Brave Babes Battle Bus: Sunshine, Roses and Mocktails All Round

[SweetLathyrus]

Hi, I'm SweetLathyrus, Sweet for short, and I've been on and off Gerald the Brave Babes Battle Bus since 2014. Over the years, lots of us have maintained the thread, most of all the lovely Mouse, who has been here since the early days, and still scurries onboard when she can.

The bus is a place of support, safety and occasional silliness for those of us struggling with our relationship with alcohol. Some of us are sober, some are trying to be, some are moderating and aren't ready to give up alcohol just yet.

So whatever your reason for questioning the whys and WTFs of your drinking, hop on board, make yourselves comfortable and join in. Driers and Triers, all welcome.

Summer offers all kinds of challenges for those of us trying to change our relationship to alcohol, pub gardens, summer holidays, school holidays, and apparently there's a big football tournament too. If you want to read where the bus has been so far this year here's the link to the
last thread

And in case you want to know how it all started, here is the link to JWN's original, inspiring thread

The Bus is a bit of a Mumsnet institution, but it has an open door policy, no cliques, no judgement, and the welcome is always warm. So hop on and join us.

My first post here was seven years ago venus and you were one of the first to welcome me

How far we have all come over the years. What a lot of changes we have had and, for some of us, many things will have remained the same. Drinking patterns are hard to change but a lot of them are just that - habits. Changing habits was the key for me personally.

Still here Spanna! Loved reading your first post, I never knew your backstory before.

Congrats Margie.

Mint - amazeballs for not drinking. Over the moon for you. Hope you're ok.

Checking in (and not that I'm counting but) 7 weeks last night I camped and worked a festival bar last weekend AND went camping with a bunch of single drinking moms and kids this week so I'm quietly over the moon. I had said if I fall off the bus at the festival then I was on 'holiday' but had absolutely zero inclination! Have also discovered Flat tyre so was able to use my 'beer tokens' on that at the festival!

I don't feel very different and don't have tons of energy, my short term memory function is still pretty naff but I don't have hangovers any more and I don't act like a prick

Hope everyone's well!

Just wanted to send love to Mint. And to say to Spanna how positive and helpful all your posts, from that first one on, have been to me. Big thanks to you, babe.

OK, I’m in that bonkers ‘bartering with self’ mode where I have promised myself a last week of ‘indulgence’ (my sub conscious says i ‘deserve’ it. I’m not even going to go there) before ‘term starts’ in Sept. This obviously has nothing to do with my kids’ school terms and everything to do with the fact that despite holding down a perfectly proper job for 30 odd years, I haven’t properly grown up ever since university. For me, the year starts in September. And god help me, this September I really do need to knuckle down, sober up, sort myself out, and any other cliche you care to throw at me.

So, see y’all then, babes. Enjoy the long weekend.

(And BTW - haven’t read back but is Sweet ok? I hope so).

Hi all

I have namechanged to post here to keep a continuous identity that I can use on this thread as I name change often.

I have come here for support, I have toyed with the idea previously but then life got in the way and I forgot about it until today when I was googling how to stop drinking.

I wish it was easy as just stopping!

I tend to drink every other day as long as I'm not working the next day. Every other day because I generally feel too rough to drink again the next night and tell myself I'm definitely cutting down after that. But then the next night I feel great and think oh a nice glass of wine won't do any harm. And then the bottle is finished and I'm moving onto spirits until I pretty much pass out.

Last night I bought a bottle of sauvignon blanc and didn't think to check the ABV. I can't handle 13%+ and when I looked after pouring my first glass it was 13.5%. Guzzled the bottle within a couple of hours then passed out on the couch. Woke up today feeling rough. The usual.

I have 2 young kids and they want to go to the park and I feel too tired to go and I'm irritable and it's not fucking fair on them.

I am trying to eat better and lose weight and obviously my wine vice does not help with this at all and it's a vicious circle. I also have anxiety and depression so the alcohol goes great with that

I have spectacularly fallen off the low carb wagon today because my hungover self craved carbs and shit food.

I have been telling myself I need to cut down my drinking for YEARS and I haven't. Wtf is wrong with me. I KNOW how bad it makes me feel and I still can't even cut down.

I know how much my life will improve if I stop drinking. The hangovers are chronic now. I'm wasting my life.

I don't drink tonight after drinking last night but come tomorrow I'll "forget" how rough I'll feel the next day and tell myself a couple wont hurt....

I apologise for my self pitying moan, I am not normally so moany! I am just sick of myself and this habit.

Hi. I’m also a long-time lurker / very occasional poster and really identify with what you have said Fox and Jade. I am constantly bargaining with myself about when I will stop without every carrying it through. As a result I haven’t had a single dry day over the summer holidays and instead of feeling refreshed and relaxed I am knackered and fat. As a teacher I also now have that feeling that it’s not worth even trying until September, especially with a potentially stressful week ahead (helping elderly parents to move house). So many excuses, so little time ...

Am considering a dry September to try to get me started. Anyone want to join me?

Just to say that giving up isn't actually that difficult. It seems like a complete headfuck when it's ahead of you. Like a hurdle or a string of them. "How can I stop?" and feeling like a slave to booze.

I couldn't walk through my front door without knowing I had enough cans in the fridge for the night. I drank every night (without fail) for 14 months and before then too (contribution to why my marriage ended). Every night a steady hit throughout the evening (18:00 on the dot start - sometimes earlier) or a massive binge depending on my head state; who I was out with or how close to payday it was. I went out on nights and drank to excess. Ended up waking up in random flats and having the worst hangovers ever. Ended up in altercations I never would have got in to sober. I'm still banned from places. I just didn't know when to stop.

But it does get easier. I've had blips where I couldn't conceive going through the night without a drink - but it passes.

It really is in the decision to stop; not having any booze in the fridge/house and I found Jason Vale's book really great. I'm still reading it. I'm not plugging - it but he had a very serious problem himself.

And to add to that, I'm still going out when I don't have the kids, partying etc, went for a meal with my mate last night for example. I don't have any control usually over anything so being in control of the addiction that controlled me the most is odd.

I'm not being preachy as you never know when you will hit it again. You can never say never when in recovery. And you never know what's around the corner. I'm a proper newbie and in awe of people who have been dry for years. I still smoke and I'm eating a lot of cheesecake to compensate !

My real struggle now is meeting someone who doesn't drink! Where do you 'meet' dry guys??

Haven't read back but a quick skim sounds like a lot of success stories. I've been on this bus forever and still haven't beaten the wine witch who is now the gin gremlin. I don't think I ever will. But I'm still trying now and again

Hi everybody. It’s been a little while since I last posted. Things are going ok. Been moderating fairly well but think I could definitely do with a Dry September as that worked so well for me in January so whoever suggested that upthread I’m in! I’m actually going to start today!

Hi all - joining you as my drinking is ridiculous... bottle of wine per night, plus gin... it's horrendous.

Hi everyone. I've always been a drinker but lately things have gotten way out of hand. I've been drinking roughly 1.5 bottles of wine on 5/6 days a week. I'm trying to stop totally for the next 3 weeks and I'm on day 2.

I wonder if I may join you? I have been drinking a bottle of wine (or more) a day for more years than I care to admit and I am desperate to stop. Today. I am really daunted by the prospect of failure and finding I can't do it (always a good excuse not to even try!) but I have been reading this thread and can see that although it's not always plain sailing, support from here is brilliant and you can be really honest about the ups and downs without judgement.

Hi there. I'm halfway through the Jason Vale book and finding it really helps.

Thank you. I will order that tomorrow. I've just been to buy some nice soft drinks for tonight and some alcohol free wine in case (but can't say it smells too good!).

Good plan. Sugar seems to help too

I just worry I'll manage a day or two then think "Ok I've done it" and start drinking again. I'm not great with willpower.

Me neither, although if I try not to drink for a month then I usually manage a week or so. If I try not to drink until Friday, I only manage a day or two. The JV book is really helping me. It's nearly my witching hour and I'm feeling fine. Can't usually say that.

Hmmm - finished the last glassful of wine from the only bottle left in the house...

Still, normally I would have had an entire bottle plus at least one g&t...

Hamsterpantz at least it's gone now

I have half a bottle left which I'm trying to ignore. I probably need to pour it away.

I should have poured it away...

Interestingly, even one glass made me feel tipsy and then, an hour later, groggy and depressed. It has shocked me that I normally drink loads more than that and I fall into bed... pass out... then wake in the early hours, feeling dehydrated and anxious...

Snap, Hamster. Years and years of that.....

Mille - same here... too many years...

Hi hamster mille and day2 sounds like you are all determined to do this!

Welcome to you all.

Being here and posting could be part of your new life. It can be glorious.