Alcohol Free Days (part 2)

[Neil_1]

Hi folks

April is fast approaching and as a result of the start of a new month I'm going to get off the grog again.  Made it through in February - just that little bit tougher in April though - cause there's a couple more days to get through!!  🙂

If any Beyond Blue poster/community member who reckons they'd like to give this challenge a go with me, I'd LOVE to hear from you on this thread - it'll all commence on Tuesday, so prior to then whoever is interested in trying this, just make sure you've got no more alky-hole in your home cause that'll remove any temptation.  Just a first tip I guess.

No dramas at all if there's no-one, but I just thought I'd put this out there for anyone who is thinking that now might be a good time to have a bit of a 'dry-out'.

ALSO, if any one "does" come on board, again absolutely no dramas if you drop off at some stage.  It's the process of giving it a go is the main thing.

Cheers beers (for a couple more days anyway!)  🙂

Neil

[geoff]

dear Vera, what you say ' I am at some sort of a crossroad', is it like 'a black spot' that we see on dangerous roads, where we take take the risk and go through, or do we approach with caution knowing that either direction is unsafe, or are we sucked into this void again, our mind says NO WAIT we have to have think about this, and when we can say this then our mind is beginning to rationalise all situations, something that depression never allows us to do.

dear White Rose, any other types of additions excluding those that seem to be the typical ones as you mention, to me I take as not going to a particular shopping centre for reasons which only the person can decide on, because they somehow feel as though they feel uncomfortable, nervous or even threatened, by meeting people they don't want to see, or maybe where a dress which may make them stand out so it draws attention to them, if this is the case then OCD is involved. L Geoff. x

[CrashCoyote]

Hi Vera, 

Good on you being DOG free, too. It cannot be a bad thing!

I read your comments on mental illness. I was a NSW police officer for thirty years and can tell you that training on mental health issues is minimal. I was lucky enough to never have shot anyone but I have been threatened by a lot of people with knives and had to either talk or fight my way out of being stabbed.

One thing I often found is that the meds some people are on make them so nauseous they just avoid taking them. Then they display the behaviours the meds were controlling and knives are pulled on family members and it is on again.

I can sell snow to Eskimo's but for police that struggle with negotiation it is easy to see how things get out of hand. The last person I arrested at gunpoint was the same age as my eldest boy (17 at the time) and he was pointing a replica pistol at me. It is a tricky business and capsicum spray and taser weapons can be of use but they are not a panacea for shooting incidents.

It is a very complex issue but I share your despair for the mentally ill. Like indigenous people, they have the poorest access to everything.

Regards, John.

[Vera55]

Yes John. What you experienced is indeed a very complex area. I have a bit of a perspective on these issues but not for a moment would I assume I knew what it was like to be in a dangerous situation and have to make lightening decisions. 

Policing as you know has changed quite a lot but in many ways its still stuck in the past. Trying to deal with new and increasing society pressures to be more than its original role intended such as - first point of call for a mentally sick person, new drugs such as ice, community liaison etc stretches anyone's abilities. But when you are 20 or so what do you know? We now know that male brains are still developing at 25. 

And policing is so subject to any new politician wanting airplay and 'being tough on crime' how about being tough on training? Mmmm. It hasn't the same ring to it does it? 

Geoff, when I talked about being at crossroads I am exploring new ways of managing this illness and wanting to take a different turn. I am working on and learning about how thoughts form, how do emotions surface, how do I make my condition worse by engaging in stories I tell myself. Although I have had therapy for over 30 years I am only now beginning to understand the role of thoughts in our illness. In my illness at least.

You are right White rose. I am a shocker for addictions and obsessive behaviours. But I don't think they are the real thing because I think they are bad habits I form out of habit so to speak. I only need to do one thing once and off I go thinking this is the answer to all my problems. Exhausting I can tell you. 

Like you all I too get a lot out of reading everyone's posts. V.

[CrashCoyote]

Still sober................

[Vera55]

Yes me too! Good on us. 

Today it's drizzly here so all I wanted to do was to curl up inside and obliviate (is that a word?) myself with a nice cold bottle of prosecco but I stayed outside and got wet instead. Took my mind off things I can tell you. 

[Neil_1]

To Dear John and Vera,

Bloody oath you should be saying "Good on us", because you're going terrific.

I won't be making any more ludicrous statements at this point in time for when I'm to get off it again.  I feel a little ashamed to be even writing here now, but I'll get over it.

I do just want to say 'well done' to you both - but having said that, it has to be something that you have both wanted to do - cause as we know, no-one can force anyone to do anything.  So I'm pleased that you're doing this for your own selves and your own reasons.

Obliviate?    memory charm or spell in the Harry Potter books that makes one forget.  🙂   🙂   There you go, I learnt something today.

[Vera55]

Hello Neil, nice to hear com you. Apart from John and me It's been a bit quiet here. Thank you for your support.

you are totally right regarding your comments about drinking. In the scheme of all the things we have to manage consciously it is no wonder we look for respites from the overloaded brain. And alcohol is just one way. Neither bad or good just is.

never read Harry potter. It's interesting how our subconscious picks things up, stores it and voila! One day it decides to use a word that is not part of my normal reportoir. I love words.  Just been reading psyche site and exploring what forms thoughts and a word was used -quotidian. Gorgeous isn't it.

I hope we are all having an ok day. V.

[CrashCoyote]

Hi everyone,

I have to confess to having a glass and a half of wine tonight. Why a glass and a half? That's all that was in the bottle that has been sitting in the fridge for weeks. (I'm normally a spirits drinker.)The bottle-O is a two minute drive away but I'm not going there. It seems my laziness eclipses my desire to drink.

No excuses. Just checking emails, listening to jazz and wanted a glass. Back on tomorrow!

Vera, I don't remember which female M.P. did it, but as a dare she promised to get the word "poess" (which is not a word) into Hansard. She used it in a speech in the N.S.W. Lower House, saying that something or other "was just pure poess". The funniest part was all her colleagues muttering "hear hear" after the sentence.

I agree this post has been quiet but it is a tough thing this abstinence stuff. Any night off the booze that any of us wouldn't normally have is great. This is my first drink in 12 days and it won't be enough to get blotto. I need to watch out that I don't start drinking at a normal level or my reputation as a high functioning alcoholic is at risk.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Kind regards, John.

[Vera55]

Oh the pressure on me now! 

I love that. Poess. How clever. When I was studying I just made up a word as I went along and often no one noticed. It just shows how self attentive we are.

not sure who it was that interviewed people in the street with a banana and many people just talked to it oblivious that it was a banana. Too funny.

the only reason I am not drinking at the moment is because I am struggling with making some decisions that I don't want to sidetrack myself from.

i am dissatisfied with things and I don't want to make decisions based on a whim, or a misguided sense of reality. I live in a large house with a big garden and although downsizing is an option, prices of smaller places are similar to my large house. Although it sounds grand, prices here are a lot lower than in urban areas. 

So some days I love the garden and some days it's a hassle. I like to travel around Australia  and have done many trips so I thought if I bought something smaller I could buy a really nice van, lock up and go. (My shoulders just experienced a letting go).

its really hard to trust the process and the vagueness because I think I need to have clarity before undertaking things. But I think that's misguided. I think I might do better to trust the process then focusing on trying to make a right decision. Because we all know there are no guarantees. arghhhh. The frustration of ambiguity.

why is it always harder to take ones own advice as compared to dispensing it? 

[scorch]

I have been fairly quiet here lately.

I still haven't touched a drop, although I've reached for the whiskey a few times lately.  I stop myself and have a glass of milk or cup of tea instead.  My husband and I are going to a costume party tomorrow where we will only know the hosts.  I'm really nervous about parties and crowds of people at the best of times - so how I'll get through it without partaking of the grog I don't know.

And here's a random tidbit that I've noticed during my AFDs.  I've been craving cigarettes again.  I haven't smoked in 6 years, but as all ex-smokers know sometimes out of the blue you'll get the urge to have a ciggie.  Well, without the alcohol in my system I've been craving a smoke a lot more often.  Funny how our brains work, wanting to replace one thing for another.