The Next 2 - 4 Weeks

[Topcat]

Welcome to The Next 2 - 4 Weeks Thread. This is to replace the old single threads which could sometimes get very quiet and some members (as a result) found themselves struggling on their own. We hope this combined thread will be better for everyone. Good luck

[Steve54]

Morning all

Just been to the local shop for milk

The shop assistant, Jane, looked at me as if to say....Hmmm....you always buy wine as well Steve?

Well not anymore

[Hedgehog]

(Hedgehog did you decide to stay and knock a day off - slips do happen xx)

Morning TC, Dabbed & Steve

Dabbed - yes I've decided to stay here. The decision was based on whether I managed to keep it to just one day and as I stayed sober yesterday, I remain here.

So it's day 11 today.

Waves to everyone else joining this thread.

[Tipzy]

Day 11 !!!

It doesn't feel real... Like I MUST be secretly drinking, there is no way I have been 11 days without ANY alcohol!!

Went to the cinema last night to see a secret screening of The Revenent... walking past the restaurants and pubs on the way there was a breeze, I looked in and thought "Hmm, usually we'd pop in for a couple of glasses of wine" (and that would be after the 4 glasses at home getting ready.... but it stayed as just that brief thought and we went in to the cinema... Then I looked at the little glasses of wine they sell there and thought "Hmm, usually I'd be buying one of those"... normally for the glass so that i could refill it from the bottle in my bag.

but I held on to my bottle of fizzy water and walked in to the screen and watched the whole of that film (didn't enjoy it much, a bit too blood & guts for me) and walked back past the pubs and restaurants on the way home and that was that!! I went out SOBER and came home SOBER!

Am taking multi vitamins, I'm quite healthy I think as I am not a fizzypop drinker, I don't eat chocolates or cakes etc and I'm a vegetarian so hopefully now my diet doesn't include buckets of wine my body should be absorbing some of the goodness I eat now.

Positives so far.
I have saved over £90
No hangovers
I can remember the night before!
No embarrassing posts on my Facebook page.
Face isn't as angry red looking

Negatives
Face skin is dry and itchy after years of me thinking I was a greasy face!!
Sooooooo tired, I could have a nap every few hours.
Headache (although it is getting less each day)
Bored..... drinking seemed to disguise the fact evenings are soooo long! I need a hobby or rediscover and old hobby.

I'm also finding I am having mild anxious thoughts about the future.... for example "OMG, my Sister is coming to visit soon, we usually drink ourselves stupid every night, what will I do? I'll be sober!!" and then there is "Oh no, we have people coming round in two weeks for snacks and drinks.... I'll be sober!!!"

I need to get through a social event and see what happens... it's not knowing who I am sober that is causing these thoughts...

[Steve54]

Tipsy

What a brilliant post

Good on yer

Keep going...that's a fantastic achievement

[fresh-start]

Good idea TC!

Yes, Tipsy, great post!

Just on day 5 here, but a load of us will be coming over on Friday!

[Topcat]

Good idea TC!

It was Dab's good idea Fresh

[cowboy]

I'm also finding I am having mild anxious thoughts about the future.... for example "OMG, my Sister is coming to visit soon, we usually drink ourselves stupid every night, what will I do? I'll be sober!!" and then there is "Oh no, we have people coming round in two weeks for snacks and drinks.... I'll be sober!!!"

Hi Tipzy. You are doing really good. I have found that just going day to day helps. Deal with the visits when they come. Who knows by the time they roll around maybe your whole thought process will have change. You never know. BTW both of my girls (who are young women now) are vegetarians as well and I can really see the benefits of their diets.

Hey Dabs. Good idea for a thread. In the times that I have made it quite far into sobriety it has always been a group of people sticking together and helping each other out. Once you make it past that first week it is still early days but I have found that it is not quite so daunting. I am, like you, a person that is not new to BE but I have been struggling with this addiction for a very long time. Time to move forward and deal with this.

Hoping that everybody has a great AF day. Cowboy.

[Rainbow77]

Hi all. Just noticed this new thread. What a great idea.
Look forward to joining you on Friday.
Shell xxx

[fresh-start]

Nice one Dabs!

Hi Cowboy, nice to see you!

Shell, looking forward to seeing us both here on Friday!

[Sarah12]

Hi everyone.

Im in week 3. Last drank Dec 21st.

Planning on exercise for me this eve and bed if EAF calls! Cravings still there daily. I hoped they would have gone by now.

Reading through posts of those who are succeeding in beating the battle long term uplifts me no end, especially when I read their earlier posts and realise they too started from the same place.

Take care,

S x

[mal]

Afternoon all...

Nice one Dabs! Having been a tumbleweed tweeker and a lonesome threetle often enough to know it can be a bit dispiriting this thread makes a lot of sense about the only down side I can see is come Friday we will have to start a new thread (THE ROLLCALL CHALLENGE) who will dare go there Going to need a nickname obviously... I'll start the ball rolling with (TOOFERS) geddit! oh well please yourselves...

Mal

[TSM]

Hi Everyone,

I'll be here tomo guys, last drink 29th December

Bring it on

Good luck all

Tracey xx

[cowboy]

Hey Toofers. 2 - 4 weeks seems like a long time but in reality it isn't. I think I'll still give myself a pat on the back for hitting day 15 and day 22.

Dabs. Good to see that you resisted that urge no wet groceries. Way to go.

mal. Good call on the nickname.

Sarah. Congrats on hitting day 21. Looking forward to being there.

Shell. I'll get your room ready for you. Rainbow wall paper galore. Yee haw.

Hey French Tart (remember Pitstop? I hope she is doing OK) looking forward to your arrival as well. I think I'll go with an Hawaiian theme for your wallpaper.

TSM. See you tomorrow.

Hope all my UK friends wake up with smiles knowing that they didn't drink last night.

Just rolling out my sleeping bag and ready for a restful sleep and happy AF morning.

Cowboy.

[Steve54]

Morning all

Day 20

[leslans]

Well I arrived, checked in a couple of minutes ago but my room is not quite ready I never doubted that I wouldn't make it. I have been feeling so much healthier, my skin is improving, not looking quite so dehydrated yet also puffy. I had the best nights sleep in quite some time without the aid of sleeping tablets or Pinot Grigio.

I am absolutely delighted to be here, whether it rains, snows, thunder or the sunshines in my heart the sun is shining because I am grateful every morning that I have the strength to do this each day. I did go out last night, around 50 of us at a meeting. Some were drinking, some not. I had a glass of water and was happy with that.

You may recall that I have been off the chocolate as well. Well I did succumb to a small bar last night with a cup of tea. It was a real treat. It was interesting as I was eating it, I could have easily gone on to eat 2 or 3. Past the point of satiation just craving the sugar and not really enjoying what I am doing. There is no doubt in my mind the two are so closely related. Often when I have been trying to control my drinking, I have stopped at a bottle of wine, and then devoured 3 bars of chocolate to satisfy the continuing sugar craving. Anyway I am keeping a close eye on both of them, I am trying to lose weight so there is the negative effect of eating too much chocolate high on my agenda at the moment.

So another day, I'm sure it will rain at some time, but off out with the dog shortly, followed by weight watchers and generally tidy round of the house. Have a good day everyone.......I hope I get a decent room with a view!!!!

[TSM]

Here guys - day 8

Felt nervous when I arrived in 'The next 2 - 4 weeks' eeeeeek seems like a bigger challenge but that's just me liking to do things in bite sized chunks

But here I am on week 2 and that is my next challenge to get to week 3

Good luck everyone

Thanks for all your support so far x

[Tipzy]

Day 12 and last night was a tough one... at about 4pm I was convinced a bottle of wine would be a good idea... my taste buds sang loudly to me "Pinot grigio, that's the way to go!" and that little pocket just under the sternum that burns so wonderfully on that first glug of wine was aching like crazy trying to join in with the taste buds....

URGH!!!!

So.. I grabbed a bottle of fizzy water and glugged the feck out of it and drowned the bastards!

ha!

[Hedgehog]

Morning peeps. Day 12.

[cowboy]

Wowza. This place is getting busy. So many rooms to get ready and so little time. Let me see.

Hedgehog: Good morning yourself. Hope you have a good day.

TSM: Yes it seems like a bigger challenge. I don't think they are taking down the 3 week challenge thread. I just think that they want to make sure that us early daze folks have an alternative if nobody is around on the step challenges.

Frankie: If I may, I wouldn't be too distracted by the chocolate cravings at this point. Concentrate on the sobriety. Once you get comfortable there will be lots of time to worry about the other stuff - but that's just my opinion.

Tips: Pinot Grigio is ... er ... was ... my choice of poison when it comes to wine but those days are gone because one bottle is never enough. Actually I heard a quote from Eric Clapton (former alcohol addict) that I can relate to. One is too many and a million is not enough. Once I get started there is no stopping me. That's a problem that needs to be attended to.

Dabs: Good advice. Always be prepared. That was our boy scout motto when were kids and it applies here. Have tools ready to defend against the beast when he comes to visit. He is a wily veteran and can be very convincing - beware.

Steve: Way to go. Good to have you on board. And day 20. You were sober through the Christmas shenanigans and that is a challenge in itself.

PJ: Got a room with a view ready for you.

Did I miss anybody? I hope not. If I did it was must certainly not intentional.

Have a great day people.

Cowboy.