The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Wading Through Winter Blues Without The Booze!

[Mouseface]

I'm Mouse, nice to meet YOU.

This is a thread for those who want to give up drink completely, or are maybe thinking about doing controlled drinking, or cutting down slowly, it's all up to you. And of course all addictions, so if you are taking drugs of any kind, prescription or otherwise, you're very welcome here too!

You know your limits, you know what is required, it's all in YOUR hands.

Whatever your goal, you'll find unconditional support here. Always. :)

There will be talk of drinking quite often and those who fall off the Bus will post about it, so if that is going to jeopardise your chances of complete sobriety, then maybe the DRY threads would suit you better, as they are complete abstainers, but EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE :)

There are two sayings that we rather like here -

1. • The Vulnerable Need Our Support, Not Our Judgement
2. • Alcohol Fosters Inertia

For those of you who'd like some history, here is the very first thread and the reason that we're all here now. FIRST EVER THREAD

And the most recent so you can work your way back through time IS JUST HERE

The Bus may be 'mythical', but the support is real, it is honest and it will help you to achieve what it is that YOU seek, as long as you are honest with us, but mostly, YOURSELF

Mouse xxx

I'm what? this place is a tip? well, yes, I agree - there are people snoozing in the back seat, there are sweetie papers under the chairs, there is a weird babydoll thing (which I might have to take away and destroy) and there is a sort of fishy smell which appears to be coming from a squid-like thing.....

So COME ON Babes, get it tidied up!! [claps hands in a headmistress way] This bus needs to be clean and tidy and welcoming - no slacking!!

< yawn, scratch >

< 'tidies' some old wrappers away out of sight under the seats >

< shuffles back to blanket on the back seat >

zzzzz

Where did the babydoll come from?! That's a bit freaky!

soc are you down under? (Sorry, you've probably said, but I'm hopeless at remembering things...)

I'm still feeling a bit off, and now panicking about everything from cystitis to kidney infection... Google is not my friend

alias
Yes, I'm Down Under. I'm your future........(that should scare you)

Stay away from Dr Google. The stress alone will kill you. Keep going to the GP and getting checks until they figure out what is bothering you.

I'm having that Day 4 (yes it's Day 4 today) fatigue and 'blahness'. But I'm not drinking and don't really feel like drinking.

I'm just blah, bored and blah..... but I'm sober.

Morning all

Sorry things are getting a bit much at the moment Joey but I agree, keep at the gp, that is what they are there for and you have a right to whatever treatment you need, no matter how long it takes to get to the bottom of it.

One thought I did have is that if you are supressing (or trying to) any stress or 'niggles' they can often manifest in physical symptoms. So if you are keeping anything bottled up, it might be worth releasing some of it. We all need a big hill to go the top of and scream sometimes

Mouse thinking of you as always x

Morning - what a great nights sleep - life is soooooo much better without alcohol - I know what started my drinking again - work related stress - therefore looking for a part time position with less stress - need to out me first :).
Well done I'm, soc and hello to Faire, Venus and joey. Joey I really suffer from health anxiety and sometimes when I read about something I can actually feel the physical symptoms coming on. health anxiety is one good reason why I need to give up alcohol completely :)

Morning all how's all? Dmb's? Still going?
Planning a takeaway tonight as I got so full of pancakes last night I didn't get my chicken tika kebab, just stocked up on 4 bags of might gems

I am starting to feel happier, I have more money and the small things I normaly can not buy I now can, life's starting to feel better already, little treats just for me I luv x

Just checking in quickly, I promise to get my screen fixed tomorrow so I can NC every one if you bevy of beauties, just wanted to say I love this bus, I love this sisterhood, I feel anything is possible as long as we stick together!! Huge welcome to newbies and im you are blossoming and I love being part of your journey, tomorrow I will say hello properly to everyone but you guys rock my world xxx

Hi everyone,

Derailed myself last night for no particular reason . Am feeling pretty grim this morning . Have not given up on dry march, well drier March.

Im really glad you are feeling the benefits, you have become a real inspiration.

I agree with other posters about the dangers of googling symptoms - it never seems to come up with anything simple. When I do it, it usually leads me down the path of horror and death , even if it started as just a headache.

On that bright note, I hope you all have a good day babes xx

beaches glad you are sticking with it. Don't let spaniel ears for tits win.
It was just a blip and you were in front of most of the other DM'b's anyway.
Welcome to new babes rachael and 50 keep posting this bus and the people on it are a great help.
mouse thinking of you Nemo and the rest of the mouse family.Hugs xx
I am on day 6 of DM but like you soc feeling blah, bored and blah...
Also bl**dy tired and tearful. I have never got past the insomnia stage of going AF (14 DAYS IS MY af record ). Beginning to realise that my RL is the culprit in that it is constantly stressful due to "HE WHO MUST BE OBEYED".. Still One Day, One day.... I must hold that thought.
Onwards and upwards. I will not be drinking today
Big wave to all the wonderful babes on this bus xx

waves to everyone, thanks for the welcome X

Didn't sleep great last night, but feel tonnes better than yesterday. The sun is shining too, which always helps.

No alcohol last night, and not planning any tonight. There is drink in the house, but not my first choice, not that that ever stopped me before, but I can take that or leave it most of the time.

Good luck for today XX

hello babyj nice to see you, you sound upbeat! Hope you're doing okay.

faire funny, as I was googling earlier, I came across a holistic website (I don't limit myself to NetDoc and Boots, no I'm happy to work myself into a state via any means, alternative medicine sites included... )

it said (re. cystitis) "a condition in which a woman internalizes an urgent need to resolve her anger (i.e. being “pissed off”) unloved and unsupported, feelings of suspicion and the holding grudges" (?!!?!)

I wouldn't say I have unresolved anger (well not more than most people!) although after being ill, I do get stressed about stuff like being off work. My anxiety has been much better of late.

Oh. And. Also on that website: "Portal congestion that allows the pelvis to be congested is another important factor at play in IC, and thus addressing liver function is an important part of resolving this pattern."

Stupidly, daft me I was pondering earlier and realised I wouldn't be able to have my weekly allowance on Sunday if things hadn't improved. Felt very disappointed. Maybe there are suppressed emotions after all.

Trying to rustle up enthusiasm to add a sparkle to my Friday

Im sprinkle glitter in the bath??!! Not the kind of sparkle you were looking for....

rural thank you for the encouraging words! I find it so easy to think 'it's Friday, I have broken my run anyway etc etc' but you have reminded me that one night is only one night, it doesn't have to mean give in. You are lovely and if your berk of a husband can't recognize that then he is a fool. Hope the teary feelings passed xx

joey I don't even know what portal congestion could be and I am afraid to look it up as I will surely have it! As for cystitis, I was told that was honeymooners disease ie lots of bedroom action! Perhaps that may be aggravating things

Definitely not bedroom action!

glitter in the bath its fucking genius how cool would that be
don't know what I'd look like once I got out would it stick to me

Hi babes It's been ages since I posted, but have been lurking religiously.

Had to pop in to say congrats to i'm who is doing amazingly, rallying the troops and blossoming, so lovely to see and a complete inspiration!

I'm in the side car tonight (or the roof rack, not sure where exactly I belong), but despite the consumption tonight I feel ok about it because I have been able to abstain most of the time. I'm kind of able to give myself one night off a week for the most part, generally AF, all thanks to you wonderful babes. Alcohol is still on my mind loads, but having you all here is such a massive help. So a big shout out to
mouse
nuff
alias
soc
venus
rural
beaches
anne
hope
why
trinity
venus
rural
isindie
Plus any newbies, lurkers and other regular posters I've inadvertently missed. Huge apologies to anyone I've not name checked, every single poster on here has helped me loads. On my phone, so tricky to name check everyone.
Have a great weekend. All will be well (is that right?)

Quick check back reveals
baby
guggs
demented
Left off my list. I'm sure there are more & I sincerely apologise if I left you out. Each & every one of the posters on this thread deserves a shout out, I don't mean to leave anyone out.

Goodnight all - another day done :). - Feel great :)

hey I'm did you get your takeaway?

Just popping in to say hello, hoping to catch up with you all properly tomorrow. Day 6 of Dry March here but am eating like a pig! By the way, is that I'm trailing glitter all over the bus????

Just popping in to say welcome to anyone who I've missed :)

And well done to Mamabear - love your list of posters who have helped, some more than once! ;) You are a bloody star lovely x

Keep going.

I'm trying to get through my sad days, the sun is helping but with Mother's Day hanging over me, I could scream. I need a coping mechanism and sending her, my mum, a card as I would normally but putting it next to her photo seems the right way forward for me just now....

I have a while to think yet.

Thank you for the support you really don't know how much you all help me, just by me reading your posts.

Love to you all,

Mouse xxx xxx

mouse what a great idea putting the card next to her photo! She must have been very proud of you.

babes

Sober Saturday morning here. It's always fantastic waking up without all that shit.... And it's day 5 which means I'm feeling a bit better.

I've come so far in the past 6 months (?) or so. Even though I'm not perfect it's such a far cry from that dark awful place of drinking every single day. Starting at around 2pm and finishing a bottle before my husband got home, then quickly starting another so that I could pretend that I've only had 1 glass of wine (ha ha). Then having a few more and falling into bed in a drunken stupor at around 8pm. Not saying good night to my kids properly. Not being part of the family in the evening as I was always trying to pretend that I was ok. Then waking up at 2am filled with that awful dread and anxiety. Unable to go back to sleep till about 4 or 5am and then having to haul myself up at 7 and get through another day pretending to be feeling ok. Because, of course, I wasn't drunk the night before. Having to find the empty bottles and get rid of them. Not having conversations because I'm not sure if I had them the night before. Terrible and I don't want to go back there.

Thanks in a large part to this mad, magical bus. Being able to come here any time of the day and check in and read back and know that other people have gone through this. You babes all rock. Stay safe
xx