The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Go Sober For October?

[Mouseface]

Hello, 'tis me, Mouseface, welcome to the Bus, aka Gerarld.

We're a bus full of various Babes, from those who are as dry the Sahara, those who drink in moderation, those who binge drink and can go for weeks without a drop and then fall arse over tit (pardon the french!) straight off the bus and into the sidecar, and then we have Babes who try every single day to give up.

The thing is, we all do 'this' ONE DAY AT A TIME and with passion too. You have to WANT to stop with every fibre of your being.

And that's what this bus is about. We support each other. No matter how many times you fall of the Bus, we'll always be here to scoop you back up and listen.

So, come and join us. Lurk, or grab a seat, make sure you're comfy and enjoy the journey as we talk about the dreaded drink, plus everything from how expensive Tena Lady's are, to what's in the slow cooker!

We don't judge, this isn't a competition, it's our lives.

And if you'd like to read the last thread, HERE IT IS

Plus, if you'd like to see where the Bus started out, you can RIGHT HERE

Hope to see you soon xx

Thank you to everyone for the warm welcomes! A special thank you to SilverandRuby for your brutally honest post, this prompted me to join. I think its the honesty that is displayed here which is so refreshing, none of us planned to be hoodwinked by the WW or in my case the Villain Vodka but we are still normal people!

Looking forward to getting to know you all and your journeys ( sorry that sounds very x factor cheesy)

Welcome housewife I have been on this bus for years and what keeps me here is the honesty, the kindness, the humour and the lack of judging. No one is shocked or horrified because wehave all been there and done it and we understand. You might get a slap round the chops with Barrie the squid now and again,but otherwise its all good. You dont have to be dry overnight...every mouthful less is a victory.

Barrie the squid ! Bring it (him?) On! Thank you demented

I'm not going to bother to NC. My DH sent me to my parents as he can't cope with my drinking anymore. Last night I got picked up by the Police on a section 136 as I was walking in the middle of the road at 4am and taken to a place of safety at a psychiatric hospital. I basically spent 8 hours in a padded cell before I was assessed under the Mental Health Act. The 2 doctors wanted to section me but the social worker said no. The irony is that I'm a mental health nurse. I've been told to go off sick by occupational health. I'm going to lose everything. I've been a functional alcoholic for years but it's suddenly all gone to shit. I just don't see a way out.

Hi everyone - room for another Newbie please?

Today was Day One.

I've drunk every night for years apart from when pregnant - acrually my story is very similar to many of you. I've got worse and it needs to stop before it really affects my health (if it hasn't already).

Day one is over - it wasn't fun although I've been more productive than usual. Bed now.

Ok mshooliescardigan no you are not going to lose everything. Today is your rock bottom, as bad as it gets. Call AA and go to every meeting you can, three times a day if necessary.

Aa is exactly for this situation and it will get you to stop drinking. Lots of people come into aa through some kind of intervention, often when they're caught drink driving.

Please do go, people will be kind and sympathetic and lots of them will have been through your experience. I'm so sorry that this has happened to you but you CAN turn it around, with help.

Mshooliescardigan I just wanted to second what lovely Guggs says. We all have preconceptions about AA, some of us think 'that's not for me' and long term they may be right, they may find other paths - but right now AA sounds to me the right route to go, it gives immediacy, support and clarity. You poor, poor thing - clamber aboard and stick with us, along with every other support you can get. Will you be able to get some time with your DH - are you able to talk to him/your parents? I hope so.

Lots of mentions of 'functioning alcoholic' of late. I know what it means (I am one) but it is such a curious turn of phrase. And so accurate - when I'm drinking I just about function, but it is only when I stop that I realise that's all I'm doing - functioning (just) but not living. I know that's the inverse of what the phrase is supposed to mean, but it fits for me.

Hope everyone did ok last night. 30 days in, the WW came calling for me with a vengeance, so I bopped her on the head with my daughter's teddy bear and snuggled up with said daughter to go to sleep ... at 8.15pm. Slept through til 6am - for those struggling with disturbed sleep in the first few days sober, hang in there - it does get better. I feel like I am making up for 20+ years crap sleep, and it is a real joy.

MsHoolie Also in agreement with the more knowledgeable posters above me. Hope you have some RL support and understanding, not judgement.

SmallFox that sleep sounds blissful, day 12 here and the worst sleep continues......very unfair to waken up with hangover symptons when you havent drank! And i so get you with the functioning bit I too have been merely existing, not living.

Good morning. MsHooliesCardigan please listen to Fox and gugg .

I can confirm that sleep does get better, I'm on day 21 apart from a blip on Friday night. However I wake up feeling like I've been run over because I think I'm getting lots of proper deep sleep. It takes a while to come round . I could still go back to bed and sleep some more. I'm starting to get really pissy if someone/something stops me from getting my lovely sleep. I wore earplugs last night, it was lovely - I didn't hear DP come thundering in from work late and have to talk to him instead sleeping. I have bought a silk eye mask too so I can block out the light when he turns every single light on in the place, harrumphing around.

Can I jump aboard? Been drinking for years - usual story, ‘of course we’re just normal’ but that actually meant we share a bottle of wine with dinner, gin and tonic in front of the tv, then another after walking the dog before bed, and this has gone on for years, every night plus often more at weekends. It’s a habit - you could set a watch by my drinking
I’ve been pondering giving up for while and tried but always given in especially as DH isn’t ready to give up yet. Just sick of feeling groggy in the mornings.
So DH is away for two weeks with work - this would usually mean I switch to 2/3/4 gins a night but instead I want to go sober. I figure if I get over the hump by myself, it will be easier when he returns. I stuck just to wine last two nights (god that sounds pathetic but I’m expecting a sympathetic crowd here!)
So day 1 today, I’m planning on breaking my routine, eat with kids, I’ve saved some work for later so no tv, longer walk with pooch then straight to bed. Any tips for when the self doubt kicks in? I predict come 9ish I’ll be justifying ‘just one’ - I’m on different time zones so will be hitting that spot around 2ish UK afternoon.

Oh crap MsHooliesCardigan, plucked up courage to post before I read yours. Wishing you masses of luck and sure these brave ladies will offer lots of advice.

Groggi I've found changing my routine helps. Also having nice alcohol free drinks in so you don't end up drinking water or squash! Can you get AF lager/beers? I find one of those hits the spot and I'm not really a lager/beer drinker (unless that's all there is, then I'll drink anything). Early nights, hot chocolate, warm bath all help too.

Nice drinks sounds like a plan, I'm so use to having 'something' that I'm pretty sure water won't cut it. I'll go have a look at what I can stock up. Thank you!

Mshoolie I too am a nurse and the feeling that I should know better eats away at me as I destroy myself. for you and hoping for brighter days.

Day 1 survived here. Managed to sleep with help of diazepam, will try on my own tonight. I don't intend to swap one problem for another but my anxiety was sky high and I couldn't settle. Feel better this morning although my stomach is not happy. Here's to another day and hopefully feel better every day going forward

Well done everyone and sorry to hear of your very difficult time cardigan. Without giving too much away I too work in a profession where I "should know better" and in fact help people whose lives have been affected by addiction. It just adds to the guilt in the end. I haven't been sectioned but I have nearly been arrested for public disturbance...

My DH is a but grumpy with my current sobriety, he is taking it as a personal insult as he is still drinking (he drinks too much but not as much as I do). So I will have to deal with that.

Thank you all so much. I have tried AA but I find it really hard to get past all the God stuff. I have met some really lovely people but I just see it working for me. The first step is admitting that you are powerless. As someone whose spent their whole working life trying to convince marginalised stigmatised people that they're not'powerless, that just really sticks in my throats and that's before you even get to all the God stuff. It's not just that I don't believe in God, I was brought up with what I can only describe as religious abuse - I was told as a toddler that, if you sinned, you would burn in hell. So anything that goes on about God, even if it's only God as you perceive him to be, just isn't going to work for me.
I don't want to turn this into a massive pity fest. It's totally my responsibility to sort this out. I just don't see how I'm going to do it. There is a possibility my parents might pay for a detox/rehab. I am so in awe of those of you that are managing to quit. I will do this.

Hi all, still pottering about, trying to cut down and doing fine on Mondays to Thursdays. Last weekend was OK, moderate by my standards. Just came on to say that I understand where you're coming from Cardigan, I was also brought up by religious zealots and that makes the idea of AA difficult for me too. Other organisations that may be able to help:
www.actiononaddiction.org.uk/
www.alcoholconcern.org.uk

I can't vouch for whether they're any good or not, but worth a look. We're all here for each other on the bus too - I know I'm a bit of a sporadic poster and a bit crap at keeping up with everyone, but I really appreciate you all being here.

MsHooliesCardigan just wanted to say well done for being brave enough to post. I hope you can take the sick leave from work and make getting sober your project while you are off. I found the blog "tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking" really helpful. Lots of other good suggestions here.

Morning to all the new babes on the bus. It's certainly getting busy this month. It's lovely to see you all.
So starts day 3 AF for me. It was hard last night to not grab a glass of wine with dinner so I watched Strike and had an early night. Not too bad a sleep and no night sweats. I do feel nauseous all the time at the moment though. Hopefully it will pass soon.
I also treated myself to a few luxuary bits from Superdrug thanks to the BOGOF they have on Nip + Fab stuff. And with the wine money I had ordered some black hyathinc bulbs for a bit of spring loveliness. Something to look forward to.
So tonight I'll be raising a glass of elderflower cordial for Tom Petty, a great musician who had his own battles with the demon drink. I was lucky enough to see him many years ago at Wembley. A true star. May he always shine bright.

Dear All
I disappeared for a bit as I had a couple of weeks of nights out. I managed 13 AF nights in September which is much better than I have done for years. I did slip up and have 3 nights of drinking at home. Lesson there is not to have wine in the house. However the credit card bill is noticeably lower this month which shows how much I was spending on booze trips to the shop. I am going to press on with not drinking at home. I did think about doing sober October but on reflection I don't want to. I am out on Friday night this week but other than that am aiming to be AF all week.
I realise this is of no interest to anyone except me but if I write it down it helps me keep tabs on myself!

Congrats RubyRed, like you I can see how writing it down will help keep tabs. So for tonight, I've made it to through to 10.30pm over here with a few frankly ridiculous inner monologues trying to justify both sides of the arguement... so rather than tempt fate more I'm off to bed.
Day 1 done.

Had a very demanding day culminating in a real battle with myself. In the end drank 2 glasses of prosecco left from this weekend's function. Still aiming for permanent moderation and to make October the month I really get to grips with this. Just a different shaped week for me, always knew this week would be tricky.

Such a busy bus, will go back and update myself.

I just can't do this. I'm pathetic.

Cardigan you are not. But you do sound like you need some real life support. You said your parents might pay for rehab, is that possible? Failing that, is there support you can access through your GP?

Cardigan I fully second what Flowers says. Is there any support your parents or GP can offer? Or friends? It is so hard to keep on this path in the first place, and doing it alone is still harder. Remember, just one step at a time. We are all here for you and we are all offering support, hope and the odd bit of black humour but it sounds like you could do with someone by your side in RL rooting for you.
Please, please keep posting, keep believing and know you are worth it.