How are things going?

[malibu]

Board's been pretty dead, I hope that means things are going well or OK for people?

[flex]

I'm doing well. Still digging my new place. Started cracking out the autumn decorations for my front porch, plus I strung a bunch of orange lights along my white picket fence last weekend. It looks awesome! I won't put out the Halloween decos until next week.

On the recovery front, I went to the local area's womens' correctional facility with a couple of my AA GF's Monday night so we could hold an AA meeting for any of the inmates who wished to participate. We had 6-7 of them come in. I'll be doing this the first Monday of each month for a year. It's kind of creepy having to go in there. You have to get buzzed in to gain access, you're issued a badge, etc. It's nice to be able to leave whenever I want.  At any rate, it's nice to get the message that there IS a solution to their drinking/drug addiction.

But for the grace of God go I. I SO could have gone to jail many times over when I was still drinking. How I managed to avoid the Big House just goes to show there is a God. lol

[malibu]

I am cautiously optimistic that things seem to be headed in the right direction. I've lost 65.6 pounds since January, I've become a runner, and I feel so much better about myself. I'm a size away from goal, and the size I'm in now is becoming loose. Almost there

H seems to be doing...better. I can't tell if he's not drinking at all, but if he is, it's not enough that I can really tell. We got a ton of fall cleanup work done this weekend, including getting our garage cleaned out so I no longer have to park OUTSIDE the garage and scrape windshields in the winter. He still tends to do a lot of nothing most of the time, and I am trying to push him without nagging to get checked for adult ADD as was recommended by his PCP last fall. I truly think he has it; I just can't understand why he wouldn't want to get checked for and treated for something if he does have it and feel better.

[lovelovelove]

We're doing well all things considered. My H started a new job a few weeks ago and we've been settling into a new routine (disrupted last week by lots of traveling but that was mostly fun).

Most of the time we seem like we're getting back into sync and working as a team. We got an awesome compliment the other day about how well it seems we parent together so that was reassuring.

But he's still got his dark spots and I have a hard time dealing with him when he's in those moods. For all the positive changes he's been making, it's not helping his negativity and communication issues. I'm sure we still have a way to go.

Glad to hear everyone's good updates

[sigir]

I am doing well! I am on w doing all sorts of things sober now, that I never thought would be OK. It's much more enjoyable to do a lot of things sober. For example, I took an international business trip last Jan. I got hammered in the lounge before the flight, in business class during the flight. Never acclimated well to the time change, had to drink the mini bar at night to try to sleep. Exhausted the whole time. So I just went on another trip... felt so much better and enjoyed so much more being sober! I had worried how it would go over there since drinking is such a part of the EU culture, but no one cared less that I was not drinking.

One thing I noticed is how others drink. I observed my other coworkers, and how they have a half pint of beer w lunch or one glass of wine w dinner. I never drank like that, I had to get drunk. Just reinforces that, yes, I am an addict. I can't drink like "normal" people do.

Still have not been to a meeting though. :-\ schedule too rough.

My marriage is through the rough spot, vacations really helped.

Glad to hear everyone is making progress!

[mel]

I'm doing really, really well. I was in a really bad place in the spring and totally retreated from everyone around me. This place included. I turned to God and my church though and slowly began putting all of the pieces back together. I've worked really hard on my recovery with my therapist and am in such a great place right now. I have not had a drink since June 20th and have not cut since then as well. I'm happier than I've been in so long. I just bought my first house and close on it tomorrow! I've gotten involved in a bible study group and the ladies are just great! I have been consistently showing up to work and haven't missed any days in several months. I haven't abused any prescription drugs since Spring. I feel like over the past 2 months I've really started to come out of the fog and learn to be happy.

I have moments when I feel like I'm waiting for the shoe to drop or my addictions and depression to show their face again. I'm wondering if that is just something I am always going to have to live with.

[malibu]

I am thrilled to hear things are going well for everyone. mel Congrats on the house, that's wonderful!

[mel]

Thanks! Closing has been delayed 3 times so far which is stressing me out big time! I seem to be handling it okay though and leaning on my support system to vent my frustrations and trying to keep everything in perspective.

My loan officer told me today that he would have liquor as a gift for me at closing. I'm not sure if I can handle that or not. Part of me feels like it's a celebration so I wouldn't be drinking it to escape depression and anxiety so it will be okay? The other part of me thinks I should say thanks but no thanks and pass. I'm torn as to how to handle that.

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2015 20:58:45 GMT -5 mel said:

Thanks! Closing has been delayed 3 times so far which is stressing me out big time! I seem to be handling it okay though and leaning on my support system to vent my frustrations and trying to keep everything in perspective.

My loan officer told me today that he would have liquor as a gift for me at closing. I'm not sure if I can handle that or not. Part of me feels like it's a celebration so I wouldn't be drinking it to escape depression and anxiety so it will be okay? The other part of me thinks I should say thanks but no thanks and pass. I'm torn as to how to handle that.

Fantastic to hear from you mel! I wondered what had happened. What a total change. I'm so happy for you! Congratulations on EVERYTHING! As to the booze at closing, hold your head high shoulders back, look him in the eye, and just say no thanks I don't drink. Simple as that. Thanks for checking in!

[phoenixrising]

I have not been on GBCN on quite a while, but I thought I would check and see what has been going on around here. I am doing okay. For those who don't remember/don't know me, I struggle with depression and anxiety, an eating disorder, and compulsive overspending/overshopping. I was (am) in a ton of consumer debt (>$40K), and although this is not very MM of me, I finally, with the support and encouragement of my therapist, enrolled in a debt management program through a consumer credit counseling agency. I was 100% sure that I could not pay off all that on my own, and I am probably about 90-95% comfortable with the decision. The good things are that this does not charge off the debts, so the hit to my credit rating should be negligible, and I have full access to all of the account pages still, so I can really track that the money is going to the right places. I also am able to pay extra toward the debts directly, and since I will have more "extra" money available each month, I will be able to do that. The bad thing is that this doesn't take away the urge to spend money and shop, so I still have a lot of work to do.

My depression and anxiety are well-controlled on my meds, and I have come to like my psychiatrist, although she seemed really out there at first. And my eating disorder is...okay. I have a lot of support (weekly individual sessions with my T and bi-weekly group sessions), which is huge, but I am still not really "in recovery." I have slips more often than I would like, but I feel like I have the right tools in place to help myself.