Life Beyond my Wildest Dreams

Morning everyone:

Well a "Life beyond my wildest dreams" is what I was promised and this blog is a reflection of my personal journey as I trust and pray that this and other promises come true.  I am a recovered alcoholic; sobriety date 1 November 2013;  53 years of age female.  I have to remain anonymous, so won't post too much further personal information.  However, I think that I will be able to honestly post my thoughts on my recovery journey.  Half measures didn't work for me; I had to fully commit myself to my recovery.

I spent 30 years as a property lawyer undertaking conveyancing and was made redundant approximately four years ago (my memory is still a little tricky regarding the last couple of years of my drinking!)  After redundancy my drinking became completely out of control and for the last six months of it I was drinking 24 - 7.  However, it was not always like that and progressed slowly over the years.  I believe that alcoholism is a progressive disease, but I also believe that there is a solution to the problem.

I was prompted to begin this blog by the latest publicity from Russell Brand who is doing much to raise the awareness of addiction as a disease which needs treatment and that there is treatment available.  He is a celebrity and can use his status to good use.  I am a common or garden middle aged female but have experience of the same illness from which he suffers and I hope can contribute to the debate in my own way.  At the outset it is important for me to say that I DO NOT believe in a "controlled" drinking approach to alcoholism.  I went, as many others have, through the various NHS and charity support programs, where I was encouraged to keep a drink diary and look at my triggers towards drinking.  None of these things worked for me.  Self-will didn't work.  I had to find my solution in another way.

I'll leave it here for today, because I am aiming to post every day and give details of my story; how I have reached the point at which I am at and how the promises are coming true for me as I begin to live a life of my wildest dreams using various methods, in particular gardening and becoming closer to nature to maintain my personal sobriety.

It is a beautiful afternoon outside - and I'm off to prepare my garden for sowing seeds.