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

[Jo3]

Hi John

I have replied to you but it's not on yet. Just letting you know that I have replied and hopefully it will be on soon. If not I will reply to you again.

But if you read my posts under Depression you see where I am hurting. And right now it's all too much.

Jo

[Neil_1]

Hi Jo

You're not hi-jacking at all.   This post was for Alcohol Free Days for the month of April, but that's now pretty much run its course.

So I think it's actually now a good pozzie to unload a little - somewhere else, and as John asked, as he's not familiar with your story, it was really good that you gave an account of what's been happening for you.

Also, in the same context, I'd be interested to hear a bit more of John's story - excuse me John, if you have posted it elsewhere - but may I ask, is it due to you being a policeman for 30 years and some of the experiences you would have had to cope with - things that would most probably burn into the memory bank.

John, yep, Jo has been doing it extremely tough for a long while now - however, she also needs to share with you that she has created a beautiful family of her own (and her hubby's).  Children in their early 20's and in their late teens - 3 of them and for me, this is a massive achievement - something really positive.  And as she mentioned about the unfortunate relationship that her mother persists to be towards her, I know this is absolutely awful for Jo - and I couldn't imagine what that would be like.  But out of this terrible negative, Jo is not making the same mistake with her family - so yes, we've got a very bad negative, but also drawing a positive out of it. 

Jo's still got a lot of healing to get through, but she knows she's got a huge supporter base here - and her own private "Jo Fan Club" on here - we're right with her every step of the way.

Cheers

Neil

[Jo3]

Neil my friend

I am so appreciative of your kind words about me. I don't feel positive; i don't feel like a fantastic mum, wife.

Gosh, a fan club for me - no not me.  I am crying not because of what you've written but i feel that i know you and all the other beautiful people so much, i feel that you know so much about me and you guys mean more to me than my own parents.Because you care about me, you are by my side while i am struggling so much but sometimes I feel that i don't need all this support because i feel that i don't deserve it. I'm just hurting so much.

I'm sorry Neil, i just need time out, wish i could run away, hide but i can't - i can't do that to my children. I don't see many positives in my life at the moment.

But Neil, thanks for your kind words, i feel so amazed at all the help you have given me even while you are struggling.

Pls take care and thanks for sticking by me while i am hurting

Jo

[CrashCoyote]

Hi Jo,

I have read your posts. I really feel for you. I have a good friend that I spent time in rehab with. She told me that, as a teenager, she had been sexually assaulted over a period of three days. Absolutely horrible. Then she married one of her attackers, because he was the "nice" one that unchained her to use the toilet and brought her food. She still struggles to this day. I am telling you this because, as a man, I cannot really empathise with you, but I can try to understand.

Neil, my friend, in answer to you message, I have started a thread on the Depression notice board. "Depression - Is it chronic?" I fancy myself the comedian at times. It tells my story in so many words.

Kind regards,

John.

[Neil_1]

You know Jo - Mares wrote a post to you on the depression forum under your thread and in it she said:  "My tormentors have taken so much from me and my life, that I am now not going to let them take any more by me worrying and stressing about what they did.  Even though it hurts like hell, I'm going to do my best to move forward and create a new life without having to live through the hell that they gave me".

Now she may not have written ALL of that - you know me, I tend to get very excited when I'm in front of a keyboard - but without a doubt, Mares did write the first part and then maybe I got carried away with a bit of poetic licence, BUT the gist of it all is still the same.

Those animals who abused and tortured you when you were young, they've taken so much from you and provided you with so many horrible memories.  But Mares has suggested for herself that she is going to do her best to stop her mind tormenting her as she tries to move on with her life.

Now Jo - these are just words that I'm writing and to say to you "put this all behind you and move on" is an absolute joke on my behalf.  All I was trying here was to recreate those words that Mares wrote, from someone who's been through similar abuse to yourself.

You know putting these animals behind bars would be a great result, but that's a whole 'nother issue eh.

Kind regards

Neil

[fuschia]

Unfortunatley I don't have anything helpful to say or any advice.

I wanted to post because it's been 1 week since I joined and I am seriously getting so much by reading all your guys threads. I seriously thought in my head I was the only one in this world feeling the pain I feel but I now know I am not alone.

I seriously doubt I'd still be breathing tonight if I had not reached out and googled for help and having a support network building is something I will no longer refuse.

I did not expect to see others on here with such struggles with alcohol as I do and the exercise done for the month of April intrigues me as I wonder.....could I have been brave enough like you all to commit to even giving it a week.

Thankyou everyone for opening up and sharing your pain, suffering and stories as I believe it helps others as well as ourselves to let things out.