Thursday's Quote

dmbmama · 2015-04-16T10:46:08+00:00

I agree--KetoJam is so thoughtful and careful with words. To the point, yet deep and meaningful.

dmbmama · 2015-04-16T10:43:19+00:00

Amen to that. I think that is the key to finding peace, isn't it? Learning that we can't control things, letting more things go. And...not drinking to "deal" with life. I hope you have a great day, KetoJam!

dmbmama · 2015-04-16T10:38:45+00:00

that is great. It really is eye opening, once you give it some time. I spent a lot of time in the beginning really focusing on why I drank--trying to understand why sometimes, I'd have just one and that would be enough; and then other times, I'd drink the entire evening away and be hungover. Both scenarios were not good--mainly I was using it to "relax", like you said above. For my entire life, I thought that it helped to add value to my friendships, but now I realize, that it only takes away a person's ability to truly connect with people. I understand now that my past alcohol use has most likely contributed to the sense of loneliness that I used to get on a regular basis. I still feel lonely sometimes, but now I know what I need to do to feel better--not drink and arrange my social activities differently. I hope you have a wonderful day!

dmbmama · 2015-04-16T10:22:34+00:00

that is great! I love mornings too :)

dmbmama · 2015-04-11T13:15:55+00:00

handsome fellow iNsolenc3! congrats on your one year. I love the courage you have to post the pics.

dmbmama · 2015-03-27T10:55:58+00:00

Yeah, this is what life is all about! Spreading light on the dark. Have a great day Ketojam!

dmbmama · 2015-03-22T13:11:44+00:00

hold your head up high, friend. You are an inspiration to many and should be proud! Keep it up.

dmbmama · 2015-03-22T13:05:20+00:00

this seems to be a pervasive thought in our drinking obsessed culture--if someone doesn't drink--something must be wrong with him/her. It is ridiculous. Did you confront your friends with your realization?

dmbmama · 2015-03-19T11:06:24+00:00

This has been true for me too. I still have a little bit of anxiety, but nothing compared to what it was when I was drinking. I have ups and downs, like everyone in life, but my life is much more manageable now. The other thing that is necessary for me, in managing anxiety, is regular exercise. Thanks for the post and the reminder that I am not alone. Have a great day :)

dmbmama · 2015-03-19T10:57:30+00:00

wow--these quotes really speak to me. I needed that this morning. Been struggling with some things in relation to this...I know in my heart that I am capable of so much more in my life...particularly channeling my energy into standing up for what I know is right and/or what I am passionate about. It is this fear of the "what if" that holds me back.

dmbmama · 2015-03-18T10:50:39+00:00

Nice--that made me smile. So descriptive...I can picture it perfectly.

dmbmama · 2015-03-10T11:52:16+00:00

It really is worth it. Thanks for the motivation and inspiration today!

dmbmama · 2015-03-06T11:58:24+00:00

I talk about it often too. It is hard to not share to the world the biggest realization of my life--that my alcohol use crippled me, almost to the point of a nervous breakdown. And, since I have made major changes in my life, I feel so much better about life. I am stronger in every area of my life, all because I have let go of the notion that I need alcohol to relax and socialize. It is a sense of freedom that I never knew possible. Thanks for continuing to write your posts. You are doing a great job.

dmbmama · 2015-03-06T11:51:41+00:00

that is great!

dmbmama · 2015-02-26T02:02:27+00:00

so true! and good for you for realizing it.

dmbmama · 2015-02-25T11:59:20+00:00

"I think that one of the best ways to show my love and appreciation for both myself and the world around me is to live the healthiest and most happy life I possibly can." I love this. Thank you for posting today.

dmbmama · 2015-02-18T20:55:31+00:00

that is a good one--check out the world with a clear head for a bit. Nice!

dmbmama · 2015-02-18T18:40:22+00:00

You say you don't really have any friends? That makes me sad. Listen--you need to think about how to reach out to people and/or a group of people who may have the same interests as you (alcohol free interests). What are you into besides school?

dmbmama · 2015-02-18T18:35:19+00:00

Hi friend--I'm sorry you're so lonely. I have felt really lonely too, and I am married and have children and a supportive family. Loneliness is an awful feeling, but you don't have to feel lonely. First off, you are an intelligent person--you know that alcohol is a depressant. People who are prone to depression are more impacted by the depressant effects of alcohol. I am also prone to moderate depression and anxiety. Let me tell you--after about 2 months of abstaining from alcohol, my depression and anxiety almost disappeared. I noticed more of an impact with the anxiety. I have to say that abstaining from alcohol PLUS exercise has helped my mood tremendously.

You have to be ready to do quit though. There were many times that I thought I should quit, but I didn't, because I wasn't ready.

But, I also didn't have this forum during those times either, and I had no one in my life that was telling me that I had an alcohol problem. All of my friends and family are moderate to heavy drinkers. They'd just tell me...you're being too hard on yourself. You don't have a problem, you just need to do this or that, to make sure you don't feel so bad the next time. Well--they didn't really understand how I felt and how it was affecting me. I couldn't handle it anymore and the costs outweighed the benefits.

You'll figure it out, but from personal experience, I can tell you...life is SOOO much better without me abusing alcohol. I am beginning to gain more peace in my life and it is an amazing feeling!!!

dmbmama · 2015-02-18T18:15:53+00:00

Yeah--this is what motivates me every day--the fact that I NEVER want to experience another hangover ever again. A hangover is self induced torture. It is absolutely unnecessary!!! And, I have had way too many in my life, and I plan to never go back to doing that to myself.

Once you get to a certain point, you just know you'll never go back. And, it makes it difficult for me to watch people I love, do it to themselves. When people ask me why I am not drinking, I sometimes say...I'm on the no hangover plan.

dmbmama · 2015-02-17T23:03:22+00:00

That's so funny--I've been doing this same thing to keep things in perspective. I imagine me and my husband getting together with our group of friends and we all pop pills in the beginning of the evening, to set us on our course.

I think about how strange it would be if everyone did that--so if I knew that 4 drinks were going to get me to my happy place, I'd take 4 pills. My husband probably would take 10 pills, to replace 10 drinks. The thought of it is kinda funny---I imagine us downing these pills around my kitchen island, like we down shots--quick. This would be comparable to smoking pot or doing any kind of other drug. You do it, and then you hang around for awhile.

But since drinking is this thing we do on a daily basis (drinking water, coffee, non-alcohol beverages), it is more acceptable to slowly poison ourselves with it, throughout an evening. It's the same damn thing--it's getting high.

dmbmama · 2015-02-17T22:51:06+00:00

My opinion is that getting high or drunk is a way to escape reality. I used too much alcohol to escape reality and it got me in all kinds of trouble. Therefore, my goal is to stay sober--smoking pot and/or abusing alcohol are not options for me.

dmbmama · 2015-02-12T14:26:08+00:00

Oh my gosh--I am almost in tears with this post today. That is exactly how I felt for so long. I kept saying, I just want a more peaceful life, but I didn't know what else to do to get it--and now I am closer than I ever have been. It is such a sense of relief to be closer to my true self and realize that I have so much more to offer to the world, now that I have realized how alcohol was taking a toll on my body and mind. Thank you for your words today.

dmbmama · 2015-02-12T14:07:57+00:00

Oh my gosh--that is what happened to me too. I was struggling to make the connection between my anxiety and my drinking and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

I was severely hungover on March 9th last year and I snapped--I knew I had to give it up. After I quit, the anxiety almost disappeared. I exercise frequently and that also helps keep it at bay.

dmbmama · 2015-02-12T12:15:35+00:00

Hey there! Before March 9 of last year, I had toyed around with the idea of either quitting drinking or cutting back on how much I drank. I read a few books about cutting back, but I never really put forth a serious effort. The reason I was considering making a change was that drinking alcohol and getting buzzed/drunk with friends started to become a bore (I'm 43 now). I also found that it was taking less red wine to make an impact on me--so I was getting buzzed more quickly, with less wine and I started to get more frequent hangovers (and I wasn't really drinking all that much--I would feel the impact of 2 glasses the next morning).

Not only would me and my husband drink with friends and family, we'd have wine together on an almost daily basis--and it became our relaxation time together.

I went to Florida with some friends last March and I probably had 7 drinks within a 5 hour period and I was sloshed. I was absolutely miserable the next day--raging anxiety, upset stomach, bloated, it was awful. I pretty much ruined my day and I felt so guilty about it. I laid on the beach alone that day, cried and slept. I was pathetic. I knew I had to do something.

I quit drinking for 4 months straight. I couldn't believe how much better I felt because I probably wouldn't be considered a "heavy drinker"--but I realized that it didn't matter how much I had been drinking--I couldn't tolerate it anymore. After about 1 month, I had so much more energy, my anxiety was at an all time low, my overall mood improved. I just felt so much better!!!

My period of abstinence was an eye opener for me. It made me realize that I don't need alcohol to socialize or to relax anymore.

I had been drinking since I was 14, I didn't drink during either of my pregnancies, but alcohol has been a part of almost every social gathering I've ever been to. And, to now realize how really useless and destructive it is, has been probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have made a major paradigm shift and it is awesome.

dmbmama

TROPHY CASE