Dry July

[angelina1512]

Hello everyone,

lets try try and group together and support anyone who wants to give up drinking and we will call it DRY JULY.

its no drinking alcohol at all for the whole month. It might be a good thing to try and see how you go just for the month if you think you have a drinking problem.

im an alcoholic and my name is Angelina aka Tutu. I haven't had a drink for 2 years and 4 months. I had to think then to remember. When I first gave up I counted in minutes, hours, days. One day at a time. It is doable but it does takes guts.

so if anyone wants to try DRY JULY just yell out and we will help you.

tutu/ Angelina 

[gwampa69]

Ang
I like this idea. Kind of like our own little monthly promotion. Its a fun take on a serious issue. I will most definitely be having a DRY JULY.

[angelina1512]

Jul 3, 2016 7:50:12 GMT -5 gwampa69 said:

Ang
I like this idea. Kind of like our own little monthly promotion. Its a fun take on a serious issue. I will most definitely be having a DRY JULY.

Thanks Sparrow,

when end I first decided to give up drinking I said I would give it up for a month. It didn't sound long, but long enough. It wasn't until I started reading the old site that I realized I would never be able to drink. It was a withdrawal site, stories blew my mind. How they gave it up and then had just one and back to full time drinking. That's when I knew I could never have just one.

once I was aware of that, I always had it in the back of my mind never was I going to be able to just have one. Because one would have been too many and a thousand not enough.

thats when I knew I was an alcoholic. 

But out it helped just trying to get my head around a month. First I had to over come the withdrawals, then a day at a time. I was so excited when I reached 40 days I bought myself a trophy. I have that sucker sitting in my painting room with my trophy I bought at 40 days for smoking as well. 40 days without seemed like a life time at the time. Now I just smile at them sitting in my room.

i think thinking too far ahead is a bit scary. So just one day at a time.

love ya

tutu

[slimkim]

Great idea Tutu. I'm all in for a dry July. My last drink was 30 June so I've just made it. I'm doing it a day at a time, plus made some important decisions about who I spend my time with.

[angelina1512]

Jul 3, 2016 22:52:23 GMT -5 slimkim said:

Great idea Tutu. I'm all in for a dry July. My last drink was 30 June so I've just made it. I'm doing it a day at a time, plus made some important decisions about who I spend my time with.

I'm going to copy something from the smoking forum to help with dry July. Read it carefully, it's a tool box. Instead of the word smoking, substitute it with alcohol. Same addiction one we inhale and the other one we swallow. Read each one carefully. An educated quit is a quit that will stick. Make this your final quit Kim. Next year your 50! Anyone else want to join Kim and become her quit buddy? Now is the time to join and help each other. Tutu

.linkhttps://www.verywell.com/your-quit-smoking-toolbox-2825129?utm_source=emailshare&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons

[jeyu0422]

Hi Kim,
I'm so happy to hear that you are trying again. I hope the increased activity around here I'll help you make it this time. Best of luck!
Mark/Jeyu

[slimkim]

Thanks Ang and Jeyu for your support. That link is great Ang. I haven't read all of it yet because there's so much great stuff on there. One big factor that is helping me is that my daughter told my mother that I could look at her facebook page. Its only a small step but shows she is thinking of me. I don't want her to look me up one day and find me sitting here with a glass of alcohol and a messy house. Its a bit scary. I'll ring her on her birthday at the end of August when she turns 17. I also sent her a message on fb saying she was the beautiful strong girl I remembered.

I know how hard it is to give up. A lot of the stories I read of how hard it is can end up being too depressing. I did it before though with the help of you guys. The cravings always start soon so ready for another big fight to make day 5 stick.

[angelina1512]

Jul 4, 2016 21:45:02 GMT -5 slimkim said:

Thanks Ang and Jeyu for your support. That link is great Ang. I haven't read all of it yet because there's so much great stuff on there. One big factor that is helping me is that my daughter told my mother that I could look at her facebook page. Its only a small step but shows she is thinking of me. I don't want her to look me up one day and find me sitting here with a glass of alcohol and a messy house. Its a bit scary. I'll ring her on her birthday at the end of August when she turns 17. I also sent her a message on fb saying she was the beautiful strong girl I remembered.

I know how hard it is to give up. A lot of the stories I read of how hard it is can end up being too depressing. I did it before though with the help of you guys. The cravings always start soon so ready for another big fight to make day 5 stick.

Hey Kim,

you our have been given an opportunity I would die for. So you now have a chance, don't blow it. Your daughter still has the door open for you to get back in her life. You need to do everything you can to make this happen. Imagine being invited to her 18 th birthday party, now that would be something. A sober new Kim.

we can help you Kim but YOU are the one that has the power. Dig deep, find it. Get your kids back to talking to you and visiting you. 

It is YOU Kim, this site can help but it's what do you really want. Turning 50 and your kids?

im sure someone reading will soon jump in and want to join you, but until then the 3 musketeers are up to the challenge. Lol

you need to out photos around of your girls so each time you are tempted you will remember the important reason you are doing this.

write a list, JFDI. You can do this KIM, this TIME.

tutu/ang

[slimkim]

Hey Ang,
Yes I have been given a great opportunity at least with the eldest one anyway. Day 5 has passed okay, a bit lonely but that's better than dealing with a psychopath whose name I won't mention. That's a great idea, putting out photos of my kids. I can't believe the 3 musketeers are back supporting me. Maybe it was me reciting Psalm 23 to myself and praying a lot to whoever God is. I know I can do this, one day at a time. I'm sorry for your loss with your daughter but I believe the circumstances were beyond your control so you don't need to feel bad. I've read a bit on parental alienation on google and it is often a common thing. Thanks so much for your post Ang. It means a lot.

[angelina1512]

Hey Kim,

if you get the older one the younger one will follow. But in the end it's you who has to do it. If it's the same person you are talking about as last time OMG WTF. Need I say more.

So photos everywhere will certainly help keep you focused.

tutu

make sure you read all the literature I sent you. If you plan and know what to expect you can do this.

[slimkim]

Hey Ang,
I was thinking the same thing myself. The younger one will follow the older one. The older one ended up being a bit of a mother figure. I can do this. Thanks again for your messages.

[quitat54]

Hi Kim

I am glad you are sober again.  As Bret stated you are tenacious, and that is a big part of success.  We all have to forge our own path to sobriety.  You are working on yours. Never give up giving up.   We all have our own motivation.  Often they are similar among alcoholics, like poor health for example.  It seems to be the case with you as indicated by your doctor. And reconnecting with your daughters.   I strongly agree with what Mark LA said that desire to stay sober has to be stronger than desire to drink.  Everything else is a stuff in between.  You have to put hard work in early stages.  One thing is for certain  - if you drink you know what your life is going to be like (possibly worse) but if you stay sober there is all sort of wonderful surprises that you may not even imagine. 

But to get there you have to stay away from booze and people who drink. 

All the best to you.

J

[slimkim]

Hey J,
I'm glad to be sober again too. I'm just taking it one day at a time, not looking too far forward. It feels great to be able to string days together. My poor health is a big factor and that has picked up today so its a great motivator. Thanks for the support J.

[angelina1512]

Jul 9, 2016 3:31:17 GMT -5 slimkim said:

Hey J,
I'm glad to be sober again too. I'm just taking it one day at a time, not looking too far forward. It feels great to be able to string days together. My poor health is a big factor and that has picked up today so its a great motivator. Thanks for the support J.

Hey Kim,

health reasons are a very big factor when giving up drinking. Your getting older now so it's important to do what you can to keep fit. One day at a time is getting into over a week now. Birthday soon. The last one in the 4's. 

You can do this Kim. Read your tool box, photos handy and when you feel weak look into those eyes of your daughters. You have a chance, please don't blow it. I would be so extremely happy if you were able to have them in your life.

i have been working heaps. I'm still in bed. Penguin made me a coffee and then I'm going to get ready to work again. One more shift then 3 days off. I have been trying to paint THE penguin in between. Sounds like I have too many penguins in my life lol.

good to see "J" drop in and encourage you as well.

i only have about 22 days till my year of smoke free. Then mum dead 12 months as well. That time has gone so fast. But I did it one day at a time with the smoking as well. Now that was hard. But like anything it's all doable just got to want it badly enough.

stay strong. JFDI! Say that over and over until it hits you straight between the eyes lol.

will drop in again tomorrow. 

Tutu/Angelina 

[yvan]

Hi Kim. 
I wish that this time you're going to make it. 
I agree with J. Stay away from people who drink. Nothing good will happen to you if you keep maintaining toxic relationships. Focus on your sobriety instead. It's a long road, expect the next months to be tough, but it is the price we have to pay. It gets easier with time and every sober month will take you closer to the goal. 
You have your studies to keep you busy, some hope about your daughters and the forum to support you. Not giving up giving up can't go on for ever. No one else will become sober for you Kim. Only you can decide what kind of future you want. It's in your hands. Keeping drinking is not on the list for a better life. 
Llife is good, it's our drinking that makes it miserable. You've got support from the forum. It's great. Use it once and for all to stay sober. We made it, you can do it. We are not different. 
It can be the last time you've relapsed Kim if you want to. You health is not a yoyo you can play with for ever. One day you wake up and it's too late. The damage is done, and for the rest of your life. 
I wish it could click for you like it did for us. If you feel the need to drink, don't think about the next hour feeling good, it's only illusion, think about the day after feeling terrible, that's reality. That should be strong enough for you to JFDI. 
About your daughters, try to leave the past behind Kim. What's done is done. I remember when I got sober becoming obsessed by regrets, not a good start if you want to move on. Quite depressing actually, because it stops us seeing hope and remain strong. 
Think about today, think about tomorrow, think about you being sober, a different woman, strong and happy, that's the mother your daughters will want to see and hope to see when you meet them again one day. 
Do it Kim and you will come out of this darkness. No light in a bottle, the light is in your close future if you stay sober. 
Hugs.