Good afternoon everyone~
Big welcome to @petruk, @Babbi. Hope you are all doing well today. Welcome to this peer support space. Everyone here is in their own journey, we hope you can find the support you need and connect with each other. We have two peer workers here to provide some extra information and support. If you have any questions, just tag them in your post, @ScorpionPW & @PnorkelPW.
I am the facilitator here, so don't hesitate to ask me as well if there is anything we can help you with.
Welcome to our online peer support community. Connect with others making change in their alcohol and other drug use. Join our online community today.
Connect, be inspired, motivate others. Share your experience & strategies.
Safe. Anonymous. Professionally moderated. Free of judgement.
Introduce yourself here - lived experience
- Sunflowerseed
- Community Builder
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Good afternoon everyone, how are we feeling today?
@User 646d6f0e30ae7 Welcome for joining us. Counselling Online forums is a space for you to share your recovery journey, perhaps what is helping you and what other support you might be looking for, just always remember to keep your post anonymous.
If you have any questions relating to the journey, feel free to ask our peer workers, @PnorkelPW & @ScorpionPW. You can also ask me, I will try my best to help!
@User 646d6f0e30ae7 Welcome for joining us. Counselling Online forums is a space for you to share your recovery journey, perhaps what is helping you and what other support you might be looking for, just always remember to keep your post anonymous.
If you have any questions relating to the journey, feel free to ask our peer workers, @PnorkelPW & @ScorpionPW. You can also ask me, I will try my best to help!
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- ScorpionPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome to the forums @petruk, @Babbi, @JHersee and @User 646d6f0e30ae7.
If you're comfortable sharing it would be great to hear what brings you here or feel free to have a look around and see if anything resonates.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW, we are the peer workers here and are happy to share our experiences of going through addiction and finding a path of recovery.
If you're comfortable sharing it would be great to hear what brings you here or feel free to have a look around and see if anything resonates.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW, we are the peer workers here and are happy to share our experiences of going through addiction and finding a path of recovery.
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- Sunflowerseed
- Community Builder
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Happy weekend everyone, how was your week? Were you able to achieve your goals for the week?
@Cjm-55 Welcome to the Forums! This is a safe and anonymous space for you to share your story. You are welcome to post as often as you to keep track of your journey. If you are not ready to post, just look around for others' story to get some inspirations. There are also some activities you can participate on without having to share too much.
If you have any questions relating to the journey, you are welcome to ask our peer workers, @ScorpionPW & @PnorkelPW.
You can also ask me if you have any questions, I am the facilitator here.
@Cjm-55 Welcome to the Forums! This is a safe and anonymous space for you to share your story. You are welcome to post as often as you to keep track of your journey. If you are not ready to post, just look around for others' story to get some inspirations. There are also some activities you can participate on without having to share too much.
If you have any questions relating to the journey, you are welcome to ask our peer workers, @ScorpionPW & @PnorkelPW.
You can also ask me if you have any questions, I am the facilitator here.
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- PnorkelPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome to the forums @Cjm-55, @petruk, @Babbi, @JHersee, and @User 646d6f0e30ae7...................it's great to have you on the forums, I hope you find some helpful stuff on here.
You've all taken a great step by joining up. In my experience, making change to substance use requires help and support from a range of different sources and supports. It takes time and usually involves a few steps forwards and backwards but the most important thing is to keep trying. Don't give up on yourself, it takes time to figure out what works for you. There'll be plenty of suggestions along the way. Some will work for you and some won't but every lesson learnt is a step closer to achieving your goal.
For some the goal is to stop all together. For others it's to cut down and there'll be others who want to stop one substance but keep using others. What are your goals?
You've all taken a great step by joining up. In my experience, making change to substance use requires help and support from a range of different sources and supports. It takes time and usually involves a few steps forwards and backwards but the most important thing is to keep trying. Don't give up on yourself, it takes time to figure out what works for you. There'll be plenty of suggestions along the way. Some will work for you and some won't but every lesson learnt is a step closer to achieving your goal.
For some the goal is to stop all together. For others it's to cut down and there'll be others who want to stop one substance but keep using others. What are your goals?
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- Sunflowerseed
- Community Builder
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Good morning everyone, how is everyone feeling today?
Big welcome to @dylsrecovery. Some people join us so they have a safe space to share, some join to get some inspiration from others' journey, what makes you joined us? When you feel ready, we would love to hear a little about yourself (just remember to keep everything anonymous). If you have any questions, feel free to tag our peer workers, @ScorpionPW & @PnorkelPW, or myself.
Big welcome to @dylsrecovery. Some people join us so they have a safe space to share, some join to get some inspiration from others' journey, what makes you joined us? When you feel ready, we would love to hear a little about yourself (just remember to keep everything anonymous). If you have any questions, feel free to tag our peer workers, @ScorpionPW & @PnorkelPW, or myself.
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- PnorkelPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Hi @dylsrecovery, welcome to the forums.
If you feel comfortable sharing it'd be great to hear from you. @ScorpionPW would love to help in any way we can. Just tag one or both of us and we'll respond when we're next online.
The great thing about the forums is the anonymity.
If you feel comfortable sharing it'd be great to hear from you. @ScorpionPW would love to help in any way we can. Just tag one or both of us and we'll respond when we're next online.
The great thing about the forums is the anonymity.
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- tyme4change
- Junior Member
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Hi everyone. I am grateful to have found this forum to talk openly and safely. A little bit about my story. I have been drinking heavily for most of my life. It started as a teenager and I was self medicating with alcohol to numb myself. Im now in my middle age and am drinking heavily everyday out of habit. All my friends are also heavy drinkers. I am concerned about my health and the damage alcohol has done to my body and brain. I need to make permanent changes in my use of alcohol. I’m hopeful this forum and website is a first step in my recovery journey.
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- brownhairedgirl
- Moderator
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome aboard @tyme4change...............it's great to have you as new member!
Yell out if you have any questions, if you feel comfortable, we are here to support you in your journey of change…
Yell out if you have any questions, if you feel comfortable, we are here to support you in your journey of change…
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- ScorpionPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Hi @tyme4change, thanks so much for sharing with us and being so open and honest about where you're at.
One of the things you said really resonated with me, the part where you mentioned all your friends being heavy drinkers. I can remember all of my friends using substances the same way I did and towards the end of my addiction I was worried being alone if I stopped using and drinking. I knew I needed to begin a recovery journey but I thought it would be a lonely road. Going to 12 step meetings really helped me to build new, healthy connections even though it was hard letting certain people go in order to put my recovery first.
I can really relate to self medicating too, I used substances to cope with a lot of things I went through, to feel like I belonged somewhere and to feel ok with being in the world and being me.
I'm wondering if you've got an idea of where you want to go from here? Do you think you want to stop drinking completely, or try to drink more manageably, or is it just too overwhelming to think about right now? Either way, you can always reach out here and we're always here if you want to touch base, get any info or just get something off your mind and connect.
I really hope you continue to share with us here on the forums
One of the things you said really resonated with me, the part where you mentioned all your friends being heavy drinkers. I can remember all of my friends using substances the same way I did and towards the end of my addiction I was worried being alone if I stopped using and drinking. I knew I needed to begin a recovery journey but I thought it would be a lonely road. Going to 12 step meetings really helped me to build new, healthy connections even though it was hard letting certain people go in order to put my recovery first.
I can really relate to self medicating too, I used substances to cope with a lot of things I went through, to feel like I belonged somewhere and to feel ok with being in the world and being me.
I'm wondering if you've got an idea of where you want to go from here? Do you think you want to stop drinking completely, or try to drink more manageably, or is it just too overwhelming to think about right now? Either way, you can always reach out here and we're always here if you want to touch base, get any info or just get something off your mind and connect.
I really hope you continue to share with us here on the forums
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- ScorpionPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome to the forums @Maaddii and @Tired_mummy23!
It would be great to hear what brings you here if you're comfortable sharing, if not that's totally fine. Feel free to look around and see if anything resonates with you on your journey.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW if you want to touch base. We are the peer workers here and have been through our own experience of addiction and recovery. Feel free to ask us anything you like
It would be great to hear what brings you here if you're comfortable sharing, if not that's totally fine. Feel free to look around and see if anything resonates with you on your journey.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW if you want to touch base. We are the peer workers here and have been through our own experience of addiction and recovery. Feel free to ask us anything you like
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- PnorkelPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Hi @tyme4change................it's great that you feel safe to share here. The anonymity is one of the bonuses of the forums.
I was 37 before I managed to make the change I'd wanted to make for many years to my alcohol consumption. I tried for years but just couldn't maintain the change. I'd keep thinking that life was in a good place so I could start drinking again and that this time "I'll be able to control it" but every time I picked up again my drinking got worse. What had started as fun on weekends as a teenager had progressed to drinking first thing in the morning and all throughout the day just to keep the sickness at bay.
Change was hard because like you, all my friends were heavy drinkers. Like @ScorpionPW, I was able to build some new connections at AA meetings which helped me to maintain my connections with old friends too. I just had to change the way I hung out with them and the locations. It took a bit of time but I was able to get the balance right.
Something that I'm grateful for is that I was able to make change before there was any significant damage done. Alcohol does all sorts of untold damage to internal organs and most of the time that's hidden until it's too late. I'm sure there's damage already done that I'll find out about in years to come but at least know I'm not making it any worse.
Have you taken any steps towards making change yet? My GP was really helpful and still continues to be to this day.
Have you thought about going to AA meetings or to SMART Recovery meetings?
Or seeing a drug and alcohol counsellor??
I was 37 before I managed to make the change I'd wanted to make for many years to my alcohol consumption. I tried for years but just couldn't maintain the change. I'd keep thinking that life was in a good place so I could start drinking again and that this time "I'll be able to control it" but every time I picked up again my drinking got worse. What had started as fun on weekends as a teenager had progressed to drinking first thing in the morning and all throughout the day just to keep the sickness at bay.
Change was hard because like you, all my friends were heavy drinkers. Like @ScorpionPW, I was able to build some new connections at AA meetings which helped me to maintain my connections with old friends too. I just had to change the way I hung out with them and the locations. It took a bit of time but I was able to get the balance right.
Something that I'm grateful for is that I was able to make change before there was any significant damage done. Alcohol does all sorts of untold damage to internal organs and most of the time that's hidden until it's too late. I'm sure there's damage already done that I'll find out about in years to come but at least know I'm not making it any worse.
Have you taken any steps towards making change yet? My GP was really helpful and still continues to be to this day.
Have you thought about going to AA meetings or to SMART Recovery meetings?
Or seeing a drug and alcohol counsellor??
1 x
- ScorpionPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome to our newest members @Skizzaa, @Falkor and @bunbun!
If you ever want to share about where you're with people who can relate or would like some info to help you on your journey then feel free to reach out.
Have a look around and hopefully there is something that resonates with you here.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW, we are the peer workers here and have been through our own experience of addiction and recovery. We are happy to share things that have helped us along the way and we're just here to meet you where you're at.
If you ever want to share about where you're with people who can relate or would like some info to help you on your journey then feel free to reach out.
Have a look around and hopefully there is something that resonates with you here.
Feel free to tag myself or @PnorkelPW, we are the peer workers here and have been through our own experience of addiction and recovery. We are happy to share things that have helped us along the way and we're just here to meet you where you're at.
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- Sunflowerseed
- Community Builder
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
It's June now, time flies so fast...How are you all feeling?
Warm welcome to our newest members, @Skizzaa, @Falkor, @bunbun, @Bixby, @J.H for joining us here. As @PnorkelPW mentioned, he is one of our peer workers here with @ScorpionPW. They went through the recovery journey themselves, so if you have any questions you would like to ask them, just tag them in your post using the @ symbol.
I am the facilitator here, so you are all welcome to ask me anything!
Warm welcome to our newest members, @Skizzaa, @Falkor, @bunbun, @Bixby, @J.H for joining us here. As @PnorkelPW mentioned, he is one of our peer workers here with @ScorpionPW. They went through the recovery journey themselves, so if you have any questions you would like to ask them, just tag them in your post using the @ symbol.
I am the facilitator here, so you are all welcome to ask me anything!
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- PnorkelPW
- Peer Worker
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Re: Introduce yourself here - lived experience
Welcome to the forums @Skizzaa , @Falkor , @bunbun , @Bixby , @J.H ................it's great that you've taken the step to join up. Hopefully you find it helpful and maybe we'll here a bit from yo soon if you feel comfortable sharing
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