I consider withdrawals to be the devil

Hi, what a brilliant idea, helping others who are often in terrible situations and poor health...it must mean a great deal to them...a hot meal and more importantly acceptance....I should imagine EVERY SINGLE one of them never imagined it could happen to them....it is terribly sad, they lose everything, and some have no hope left....God bless to them...and bless you for that wonderful idea....sincere regards to you ..DEIRDRE xxx

This is a sweet idea.

They also have AA marathons in buildings where people have no where to go on Christmas...people bring food and talk and they have meetings every hour (45 min meetings) around here.....from 12 - 12.

I personally struggle with helping the homeless...I want to bring everyone home and save them.

I ATE a real meal today...chicken dinner.  And I enjoyed it....it's been a long time....since I've been able to eat and enjoy it.

cornbeef...Day 1....is SO tough....and Day 2..(im sorry) was worse for me....but everyone is different like you say and if you are already taking the vitamins...you may have a better time of it.

Drink lots of other fluids if you CAN....sports drinks especially to replace your electrolytes.

You asked when I stopped thinking about the drink....by Day 4 morning (I used to start in the morning)...I was SO grateful I had made it that far....I just was feeling better and wanted to continue to feel better.

You have to realize that you can NOT drink or you will never feel "good". To distract myself...I started a pad and writting down things I am grateful for...I made myself think of 5 things every night.  Maybe you can start that at night?

Rest as much as you can....realize that nothing else is more important right now than YOU and YOU taking care of yourself.  I had people around me wanting me to participate in life as soon as I was sober on Day 1 and Day 2...and I just COULDNT....I had to tell them..that they didn't understand and in order for my life to get better...I had to stay in my pajamas...eat and drink as little as I could..rebuild my strength..and then I could participate.

Here on Day 8..I am still having some stomach issues....my stomach is not used to food so everytime I eat..I get yucky cramps and feel like I need the toilet...but I do know that if I keep going slow with what I am eating...in a day or two more I will be back to normal.

Its normal to continuiously think about drinking because it was such a habit for you...but when you do think of it...redirect your thoughts as soon as you can TO....I'm NOT drinking because I  don't ever want to go thru these crazy thoughts and feelings ever again.  Life gets better...yes I do know that from the 8 years....Its freeing to not be dependent on a drink.  Then I quit cigs for a year last time....that is my next goal.

But, one day at a time.  I hope you make it thru the withdrawal without picking up...it is VERY hard to avoid a drink when you feel so crappy.  But you will feel better by Day 3.

 

HI Cornbeef. Good replies to you. Let us know how today is gong for you. Perhaps a BIG breakfast and super nice juice, smoothie or whatever you fancy. Treat yourself since you can afford as you a saving money by not drinking. We all support you and we are ready to give advice since most of us have been through what you are ong through and it is NOT easy but will improve gradually. You should feel proud of yourself.

I've bought myself a soup maker with money I saved from not buying alcohol! Great investment and only takes 20 mins. I've found that fresh soup really helps. I start with smooth for a couple of days then set it to chunky. When I don't eat for days, or I've lost my appetite it's amazing how much better I feel after a bowl of homemade soup. Yes, sometimes I've literally had to force myself to get it down me, but as RHGB says atleast you're getting some solids into you're body, along with all the nutrients from fresh vegetables and in my case helps me to sleep a bit better.

Two weeks ago I was lying in bed with a bottle of vodka and had eaten nothing at all for three days. Today I've been out for lunch and ate the biggest lamb shank I've ever seen, let alone eating it!. I'm now on day15 without any alcohol and just had Perrier water with my meal. My husband asked me if he could have a drink and wine with his meal which he did and it didn't bother me at all. 

Best thing to do, let your other half carry on. No need to spoil they enjoyment or inflict your regime on you and it will make for a happier relationship, my wife drinks and has asked if it bothers me, to which I say no.

I do try and tell her to calm it down a bit, to which she says, you're a fine one to talk, to which I say, yes I am, you can see first hand what happens to people who abuse alcohol, do you want to end up like me?

You're going to be confronted by alcohol throughout your life, you cannot hide away forever from it, you just need to find a reason to ignore it.

That post was a general comment, not aimed at you vickylou.

looking better now. keep going! no booze 2 weeks is good.

Thank you robin and RHGB, good to know what there's some one somewhere looking out for me

Vicky you must feel awesome by now!! Be careful.. How do you feel? So proud of you even thou I dont know you! It's so nice to have this web page..and people like you...glad you enjoyed the lamb...its awesome to eat isn't it? Normal people take it TOTALLY for granted...eating...I'm serious.. I even did...last time I was in hospital.... They said Pancreatitis and wouldn't give me food..I was starving... Hadn't eaten in 27 days that time. Also you must look better!! I love that part...that is the part that bothers me the most...don't want to die looking like THAT

Write!!!!!!!!

Yes paper fairy write 😄😄 xx

I doooooooooo not believe it (victor meldrew) the same thing has happened to me, I've just written a long post , clicked on reply and my post vanished

It's so annoying isn't it? Happened to me a few times. Last night I had to give up as I was ready to throw my iPad !!! Can't even remember what words of wisdom I wrote..haha!

Went out on my own today for the first time in 2 n half months. As I've said before I've become a recluse( either drinking or trying to get well again. I've been out with mum or dad but not on my own(to Drs or addaction or to see an old aunt)!! How sad is that?

Anyway I'm fine and hope all you are too xx

Paper fairy if that's sad, then let's be sad together! I went to derby to meet a friend for lunch and catch up last Wednesday, having made all sorts of excuses as I'd either been drinking, or couldn't be bothered to get out of bed, and worse case scenario made an arrangement to meet another friend when I was drunk and i couldn't remember arranging anything. I only knew when she txt me to see where I was, which totally freaked me out. However I made myself go last week and my anxiety is getting better each day.

My first grandchild was born 3 weeks today and I want to be involved and help out with him. I had him for the afternoon on my own whilst his mum went to the hairdressers. He's only 5 lb and as I sat there giving him his bottle, i knew if I go on a bender again I'll never get a second chance to have him again. My son, quite rightly, has told me bluntly, that he'd rather pay for him to go to nursery than have me looking after him. What bigger incentive do I need? Strong words but no matter how crap or anxious I feel I WONT GO OFF THE RAILS AGAIN AND LOOSE MY GRANDSON.

Day 15 and what an evening I've had. A heated debate about what actually is an alcoholic. We went to a friend's bonfire party and I knew there would be loads of booze there. I took my own cranberry fizz minus alcohol, and I found it fascinating watching people change the more alcohol they had. One 'friend' asked me what I was drinking, told her and she kept going on telling me to lighten up and stop being boring. Someone else said just because you're a granny, you don't need to act like one.

red flag to a bull I'm afraid. I had all my excuses planned beforehand, then thought why the hell should I lie about being on strong antibiotics when the truth is I know I've been drinking too much which is what I told them.

people have a stereotype of what constitutes an alcoholic which all came out tonight which strangely I found funny. Someone actually said an alcoholic is a person who lives on the streets or shop doorways with a bottle of strong cider asking people for money, can you believe that coming from a person well qualified and in a highly paid job. The more they drank the more stupid they became. I'd say half of the people there who I've known for years have a problem with alcohol.

There was someone there who I've known for a while has a drink problem, really p*ssed me off by saying she will look out for me walking past the winos  in town. I'm sorry to say I replied "well at least I'm upfront about it, you drink wine in the morning in a mug, whiskey you pretend is apple juice, and an empty water bottle filled with vodka in your handbag. She went as white as a sheet and her husband said how do you know that, it certainly explains a lot of things, I just said "you can't kid a kidder, been there, done that got the t.shirt etc then we left! What a lovely party lol!

 

Don't know why my post needs to be moderated will pm you with what I said

If you put a link in your thread, it automatically goes to moderation, annoying, I know. You think after we had posted a certain amount of times/ been on the forum, we'd be trusted not to spam.

I didn't put any links. I just described what should have been a fun bonfire party. I got ridiculed for taking my own non alcoholic drink. Told I was boring and just because I'd just become a granny there was no need to act like one.

it was fascinating watching people changing the more alcohol they had. I had planned to say I couldn't drink as I was on antibiotics, but then decided to say will you stop pestering me about drinking, I've decided I'm drinking too much and need to deal with problems in a different way.

someone I know definitely has a serious drink problem said she would look out for me with the winos in town. Then there was a heated debate over what constitutes an alcoholic. One person, a professional in a highly paid job actually said an alcoholic was someone who lives on the streets and drinks cheap cider and asks people for money. Can you believe such s stereotypical view. Alcohol has no class system it can effect rich, poor anyone. I assumed people knew that.

i just burst out laughing and asked him what planet he was on and I'm sorry to say i retaliated by saying at least I'm upfront and admit I've been drinking too much, unlike your wife here who drinks wine in the morning in a mug, pretends whisky is Apple juice and always has an empty water bottle filled with vodka in her handbag. She went as white as a sheet and he grabbed her bag and pulled out the vodka bottle. He asked me how I knew and I just said you can't kid a kidder, I've been there and got the t.shirt and then we left. Once home I apologised to my husband who said you don't need to apologise for anything. He said he was about to step in and take over, but then said I was doing such a good job on my own and that he was so proud of me and that I had nothing to be sorry or ashamed about.

Jo Vicku Lou. What a bunch of idiots. You certaindly defended yourself extremely well and being honest with them is great. Vodka in handbag incident is great and good that your husband is supporting you! Keep going!

Oh my god....I so remember the vodka in the pop bottle...that was when I was able to crawl out of the door...!! And never on my own...unless I had run out of alcohol....then the sheer panic of having to walk just down the rd...in the shop..they got the bottles down without me even having to ask...it was such a miserable and shameful existence.....

I lost ten YRS of my life...but.....much, much, MUCH More importantly......MY FAMILY LOST TEN YRS.OF ME...

You can do it...and we all need to for our sanity and peace of mind....we are still the people we were before we started on self destruct...you are all in my heart..I feel for every single one of us who is still struggling...we are all good people and worth all the help and support that we may receive.....big warm hugs to all on here...never give up......giving up...Deirdre xxxxx

What you might be struggling a little with here, is self image, not to be confused with self esteem. Self esteem is how you feel inside, whether you feel good or bad in simplistic terms.

Self image, is how you see others, see you, i.e. how you think your peers view you. Self image can either be a correct analysis or wildly off the mark. Do not view how others see you, be concerned with your welfare, their opinion, except for very close family/friends who are concerned for you, the others opinions counts for nothing.

Yea...good job and who cares what anyone thinks? Especially those still fighting the battle (although they might not share THAT With you)....They will wake up with a hangover...and you get to wake up refreshed and READY for whatever comes your way.

Remember waking up not being ready for anything but a drink? You don't need that and neither do any of us.