Where to start hmm.

[Crispy]

This is one hell of a ride were on guys/gals. Nothing can be taken for granted when in recovery. We often reach out for help when in need, but yet dont reach to others to often when on top of the world. Dont take this the wrong way but try to post more positive days when u get them so others dont feel hopeless when on the rollercoaster of ups and downs. We all know we will have good and bad days, but the reality of it doesnt hit till you think you have been clean for so long u cant get anymore bad days. This is a set up for abig fall or a jolting memory of addiction/addicts. Lets be here for the bad but also lets be here for the good. I know we all lead diffrent lifes and we have day to day stuff that needs to be done. But lets try to keep more positive up so the negative doesnt well feel like hell.

[confused456]

Hmmm.....

[joann1975]

Great idea and great post.... I had a positive day! I took my son to the zoo for the very 1st time w/my 2 nieces who are 8 & 11. My son is 19months. He could have cared less about the zoo. However, it was so nice to get out sober and have fun and laugh and play with the kids. We rode the little train at the zoo saw your regular animals and were completely exhausted & hot when we got done. But the laughter was there and it was wonderful! I am now exhausted and have to get some sleep!!!

Great idea and let's keep this going....like maybe someone should start an evening checkin and we list something positive that happened that day....no matter how small it was or how big! I think that would be awesome. As a matter of fact I will start that one tomorrow!

Everyone keep this one going!
JoAnn

[lady67]

I agree.  I have always tried to be positive and uplifiting on here.  Remember we usually feel bad about ourselves and don't need any extra guilt heaped on us.  I know for myself, when I am talked down to or someone is negative to me, my initial response is to blame myself and go into a shell.  I now realize that you can't please everyone and for each thing you do positively, there will be 10 people waiting to criticize you.

If I have made anyone feel uncomfortable on here, I apologize, that is definately not my intention.  I am an addict and I come to this forum for support.  

Later
~Susan

[Crispy]

It happens lady. Text is so dry so its easy for things to be taken wrong. And ppl need to understand were not professionals were just ppl trying to help each other out with our own trials and tribulations. If everyone was the same we would be very content just talking to ourselves in a mirror.

[dominosarah]

I had a good day also.  I took my male friends teenage daughters to the salon today for a haircut and one had her tips colored hot pink and the other dark blue.  Their father about had a coronary....that was priceless.  They are both so happy and cant wait to go to school and show their friends.  Good CLEAN fun...............sara

Their mother ran off 7 years ago.  Got mixed up with meth so their dad and i are all they have.  Another reason for me to stay clean.

[joann1975]

Lady you are always sweet. I know what you are saying though!

Crispy...you are always kind too....and I like the mirror comment! Great sense of humor you have!

[joann1975]

Good for you Sarah! They are lucky to have you because I bet you are lots of fun!

[noblindfaith]

Hii i think you are so right. Try to look at the bright side of things. And for anybody thats negative or trys to crititize somebody to liston to them. They probley have problems of there on and your so much better than that. I just wanted to start off im not a addict. But i really would like to help anyone who needs to talk about it. Some of my closest friends and family or addicted to some kind of narcotics or drinking. But like i said i just want all of you to know how proud of you guys for being on a website like this trying to reach out and change for the better. Honestly its a beautiful thing. It`s a good step to recovery and i have faith that you guys will see brighter days :-]!!

[sadinmichigan]

your a good guy crispy...thanks..and your right..this is one hell of a ride isn't it..I have had a wonderful day..thats my story and i'm stickin to it..

[kim715]

I agree with Lisa,you know I think your awsome.I too have had an exhausting but wonderful day.Sometimes life throws me curve balls,but I can see clearly now,so I don't let them smack me in the face anymore.Much love.

[NautyOne]

Thats a funky one for me........If you want to post your wonder days......thats what the social side is for......for people not struggling with the nasty daunting days of addiction and withdrawal.......I'm sorry but If I came in here struggling with addiction and wanting insight and the last thing I want to read about is what wonderful days everyone is having.  Please don't get me wrong, but maybe thats what the social side is for.......I didn't get it at first and thought having a social side was idiotic but ding, ding......I finally got it.  i think in a lot of posts here people don't post about their good days......It just seems to come out in somewhere in the thread, thats what makes it more inspiring to all who come in and join the forum.  

I don't know If I made sense......I do in my mind,  but have alway explained I am not the most gifted with words.......

Luv,
Nauty........

[confused456]

I am gonna have to totally agree with Nauty on this. There in lies my "hmmmm" from earlier. I think this forum is for "support", why would we need to post asking for support if we are having a great day? makes no sense to me. Nauty has a good point for someone coming to look for help also, if they are feeling the way most of us have when that time came, in my mind, seeing tons of "happy whoo-hoo" posts is going to make me think everyone is still on drugs....sorry, just my thoughts.

[SableZen]

Showing that life goes on after withdrawal could be seen as support. I sure as hell had problems believing that immediately after detoxing... And wouldn't really clutter anything up if everyone contained it in a single thread like this or something. So I get what Crispy is saying anyway. But that actually makes me think, the social side could use the activity anyway and would be a good place to post the good things/days too...

I have to say though on the original thought... At over three months out, that things really continue to get better still and I've had a lot of good days recently. One of which resulted in a major sunburn yesterday - but it was worth it. Getting back into doing things like taking a boat out with friends is actually damn fun again. Three months ago right after detoxing... wow, such an improvement since then.

[confused456]

Sablezen......I agree that we all need the hope that good days will come, but if we are posting about more good than "reality" (as I see it), then we may be giving false hope and if it were me, I would probably give up and think, **** I am not having these days like everyone else, i may as well go back to using. OK, that was a bad analogy, but you get my point?

[SableZen]

I'm tracking - another reason the social side might be a better place?? I really wouldn't mind hearing about what the other regulars here have going on in their lives and all that in a less formal way though.

[confused456]

Sablezen....Wow, the 2 of us can be so indecisive!! LOL

I would love to hear what is going on of course! We have grown into a big family here!!
I do think that it should be on the social side. It would be great if we had a "Journal" for everyone, not a personal but one unlimited space kind of thing where it has a name and we have an option on our page to click on it like we do our "inbox"...LMAO...this is not making any sense....hehehehe......but then we could each write in there if we want or not write, whatever, but it has all our "updated good days"......something like that. Wow I am so sounding crazy!!

[sadinmichigan]

Sometimes we actually have good days and I think it's perfectly fine to tell someone..is that giving then false hope> Not everything has to be gloom and doom..

[worried878]

I agree...someone was saying today that the negativity on the board is not for hom..too much of it...i think we should go out of our way to maybe post a good day from here and there,,,but to be realistic at the same time

[confused456]

It's not giving false hope BUT if we are posting more good then bad.....i think the reality for "newbies" is that wow this is gonna be a walk in the park...and the reality is that it is anything but that.

[confused456]

OK, I think the "negativity" is BAD when it stems from people "attacking" each other verbally or not being able to agree to disagree. THAT is the "Negativity" that needs to stop!!

If we post..."Wow today is a **** day and I really need some support before I flip".....that is Reality.

[Crispy]

well im only 37 days clean so my bad days out weigh my good days i rarley go to social side unless the forum nazis move my post. But ppl that ive gotten clean with go through rough times when im going through good times. That is the only reason ive stayed away for days at a time because if im having a so so day i get tired of reading post after post of i feel like ****, i hate today, etc... Even though i dont sign on needing support at the moment after raeding a few post it puts me into a funk. But basically i was writtting this topic for someone particular.

[confused456]

Crispy, i figured that you were but this is a forum for anyone and everyone, and some things work for some and not for some. I am not saying its a bad idea, and I agree that if I am having a great day, I can get depressed by reading all crappy feeling posts, but there is another part of me that feels great when I can help someone when they are having a bad day and I am having a good one. I think the idea of this is a great idea, I just don't think it should be put "here".....I am sorry that I made you cranky, totally not my intention. You are a great person and you should know how I feel about all your help, but this is something that is up for discussion now and so we have to agree to disagree on certain aspects.

[dominosarah]

I am one of those who had a good day.  It was not 100% good as i did think about what if i had some pills, the weather was crappy, i couldnt stay busy outside etc.  I had idle time thru the day and that sets my mind in motion.  The kids came home and i decided to change it and i stayed clean for one more day.  Maybe that is how i should of worded it.

[sadinmichigan]

I know for me..that johnny depp pic did the trick..LOL