I went to the store and bought a box of different kinds of tea. I made some last night to drink while I was doing paper work, a substitute for drinking my ciders, I used to drink when I did my paper work. Now I will drink tea. It tasted good.
bizi

Last night jeff asked me what my goals were?
To quit drinking all together. or to learn moderation.
I think that abstinence is what is needed for right now.
And I want to learn how to more effectively deal with anxiety instead of grabbing for a cider, beer or martini. I have associated having fun with drinking, I want to have fun with out drinking and not look at it as a sacrifice.
I hope this makes sense.
bizi

It makes a lot of sense Bizi

Donna

Hi, Bizi,

I think that people without bipolar do not understand us. It might be best as you say to embrace abstinence.

When a person does not drink they can still have fun. The fun will be a different kind of fun.

M

Well I made it to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes, 2.5 miles so that was good.
Then went to take a shower and stepped in some stool!!!!!!!
OMG, I could not believe it. Just last week my friend said that she sat in some in the jacuzzi.....so that ruined the jacuzzi for me they said that was common. yuck!!!!!!!! and now the shower...just have to be more careful and look at the floor before going into the stall. I reported it and she said that was common as well. This is a nice gym!!!!! for crying out loud.
I am rethinking this gym.
bizi

Bizi,

That is weird.

'Glad that you had a good work out.

M

Oh my gosh! There is nothing common about that in my opinion. They should put signs up for the people doing that will not be tolerated for the health,and welfare of the other guests. BF

Bizi, I might have raised the roof if that happened to me! Sometimes I just don't know what the matter is with people. where is dignity? In some ways it scares me, as it speaks to an indifference certain people have for others. I pray all the time, that the world learns to be respectful of others. That person who left their gift for you to step in was an animal, forgot to be human? Love you bizi, you are doing great. ginnie

I'm soooo sorry Bizi. What an awwwwful experience!!!

And in the shower of all places, but anywhere at all ... inside a gym - ugh! It took me a while to piece that together as i was reading the thread backwards and...

And BF hit the nail on the head in soooo many ways - there is nothing "common" about that. A gym is a place for health and one would expect similar principles as in a restaurant, albethey applied to different areas. Excrement belongs in toilets. If someone has an accident elsewhere, you'd think they'd clean it up. embarrassing yes but...? I've never heard of this sort of thing!!! Common my foot.

i can't even believe the woman told you and the other person it was "common." My goodness! That almost sounds like a brushoff!!! If it is "frequent" (replacing the ambiguous word "common") it needs to be resolved i.e. eradicated. i don't know about signs as it sounds like they may have a prankster - they need to investigate it and put a stop to it.

Perhaps they need to realize that either they put a stop to it or people will lose clientele. It might have been a nice gym before, but it doesn't sound like one right now... ya know?

anyway, so sorry you ran into it personally sweetie.

~ waves ~

This sounds really, really, good to me, Bizi.

I really, really like that you use the verb "I want" highlighted above - this suggests to me that your true will is behind these statements. That last bit, not drinking and not feeling it is a sacrifice... i see that as a really excellent goal. It might take a while but it is what it's all about, otherwise only half of you is having fun while the other half is jonesin'.

When you say that abstinence is needed for now, I hear that you recognize that the problem is serious enough to be very aggressive with it - perhaps more aggressive than you might want... and then gradually step into your goals.

This is what I am "getting" from what you wrote.

~ waves ~

p.s. My amateurial suggestion would be that your period of abstinence last until you don't miss drinking any more, and then a little longer. If you find you do not reach this point, but continue to miss it, that could be a red flag... cross that bridge when you come to it.