday is hard. I always feel as though I 'deserve' wine because I've had to leave all that lovely holidayness behind. Hope you are ok.

I'm feeling better, low mood has passed fucked the fuck off,till next time,the fucker Bloody glad to be sober but there will always be a tiny part of me that wishes I could drink normally,obviously I can't.

well done thisis

Delighted to hear that guggenheim!

hi tango welcome to our bus, it's very difficult to be certain If your issues contribute to your drinking or your drinking contributes to your issues IYSWIM, that could be said fir every single babe on here, the way to be sure is to maybe trying to have a wee spell AF and see how you feel about things, the issues may be just as real but maybe without the alcohol induced anxiety and depression you might see things or be able to deal with them with more perspective. even a few days will have a positive impact on your body and your mind, got to be worth a try and we will help you any way we can. sylvana super well done on resisting, feel proud and buy as lippy with the money you saved, a nice bright one to celebrate your strength. pervy your doing sooooo well, can feel your good vibes and I'm plodding away behind you on day 10, and Thurso sorry you've got the blues but on a selfish note, I'm glad we have you back, you were so missed. to all you other wonderful babes, it's so good to have this wonderful bus and you lovely buddies to share it with, hugs to all of you tonight xxx

Lovely welcome thank you

baby yes I do know what you mean I have had some AF days I seem to be fine for two days then day three I crash then have a blow out then back to AF and so it goes on

I'm going to read with interest from you lovely babes x