One week in, 7 days sober, yes yes yes. Thank you for all your wise words and encouragement last night, the second evening of difficult cravings. Again, I was hooked to the blog, and found it really helpful. Kary suggested investigating other internet sources or help (thank you, Kary!) such as Soberistas, but in the past I have been a bit overwhelmed by big online groups. I was a member of the BFB for a few days, and nearly went crazy with the email traffic, so while I can see that these are brilliant resources, and very supportive for lots of people, they aren’t for me at the moment. I prefer the blogging world.
This is not to say that I don’t need more support, because I know I do. Serendipitously, I was called yesterday by someone from the Recovery Centre which I had been to once a few months ago – I’ve had a few calls from them since, but have been putting them off. Listening to her message on my phone, I decided to do something about it. So this morning, I phoned her back. She isn’t in until Monday, but I’ll phone again then, and make a plan. I know I’m always making plans, but re-engaging with this possible source of help is a step forward for me.
Meanwhile, Friday evening lies ahead, but it’s not here yet: it’s 10.10am, and I’m a week sober.
A Dappled Path 
You really are pushing through the worst of it! I love waking up to the email that you’ve posted something new and positive! I like to think of it as watching your life unfolding like a flower (that sounds and looks so saccharin. I’m not good at these metaphors like Anne or Untipsy 😉) If the kids are at school and you are off, maybe look and see if you can get a meeting in before they get home?
If you hit that “wall” where you want to drink, please blog! Don’t drink. It will only provide the temporary reprieve of the anxiety and craving only to CRASH mentally the next day (take it from one who knows!). Email me if you’re really wobbly. It will help me too! Keep at it!!!😎😘
Congratulations! Like you, I am a great and enthusiastic plan maker. My newest plan is to blog my way into one year of sobriety. (I am on Day 8, after some early missteps.) I do find that other bloggers are REALLY helping me stay the course this time.
— S.
Amazing progress! Well done x
Hi! Oh, the dreaded Friday night!!! You know how I got thru them? I read, read, read about people who quit drinking. Blogs, books…anything I could get my hands on so I didn’t feel alone. But you know what you’ve got: ONE WEEK SOBER!!! Congratulations! That is so great! To me, week one was the absolute hardest!!! The first Monday, Tuesday, etc.! Next week, they will not be your firsts so you KNOW you can do it!!! You go girl!!!!
Yay! Ok, i’m going to get bossy here. Make a schedule for tonight, hour by hour. It helps, I promise. 5:00 pm: Go for a walk. 6:00 pm Junk food dinner (eat whatever you want, If you drink wine while you cook, don’t cook!) 7:00 Board game with the kids 8:00 Have a malt bar-get out the ice cream and all kinds of candies and toppings and the blender and have a contest as to who makes the best one. 9:00 Explore some relaxation techniques on the internet or take a long bath with a good book, but not if you’re used to doing that with a glass of wine. 9:45 Plan what you’re going to do when you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning 10:30 GO TO BED! Do not sit up alone missing that wine!
Congrats Annie! That’s awesome. i know everyone is different, but I thought I’d share some things that I’m doing this time around that have helped so much. At least it’s something you could look into and/or research. Re read Jason vales book and am really excited to read The Naked Mind which I think we ordered on the same day due to one of your commenters! I take a really good B complex with methyl folate (by Seeking health) gives me tons of energy and I know drinking depletes this in us. Curcumin for inflammation from all the poison we put in our bodies. And I just started taking glutathione by bulletproof, which is a major antioxidant that is supposed to really help the liver function!! Then I take bentonite which help bind to toxins in your body and help your body to get rid of them. (Activated charcoal works in the same way) I know it’s a lot and I have gradually built up to taking them all, but it makes me feel like I’m not only improving my health by not drinking, but also doing something to hopefully reverse the damage. I feel great and have even lost weight! Sorry this is so long, but one more thing … When the afternoon cravings hit, it usually goes along with being hungry, so I make myself a bulletproof coffee ( you can google it) which has a really good fat in it called brain octane that is really good for your brain and the related brain fog. I just do the coffee and the oil and blend it (it’s like a latte) and It fills me up and makes the cravings go away! I love it. Good luck this weekend, I know you can do it! I’ll be cheering you on!!!
Just love the Naked Mind and the nakedmind community! And Annie, you are at day 7 – 3 more days and that alcohol (according to Annie from The Naked Mind) has left your body….gone – bam – over….it won’t end the cravings because we have the unconscious mind to win over too, but the detox is done. You are ALMOST there and I can tell you it makes a difference! So for right now, do whatever you have to to make it until the detox stage is done- sugar works for me (even though I hate the idea of poisoning my body with sugar believe me – except for alcohol I am a purist)….but just get there, and then the next area of focus is on working on the subconscious. I have whiteboards in my bedroom and kitchen and they have all the POSITIVE thoughts I want to send to my subconscious….honesty, peace, pride, clarity, energy, self-love, excitement, success. Do you see the difference? I am focusing on only saying good things to myself, sending positive messages to myself. Like good morning Linda, holy F*)*(* don’t you feel good that you made it through another day, you slept well – congratulations! You are F*)*)* awesome and you are KILLING this….if my mind even goes towards a craving, I go do something – listen to a meditation, have a hot bath, run to the basement and get on my treadmill, run to the basement and look at a youtube dance thing – anything that changes my thinking to something positive. Anyway, long diatribe – but I am SO PROUD of you and I think you are finding your way…..congratulations. Oh and another thing….alcohol is a drug, it is addicted, you got addicted, ANYBODY can get addicted – you are not a bad person, a weak person, you got addicted. End of story….now you stopped drinking and over time the addictive mind will settle into the new you. keep trucking lady – you are a warrior!!!! F*(* friday – it is just another day – do something else you love doing!!!
Happy day 7 Annie. A whole week 🙂 x