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Merry Christmas, HN

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Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#181

Post by bag_boy »

thowaway959125 wrote: post #123
labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

You can see from my comment history that I have a history of problems with alcohol also. I have spent many Christmas's holed up in motels alone with a bottle, thinking "what's the point?". You think going through that one year would be enough, but it wasn't enough to learn my lesson. It's no place to be, but it CAN get better as you've pointed out. I noted in a prior comment I went from a senior software engineer to…

Same here. I remember thinking the depression/drinking would never end. It did. Life is great now.

Merry Christmas

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#182

Post by cantbemeekenuff »

Go aDore Jesus Christ, there is bound to be a perpetual Adoration chapel somewhere near you. Find Him and go to Him, the Nativity is a prefigurement of this merciful Gift. You will never feel lonely again because you will realize you never were.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Mery Christmas, Everyone.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#183

Post by bdcravens »

labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

I can't say I reached that level of despair, but on multiple occasions I was inches away (often literally) from alcohol destroying everything. I'll reach 5 years sober next July.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#184

Post by cantbemeekenuff »

michaelsbradley wrote: post #139

Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that this new light of Your Incarnate Word which shines upon our minds by faith, may be reflected in our deeds. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. — Collect, In Nativitatis Domini in aurora

God Bless, you. Stay strong.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#185

Post by gavanwilhite »

Zancarius wrote: post #47

Merry Christmas! This post hits pretty close to home, particularly the bit about how ephemeral life is. My father passed earlier this year after a long battle with COPD (encourage your friends/family to stop smoking if they do!), but because it was expected I was blessed to have the opportunity to prepare and have many conversations I will remember until my last day. The material can come and go. Family and friendshi…

Also!

Many folks who smoke know the dangers, but don’t know how to quit, or fear being miserable.

I’d highly recommend offering a book from https://www.allencarr.com/

They might not read it for a few years, but when they do, it’s the best way to quit.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#186

Post by bee_rider »

toyg wrote: post #168
rubicon33 wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm one of those people that from a young age gave religion a bad rap. The problem is nobody ever told me about its utility. I was just dragged to church every Sunday and occasionally lectured on God / etc. It was really easy for a young mind to get cynical about it especially amongst a family that was very preachy. I wish someone had said "whether or not you believe in THIS god, there is utility in believing in SOME…

If religion was a net negative, it wouldn't have survived for... well, since monkeys grew a rigid spine. The negatives tend to come from people exploiting others' dependency on its usefulness.

Everything has pros and cons, but some other behaviors that have survived for a really long time are murder, war, and (since it came up in this thread) alcoholism, which are not generally very well regarded.

This isn’t to say religion is necessarily like those things, but it does indicate a flaw in the idea that behaviors that stick around mustn’t be so bad.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#188

Post by s5300 »

roflyear wrote: post #106
labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

Why are the holidays so bad for this? I guess a combination of no sun and stress. I am always the most depressed during the holidays.

I think for many there is an aspect in which, at some point during early childhood, they did experience good/joyous holidays with a loving family.

Unfortunately, for some, that does not continue into teenage years/young adulthood/the rest of life. For a variety of reasons.

Those memories & the potential yearning for them do not particularly go away for most, it seems to be part of the human condition. Methods of coping with the loss of meaningful holidays are vast, but substance abuse seems quite common.

While I do not know how universally true this is - I can only say I’ve heard many an anecdote being from a military family & I’m currently living on a marine base - it seems similar to soldiers fated to die gruesome deaths in foreign lands screaming for their mothers in their final moments. A somewhat universal experience. Maybe I’m thinking too deeply into it though.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#190

Post by waltbosz »

didgetmaster wrote: post #99
labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

You don't have to 'hit rock bottom' to have temporary times of despair in your life. Even if you have a lot of things going for you, we all have times when we feel sad, depressed, lonely, in a rut, overwhelmed, or other negative emotions. If you find yourself in one of those times, convince yourself that it is only temporary and look for the good. Help someone else out because serving others will give you a boost. Su…

> we all have times when we feel sad, depressed, lonely, in a rut, overwhelmed, or other negative emotions

I'm in one of those states right now. Unhappy with work. Uncertain about money. Poor health. It really piles up.

> If you find yourself in one of those times, convince yourself that it is only temporary and look for the good.

I'm fortunate enough to know that it's not permanent. I've been in these states before, and I've gotten out of them. It's just hard to see through the fog of uncertainty though. My brain doesn't work well when it's stressed.

For me, it helps to have a project that bring me joy. I've been doing a lot of hobby coding. It's really nice to code for myself again. I haven't really done this much hobby coding for 20 years, and it's like meeting an old friend.

Merry Christmas everyone!

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