Oh, I'll stay in touch. I plan to be around here a lot -- daily while actually doing TSM, and occasionally after the cure.

Congratulations on getting through with sleepytime tea. That is nice. What kind did you use? Chamomile or something else?

Have you ever tried just taking a couple of Advil? I once did that for a mild attack. It lowers blood pressure, and that makes us feel a little sleepy. It wouldn't do anything for a full-blown attack, but it got me through that small one. I'll probably use that trick again a time or two.

Great tip on the Advil - had no idea.

Literally Sleeptime tea by CelestialSeasonings.

Ah, yes, I remember that. If I recall, it's mostly chamomile.

I don't care for chamomile, personally, but I've sometimes used valerian tea to good effect.

Sheryl,
So good to hear from you and with such good news too. What a difference a few months makes! I can remember back when you were first thinking of moving; starting afresh with a new job and new life and here you are now actually doing it. Kudos to you.

You've got a lot going on, so it's not surprising that the nerves are getting to you but it sounds like you're handling both the anxiety and the drinking really well. Sleepytime tea? Who'd of thought?! You've come a long way!

I hope the move goes smoothly and good luck with the new job. I've no doubt it will all go well....I'll be thinking of you.

Take care,
Ruth.

Ruthy, thank you. The support of you and others on this board has contributed so much to my progress. Congratulations to you on getting to such normal, healthy weekly numbers yourself. Slow and steady, I'm getting there, too.

Just a quick check in. This week, I've...
- downsized from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment
- left my BF of 5+ years
- dealt with a stoner f-head mover who barely got my stuff to Portland
- gave my cats away
- arrived in a real city after living in a town of 7500
- experienced surreal detachment and felt pretty depressed
- unpacked almost all my boxes in a too small apartment
- slept terribly
- walked to the grocery store down the block every day
- got myself organized for my first day at a new job tomorrow

And despite feeling teary, scared, sad, fearful, lonely, and tired, I managed to keep my consumption to 4 units a day,except the day the mover showed up 6 hours late and I compensated... but all in all, I feel really good that my drinking has been manageable with all this stress and change. That says the Nal is working. Because I would have been over the deep end otherwise.

I can't say I feel excited about this new opportunity just yet. For someone who had been so depressed to the point of agoraphobic these past few months, this is a frightening amount of change, but considering all that, I'm doing pretty well. Just hoping I can keep up the facade in my new job. I've been doing that for years so it shouldn't be too difficult.

Hang in there everyone. This s**t works.

Wow, that is a lot of stress. If you're doing so well at such a time, you're either under control or very close to it.

Congratulations on handling it.

I survived my first week at the new job; that part is pretty easy. It's familiar territory and I know I can do well. The rest has been major culture shock. Walking to/from work, varying the route a bit every day. But not much other than that. At least I've avoided the martini bar that I pass every day on the way home. I'm just not interested in being a barfly at this point in my life. But I'm still at 3-4 glasses of wine and very anxious/erratic sleep cycles. Still, that's major progress from where I was 4 months ago; the numbers have come down steadily from 70+ weeks to now 21-28/week.

This weekend I have been mostly home. Yesterday unpacked the rest of my boxes and did chores. Today did some yoga/meditation at home but really don't feel inspired to do anything else. I guess it's OK to kick back after the past few very hectic weeks, but I also know it's partly depression/fear of just going out and being in the world in a new city. I don't even want to drive my car. So I'll give myself a pass this weekend but next, I need to get out. Yesterday I started drinking about 4 out of anxiety/boredom, but by 10:30 pm I'd only had 3 glasses, so that's progress. And because I'm in a non-smoking buildling, I've had to cut that back, down to only 1-2 a day, which is right at the why bother? range, so will prolly call this current pack my last.

Thanks for your support; glad to see the new people and "old" people checking in.

- Sheryl

Dear Sheryl and Melissa,

I am in Portland too. Sheryl - I admire you so much. You are amazing. Change is always hard. My husband and I work in Downtown Portland so I am also familiar with the Pearl. My husband and I use to go to Whole Foods every morning to get our lunch for the day.

I have not started the Sinclair Method yet. Tried baclofen and it was a disaster. I am terrified of telling my doctor. I do not want my alcoholism on my permanent record. It is hard to get insurance if you have that in your records (specifically life insurance). So I am going to start the Sinclair Method on my own online. I don't like it but that is the way it has to be. My doctor is a kind and good man but I do not believe he is hip to this kind of thing. And as I said - I don't want a record.

Sheryl, keep fighting the good fight. It must have been so hard to give up your kitties. I know that feeling. I lost my 20 year old kitty last year. He was a prince. I have been very very blessed. Lost my mom to alcoholism but so far have kept my husband and home. I am 47 and now looking for a new job in a less toxic environment like you did. I too am a graphic designer and communications person. It heartens me to know that you were able to find something. I have been looking for 2 years. It's been a very difficult road in this town. I know the stress and ugliness at work has been a negative factor for my drinking. So I keep trying. I am up to a bottle of wine a night which for me is way too much given my size. I wake up most mornings feeling like crap and it is starting to wreak havoc on my face.

Anyway, I am looking at All Day Pharmacy now and I expect that I will make a purchase in the next week. I am praying that this works. Sheryl and Melissa... thanks for being here and sharing yourselves. you too Ruth. And Sheryl - if your doctor is willing to stay off the record, I would really love to talk to him/her. I don't like working around the law.

xoxoxo, Dana (not my real name) <3

Hey Sheryl, good to hear from you and glad that you're doing so well. You've had so much going on and you've coped amazingly well. You're numbers are good and I'm sure that as time goes on they'll continue to reduce. You've come so far in such a short time...well done.
Ruth.