The Sober Squad- Alcohol Free Living
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Hi. Everyone. Working at being self disciplined in many areas. Also making sure I have fun planned in. You all I working hard I see and not giving up. Me, either. I love all the recent new ideas since I checked in last. Keep going. I believe alcoholism is progressive even if you take breaks of it. I have heard a lot of stories on blackouts lately. One lady was arrested and came out of the blackout to find she was in a jail cell in handcuffs, not knowing if she had killed someone driving or what.4
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RubyRed427 wrote: »@RubyRed427 Its been a long time since I have felt the pull to have a drink and I am not as regimented as I was in the beginning, but I found planning early morning exercise or projects helped me forego the drinks in the evening. I started running in my 60s and my 7 AM runs mandated no drinks the night before. We vacation in Florida and I am in the pool swimming laps for an hour every morning when it opens at 7 and then I run. As a 70s plus I am too tired at night to drink
Generally my point if you have something you do every morning a fitness tape a run an early aerobics class it helps you forego the drinks the night before.
I just turned 72 and a good friend who considers himself a moderate drinker asked me " what would you give up to have an occasional drink?" I wouldn't give up my health my running or swimming my check ups where my Drs come in and say everything is good. I have prioritized my life and alcohol just didn't make the list as things to do. You are considerately younger than I am and my only regret is having waited till I was 60 to regain my life.
You can do this and your counselor is right if you are doing great 85% of time focus on that and not the 15% of the time you might have a slip
My counselor says the same thing.. arrange something that I will look forward to the next day and drinking won't fit in with that goal. I email the counselor every day and she always responds. I also have been writing down five things I'm grateful for every day. I like when you said you prioritized your life.
Yep,I always try to plan something happy even if it's a marathon of my fave show🤷 buying myself a small treat things like that,hubs and I were talking about addiction last night and I told him you hafta be happy just "being" and be happy with your own company,it took me a looooong time to get to that,idle time used to make me so darn edgy I'd drink to avoid it, Loraine I bought some blackstrap mollasses supposed to be good,I also wish Peri would pass so I wouldn't have the heavy bleeds to deal with 😤 I think that would help alot,have a nice day all💗3 -
salleewins wrote: »It's awful Lorraine, even now it's TOM and I just feel drained, I have a doc appointment on Tuesday I wonder what they're gonna say, I feel tons of resentment toward them cuz I've been dealing with these symptoms for years but when I'd ask for tests they'd only run a basic panel, it took me going to an independent lab for allergy tests and I decided to get my ferritin level tested on my own cuz I just knew something wasn't right, I just shouldn't feel too exhausted to cook dinner some days, anyways ferritin is at an 8 which is very low, anyhoo I always blamed my fatigue on drinking and kept thinking the longer I stay sober the better if feel, nope, I often wonder if the drinking made my iron low, cuz I know it strips everything out especially with the digestion problems it causes me, 6:39 am in Vegas another 24 💖 hope everyone is doing well!
Drinking has made my iron on the low side. Drinking strips the b vitamins and I believe we need B12 to help with the iron levels. Also B12 helps with the energy. I have started taking iron every day with the B's. The same thing happens at my Dr's.They neglect & forget many things. I really have even wanting someone new. Maybe you, too as we have to watch the resentments? I have learned that I can't afford a resentment or lingering anger as the average person.
I don't have insurance so I go to the Native American clinic we have available as tribal members and while I'm grateful to at least have that I know their budget is small and I also know that alot of them are P.A's so I'm sure they do the best they can,I should have been more involved in my previous lab panels but tbh I was still drinking here and there last time and I just was wondering about my liver mostly not much else🙄4 -
Day 6 AF - sleeping much better now and feeling much better in the morning as well.
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Hi Guys, I hope everyone is well. I have decided to make an appointment with a dietitian to come up with a plan to get rid of my extra weight and bring down my cholesterol. In preparation for our meeting, she asked me to keep a food diary. Well that alone is motivating me to eat well and not drink. However, I DID have wine yesterday on Valentine's Day...was not worth it as usual....crazy pounding heart in the middle of the night, dry mouth etc. It's such a terrible habit and addiction really. I'm so proud and envious of those of you that have really kicked alcohol's butt for good. I'm still struggling with it but I really hope having to be accountable to someone else (the dietitian) will help.10
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Thanks Jen for your post........again, I use these post as a guide for continuing not to drink.........when you said that you had "pounding in the night, dry mouth", ...........it sure gives me a wake up call........ That was me 2 years ago and it feels like yesterday that I experienced those things, when I read your post. ;It triggered me to stay on my track. Its really, really comforting and reassuring.........just keep focused, it will happen.
thanks for your honesty, it helps me big time...............best wishes, Lloyd7 -
So, I don't know exactly what I'm "replying" to.. idk how to start a new discussion, & don't really want to. I've been quietly following this thread for a few months. All while NOT being alcohol free, but still using it as a "check in" of sorts.. if anything, at least to MFP. I read it to see what everyone else is going through, & for inspiration, insight, & advice.
This past Saturday, with the help of some 115% gin, I fell & broke 3 bones in my ankle in 4 different places. I had surgery on Tuesday. Now, of course, i have had many wake up calls in the past few years, & I've ignored them. I've learned there is no magical time to decide..it's just when you finally do for yourself. This is my time, finally. I know it. I am laid up at my parent's house recovering, but when I do get home. It will be different. I didn't go out. I was a drink at home person. I'll no longer keep alcohol in my house. Also, I have a work friend who is 5 months into meetings. When I am more mobile, I will go check those out with her. Idk that I'll be completely AF forever.. I go out to eat MAYBE 3 or 4 times a year. & I'd like to think that a couple of those times, I'd like to enjoy a good dark beer with dinner. (I'm really a booze drinker) Maybe I will, & maybe not. I just know that my eyes are finally open, & I'm exhausted with "living" in this way. I appreciate y'all listening to me ramble. I'm so glad you're here.
Today is 6 days AF. Have to start somewhere, right?!!14 -
Welcome, @stephanne13. I hope you recover from your injury soon. Please continue to check in with us and let us know how you are doing. My mother broke her ankle in 3 places a few years ago and I remember it was a real ordeal for her. I feel for you!4
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@lloydrt Thank you for your kind comments. I appreciate them.4
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Hi Friends, I am checking in to say hello. I love reading your honest posts. I bought a house on Valentine's Day. It's a cute little ranch, and I am excited. I will be living next door to one of my cousins. That's a big coincidence. I saw the house on Zillow but didn't know it was next door to him. Anyway, you probably remember many of my cousins are good people but alcoholics like me.
My sister called to congratulate me. She did offer a piece of advice, because she lives on the next street. She said when she moved into her home, my cousin would walk over and want to chat and have some beer. She said to be aware of that. I said well since my house rules will be and are currently "no alcohol stored in my home", he won't be having a beer at my house.
I also reflected how I used to do the same thing. I knew my friend, a fellow wino, would drink in the evenings. And I would go for a walk and on my way back, I would stop by to say hello. All with the intentions of having some wine and yes, conversation. But people like me do that. Always have alcohol on the brain- searching for a fix.5 -
@stephanne13 That is so awful. I'm sorry to hear how you fell and are injured. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. xo5
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Thank you, RR.
Is everyone all right? Seems to have been extra quiet these past couple of days..4 -
Loved that i found this post... been alcohol free for 150 days today ! Found it so hard as drunk (heavy) every single day ... ive been seeing a counsellor and im actually seeing life without alcohol more clearer ... my brain still has its mishaps thinking i can handle just one drink... but im a all or nothing .. so all my energy is going into my calorie counting and controlling life in another direction !11
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HI ALL I was away dog sitting this week and didn't come onto MFP the entire week!! It's like I had giant brain fart and the wheels fell off the cart...can I blame it on menopause and the sketchy memory syndrome? It's nice see new & old faces and great comments, but it seems like it has been fairly quiet here all week.
@stephanne13 Yikes, Terrible injury....like you said a "wake-up call." Hope you can get the support you need here...lots of good references to articles, videos etc that has really helped me to fight the fine fight. In 3 more months I'll be 2 years AF and it feels like this is just my life now. The first 6 months was the worst for me and then after a year, it has become really normal. I really like not drinking. I should say, I like not "problem drinking." If I could drink I would, but I can't LOL (I think that was a Craig Ferguson line from his blurb about his alcohol problem) I have a definite problem with it & I never want to forget that. I hope you find what works for you.4 -
Kimberleyb81 wrote: »Loved that i found this post... been alcohol free for 150 days today ! Found it so hard as drunk (heavy) every single day ... ive been seeing a counsellor and im actually seeing life without alcohol more clearer ... my brain still has its mishaps thinking i can handle just one drink... but im a all or nothing .. so all my energy is going into my calorie counting and controlling life in another direction !
Congratulations of 150 days AF ~ I'm all or nothing also & I know there are others here can relate to that. I can also relate to the daily drinking habit for too many years. I'm glad you are getting some therapy around your drinking issue. It sounds like you're doing great. This thread is a great resource and I really hope you continue to share your ups & downs with us.2 -
@RubyRed427 Congrats on the new digs...I'm excited for you!!2
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@JenT304 I hope the dietician is the motivator you are looking for...it's such a struggle trying to get a handle on the weight thing...I do really good and then I fall off the wagon for a bit then on then off...I drive myself crazy!!! BUT we are still fighting to get control and that's what counts...keep us posted on your progress.4
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@lloydrt Your comments are always so encouraging...and yes, honesty is the best policy and I too really appreciate the honesty here, because we are here for each other and the only way that will work is if we are real with ourselves and with each other.
OK, I'm done now...enough from moi LOL4 -
So happy for you @RubyRed427 on the house purchase. Hope all is well with all of you!3
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