donimfp Member

True! It wasn’t until my recent thankfully brief relapse that I really realized how awful hangovers are. I think they had just become my normal way of being for so long I didn’t really think about them. But after 185 days sober the hangovers clobbered me. Y’all they are gross! The thought of another hangover is probably my…

@whitpauly, so glad to see you, and again, I'm sorry for the loss of your sister. Obviously we've missed you. The sad "goings-on" in the world tripped me up in early January, but I'm back on my sober, if wobbly, feet. I know you'll be successful in getting back to whatever you're comfortable with. I don't know about you,…

@FeelinFooFoo, I'm so glad you were able to get the vaccine, and I hope you have minimal to no side effects. Our slow rollout is pretty frustrating. I'm 65 now, a teacher, and work in an incarceration facility. You'd think I'd have the vaccine, but we're not even close in my county. Oh well. I guess it will show up…

@FeelinFooFoo, sending a virtual parade your way! 90 days is fabulous! Very nice list of benefits. It sounds like sobriety suits you. Of course, it suits everyone, but your joy at being sober is so apparent. Great job!!!!

I'm re-doing the Sober School class on my own (using the materials we have permanent access to). In one of the readings today, Kate said the following: "Alcohol is really just a stress delayer. That same stress will come and tap you on the shoulder at 4am, when you're hungover and tired and therefore even less capable of…

My good friend and next-door-neighbor who is 7 years sober said during these last weeks she has had to fight cravings like she hasn't in years. I firmly don't believe we are doomed to a lifetime of daily battles. If I thought that, I think I might just go ahead and drink. However, it is enlightening to learn that those…

@RubyRed427, you are a rock star!! I've been doing really well. Day 10 since nightmare relapse. Oddly enough, my biggest temptation came tonight (last night now) when I was watching the wonderful Masterpiece Theatre "All Creatures Great and Small" (a great stress reliever in these troubled times, along with the preceding…

Every one of these looks good! I'm going to try the Moscow Mule today. Thanks for the link!

That is so awesome Foo Foo! I agree on the cost benefit of a course that is working for you. I don’t know how Sexy Sobriety works but after taking the Sober School course we have lifetime access to the course. I’m doing it over right now. I started Monday so today was Day 4 of the 42-day course. To my surprise when I went…

Here's a link to some NA drinks I received in my inbox. Don't know if they will be of interest, but I might try one or two. @JenT304, you are so right. Just a couple days drinking made my first couple days sober very difficult. Luckily, I feel like I'm settling back into my regular alcohol-free pattern without too much…

No worries. I'm glad you didn't hit delete. It was a good learning experience for me. As I said . . . person for whom perceived weakness pushes buttons meets person for whom perceived bullying pushes buttons equals perfect storm. I think there may be a Lifetime movie in this. I'm an aspiring screenwriter so who knows?…

wiigelec, you and I are the perfect storm. We all have our pasts, our stories. Imagine a little girl with an abusive father who screamed at her and would not tolerate any signs of "weakness" (aka, sincere fear or sadness or uncertainty) or indeed anything short of perfection, straight A's, graduate degrees, etc. Imagine…

I commiserate on the sleep issues. But the silver lining is that when I go to work after getting only a few hours of sleep, at least I'm not hungover. That makes SUCH a difference. I'm back at work today for the first time since mid-December since some of our kids had COVID over the break. For the first time, I got up…

@wiigelec, a wise person once said that if two people agree on everything, one of them isn't necessary. Obviously both you and I are necessary. We agree that sobriety is important. As @JenT304 said, I don't think you should have presumed as much as you did regarding my motives or what I needed to be schooled on. However,…

I only have a few things to say. 1.The word "love" is ironic in this context. 2. Call me crazy, but being "slapped around" is not what most of us, certainly not me, need right now (or ever). 3. Explaining under what circumstances I caved and drank (and which I have clearly blamed myself for) is in no way "justifying"…

I’m not passing responsibility to anyone but myself. Good Lord.

@mainelylisa, I’m a Dateline junkie. Love Keith Morrison’s spooky voice. Nerd fun fact: he’s Matthew Perry’s stepfather. But I can’t imagine watching it in the middle of the night. I fessed up to my next door neighbor and friend who was 7 years sober in December. She’s so compassionate and is making me a list of meditation…

Yeah, unfortunately I don't think "they" are exaggerating the bleakness this time. It would be hard to. But still, watching it is not helpful. Tonight I've been rereading The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober (Catherine Gray), and it's reinforcing how good I feel when I'm not drinking. I skimmed through the first part of the…

Here's a link to the podcast where Dax Shepard talks about his relapse after 16 years. Somebody may have already posted it, but I don't remember seeing it. https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/day-7

I have no way of verifying this, but I have a feeling that the extreme sadness I'm feeling about the week's events would not be so extreme if I hadn't put that poison into my system. I know extreme events can create extreme emotions, but I still think the alcohol (as we all know, a depressant) is making it worse. Not that…

I know many people worldwide have struggled with mental health issues during this bizarre pandemic. I've felt grateful that I used 2020 to get sober and lose weight. But Wednesday's events have really messed with my head. A lot. I'm not sure what to do, but I think extreme self care is called for. That's all. At least the…

Yeah @RubyRed427, I’ve flirted with “a little “ too. I am in so much pain right now. A little isn’t worth it. And I have no idea how that once-a-year drinker Foo Foo describes finds that helpful. I don’t ever want to experience this again.

One silver lining of my indulgence is that I'm reminded of how absolutely crappy drinking makes me feel for a few days afterward. Of course even at my worst I didn't stay up until 3 or 4 a.m. drinking!! But ugh--nausea, headache, bloaty face . . . not pretty. Still, I AM feeling cravings like I hadn't in months. For me…

Thanks all you lovely people. @RubyRed427 the nod to Dax Shepard is just what I needed. I've been binge-watching The Good Place to stay halfway sane (Never saw it before now). In the episode I saw last night he showed up in a cameo on his wife's show. And yes, I've had great compassion for him and will try to spread some…

Oh, and that’s why I’m keeping the count at 186 instead of 1. It’s 186 days of the journey. Not 186 of sobriety (now).

@lorrainequiche59 thank you. I am devastated right now. How foolish to think I had this thing licked.

Quick post. Yesterday was 6 months. Yesterday our president incited terrorists. Yesterday I drank. Today I’m very depressed. Didn’t want to post but think I need to. I guess I drank “today “ too because I drank at 3 am when I stayed up praying to witness Congress doing the right thing. Crap. Now we’ll see if I can rebound.…

I liked Holly Whitaker's suggestion to be aware of things you (you PERSONALLY) can't f*** with. She listed hers, with alcohol being first and foremost. Then she listed things she CAN f*** with without destroying her health or her soul, things that aren't necessarily good for you but that don't send her into that kind of…

@RubyRed427, I hate to hear of such a sad case as your cousin. Remember I wrote about my extremely similar brother-in-law? I just learned he’s been sober almost a year! I don’t know any details but I suspect there was finally some loss he found worth fighting for. Your cousin says he’d choose death over sobriety. That’s a…

OMG I just discovered a completely alcohol free vodka. At Beyond Spirits. It’s not cheap! But I ordered a bottle to try it. A truly AF. martini as a splurge would be so nice (If it tastes good). And their drinks are truly 0%, not .5 or something.