DRY 17

[Loubilou09]

[This message is actually from Sober Sarah! She wanted this thread to start with links everyone will find useful. MNHQ]

If you're quitting alcohol for a brighter sober future come and join us here. A very welcoming bunch supporting ebach other every step of the way. smile
We have put together some helpful info and links, to help you do this Smile tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking.com

Tired of thinking about drinking, Belle's website filled with free stuff as well as subscription courses and an account of her four years sober.

joinclubsoda.co.uk/ Club Soda - to help you make the change you want.
www.sobersassylife.com Sober Sassy Life - A Selection of Articles, Blogs and Freebies to get you unstuck, and on the way to your Sober Sassy Life! Also has paid for courses.
thesoberschool.com/ - an online hub with the mission of inspiring and supporting women who are tired of feeling hungover

www.blogtalkradio.com/bubblehour - podcasts on a huge range of issues relating to addiction and recovery

www.smartrecovery.org.uk/ - an alternative to AA. Meetings nationwide and online.

Useful meditation or relaxation apps
www.headspace.com Headspace for calming the brain chatter
www.withandrewjohnson.com Andrew Johnson stop drinking app
Helpful blogs from people who are sober
sothisissober.com/ our own vxa's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lily's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lucy's blog
www.sobergrowing/blogspot.co.uk our own Sober Sarah's blog

All of these blogs contain links to loads of other brilliant blogs.

Sobriety counters
meetnomo.com/index.html
www.pilanites.com/streaks/

Hope this helps you ! Love Sober Sarah and Vxa

Thanks, I felt last night what a waste of my life that was anyway! I don't want to become a lecturer to people, I'm not perfect who am I to give advice! I suppose I just get it - no one wants to say ok I see now that I am not normal and this is not ok.

Holla to all the wrecked tired people, it's nearly the weekend you know what that means?!! LIE IN OCLOCK

I am on / lurking on that thread too kiki. It is just so depressing really to see how in denial the OP is and how self destructive. And how others on the thread were enabling her.

I have to avoid it now, because it is just desperately sad.

Now I am pootling around the Afternoon Tea thread. :)

Hope everyone is okay. I also suffer from depression Rarity.

I am loving the trolls cake!!

I'm not a great sleeper anyway Rarity . Have always struggled to fall asleep earlier and go through bouts of insomnia I've been prescribed diazepam for in the past. A lot of the time my brain will not switch off no matter how tired I am. I do find things like reading and no screens before bed helps. I sometimes listen to meditation music or do the Headspace sleep meditation too.

No none of us want to say 'I have a problem with drinking'. But no matter how long it may have taken us we have all had our light bulb moment on this thread. And not only that we have all reached out for support. I think although there are no guarantees of sobriety the fact that we are here gives us a fighting chance. That makes us the lucky ones because we have a choice, insight and resolve. There are so many alcohol related deaths, lives and families destroyed. We are choosing a different path.

I am proud to be on day 9 AF. Also grateful that I am not alone, I have you lot who understand. Onwards to another day AF

I listen alot to Tara Brach guided meditations. Works quite well for me.

www.menumodo.com/app.php/viewer/index/12862/11249/only

Rarity I have also felt like I am one of the lucky ones..... to know I have a problem, to (no longer) be in denial about it, to be able to access support and information and to be able to share the journey with you lot.

:)

Oh.... I meant to post this the other day. I waslistening to an interview with Karren Brady the football exec / Apprentice woman. And she had a brain anuerysm that was successfully treated. She said that in her opinion there are 5 stages to recovery;

1. Accepting you have an illness
2. Researching and gathering information about the illness and what to do about it
3. Taking action
4. Recovering
5. Getting on with your life.

That really resonated to me. I thought it was a very pragmatic approach and I am trying to follow it.

GP wouldn't prescribe anything for me vidorra'as I'd just disclosed my self medication with red wine. Can't blame her really, as much as I'd said I was not going to be drinking she couldn't really take that risk.

Hi alice I struggle to admit to people that I have anxiety and depression. It's the lack of understanding about the condition that I find hard. I feel judged that I'm somehow weaker, lazy etc. I don't know if that's what people who know me well (and therefore matter) actually think or if it is just my negative thought patterns!

Off to check out the afternoon tea thread

Morning all...

Feeling like I am suffering from the mother of all emotional hangovers this morning - found myself just sitting on the sofa, sobbing.....

Didn't see that one coming.... a combination of things I think really - physically shattered after a loooong day yesterday, feeling very alone despite being surrounded by people, and actually feeling 'stuff' due to lack of alcohol related anaesthetic!!

Call from good friend snapped me out of it, the ever British need to put a brace face on, heaven forbid we ever say out loud that actually we're just feeling a bit shitty!!

So I acknowledge my feelings, it's ok just to have a wee cry, I'm trying not to wallow in them, but being a sober grown up really sucks at times!!!

Off to feed the washing machine....

Onwards

Oh BG I am sorry to hear that. Sometimes you just need to let it out. Hope you feel better as the day goes on. Did you enjoy your troll cake? And have your rings arrived?

Troll cake is safely locked in my locker at work as we also had 'other' cakes last night... AND I've had cupcakes for breakfast this morning... Will share the Troll tonight, last shift of the week, and traditionally 'cake thursday'.......

No rings as yet - will def add a picture once they're here!!

Kitchen now a bit less of a health hazard, and washing is on.....

Just KOKO, and taking huge support from here, love you guys!!

I'm waiting for the oven man. Due between 12-5. Do I risk a quick shower or are they going to be early

Glad you're feeling better BG

Apparently 'Charlie' will deliver the rings at 1630hrs.....

Tomorrow ladies (and chaps).......

BG A good cry is just needed sometimes, glad you're feeling a bit better now. I was gonna say yay for Charlie but it sounds really wrong, given my wayward youth.

Had an awful day so far. My health anxiety has flared up due to a pain I had this morning and I'm veering between talking myself to calm and panicking with all sorts going through my head. Hate this feeling as I get super aware of every little thing to do with my body. Anxiety was one of the reasons I drank, and something it horrifically caused too.

Hope the oven gets sorted ok Rarity. Mine went just before Christmas, I could've kissed the new one once it arrived.

vidorra you made me laugh, Charlie indeed!

My cooker is fixed!! Yippee! No more oven chips and over microwaved veg

I understand anxiety, mine isn't health related but paralyses me just the same. it's horrid. Hand hold

Happy days for the cooker being fixed Rarity. Thank you, I'm feeling much calmer now. Distracted myself by watching a subtitled film that required concentration.

Anxiety does suck, sorry you're going through similar. I had GAD many years ago amongst other mh issues that I had treatment for and worked really well. Past year or so it appears to have flared up and morphed into health anxiety, especially when I'm feeling ill or with pmt bloody hormones. Atm I have both. Fun times. I think I might have to start being more proactive in tackling it.

It is quiet on here tonight, hope everyone is ok. I'm heading to bed with a book and hoping for some sleep

Hi!

I've spent a lot of time reading that thread you were talking about. Already I can see a big shift in my thinking as I agree with those saying the alcohol is a problem, whereas I think I would have minimised that and thought moderation is fine even just a couple of weeks ago. Would have thought the sober people were boring and now I'm one of the boring ones!
And enjoying it

Thursdays are a big drinking night for me usually- tonight I've had a becks blue and half a bottle of alcohol free Chardonnay and watched the final episode of 'the replacement'. I'm on day 6 and probably still on a bit of an emotional high from stopping but at the moment it's feeling quite freeing not having to worry about how much I'm drinking and oh no I've drank my wine too fast, does it look bad if I pour another one?

I'm anticipating that things won't stay feeling this good, though...

Just checking in and being accountable for my stupidity. I was on about 35 day af but then I was feeling great, my kids were successful at something and I promised them a night out for tea and i bought a white wine. Then I bought more on the way home.

It is true for me, the first drink gets me drunk. I can't stop and I don't want to stop.

Then I got a bad cold and drank through that week. Then I did some more stupid stuff but I'm back on track again on Day 1. Sigh

Been up since 5, DD has vomited all over the bathroom and has the runs as well. Poor mite.

Hi never sorry to hear that. But day 1 is a good thing because you have chosen to stop

Oh and I managed to get a really good sleep until woken by poorly child

Morning all. Rarity. never

about to start the school morning debacle routine. Will be back later to check in properly.

Oh never, don't beat yourself up. I presume this used to be regular behaviour so to only do it for a few days and then want to go back to af is progress.

I'm exactly the same as you, when I drink one I just want to keep going until I can't find anymore. Keep posting here and you'll be back on day 35 before you know it.

If the lapse has shown you that you need/want to stay af then it has had a purpose

What are people's thoughts on af beer and wine?

I was alcohol free last night but still sat in and drank a bottle of beer and half a bottle of wine. I know it's different but it feels a little like I was behaving in the same way but with the alcohol removed iyswim. So, there was a little bit left in the wine and instead of leaving it I thought 'it's silly to leave that bit in the bottle, I should drink it'.

I am overthinking it or acting like a dry drunk?