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Original poster

If you have given up alcohol, do you feel better?

157 replies

MeltingWax · 03/09/2018 20:54

I am thinking about giving up alcohol altogether as I find just cutting down too difficult.

Over the last 20 years I have had 2 alcohol-free pregnancies and have done dry January twice but other than that no long periods without booze. I have started to get to the point where I think a proper break would probably be good for me for both mental and physical reasons.

I think am also probably peri menopausal with the associated mild anxiety which accompanies that.

So, I have been 10 days alcohol free now which yes, I know is not much. But I was kind of expecting to be feeling, I don't know, different somehow by now. Maybe am expecting too much. On good weeks previously I would drink the recommended weekly number of units but many many weeks it would be, um, significantly more than that. Blush

So, anyone who has gone permanently alcohol free was there some tipping point when you suddenly felt much better?

OP posts:
toomanypillows · 05/09/2018 06:48

I am in my 40s now - used to be in the binge-dribk culture in my early 20s and settled down to social drinking in my 30s and probably was drinking a bottle of wine a week and a few measures of spirits as well as beers/ciders when going out.
I drank a fair deal at a party in July 2016 (which I thoroughly enjoyed and didn't have any hangover or anything) had a supremely busy summer that year and I got to about September time and realised I hadn't had a drink for 2 months and just decided to see how long I could go without (because I did notice a difference in my disposable cash)
It's now been well over two years since I've had a drink - I've lost three stones in weight, saved no end of money and I can honestly say it hasn't bothered me at all.
I quite enjoy telling people I'm tee total.
My skin and hair are so much better and if people buy me wine for gifts, I have a decent stock of stuff to give other people.
Win 😀

Skittlesandbeer · 05/09/2018 06:52

Congrats on getting started, it’s a tough road but a worthy one.

Wanted to add another resource: check out helloSundaymorning.org

It’s an online community where you post your AF goals and read other people’s. You can interact or just read other peoples tips and tricks. It’s handy for when you’re feeling tempted to drink, or have indulged and want to get back on track with positive action rather than a guilt trip.

Good luck!

CarrieBlu · 05/09/2018 06:58

3 years drink free here. Physically I can’t say it’s made any noticeable difference. If anything, I’m more prone to putting on weight now as I will sit and scoff chocolate and cookies instead! But in terms of my mental health, I am worlds apart from who I used to be and I am much happier for it. I look back at many of my drink influenced actions and feel really ashamed and embarrassed now. I was not a pleasant person when under the influence. So for me, it’s been worth it 100% and I won’t ever go back to it.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Menopause Women's health
Jaimx86 · 05/09/2018 07:15

When I stopped drinking I took a photo of my face in daylight first thing every Sunday morning and used that as a measure of how much my skin improved - the pictures show a huge difference. After NYE where I did drink (quite excessively and unexpectedly as friends arrived at house) the skin picture the following day showed redness and puffiness.

I’ve also slept so much better since not drinking, and whilst I never had anxiety as such, I feel a lot more relaxed over an alcohol free weekend.

Weighloss is also another benefit I’ve had, as well as a better bank balance.

Frouby · 05/09/2018 07:21

I drink far too much and have a thread running atm about reducing alcohol. Completely AF wouldn't be for me. But I consistently want 4 or 5 AF nights a week.

I find if I don't drink for a couple of days I sleep much better, am less anxious and more productive. Am hopeful that I will lose weight which I generally do. I can lose half a stone in a month by only drinking 3 days a week and still moderating on those days.

But I don't want to be completely AF. I like a drink to socialise and relax.

MuggleStudies · 05/09/2018 07:26

See I like the idea but it seems boring to me. I work long hours and have two small children. I look forward to my two glasses of wine on a Friday and Saturday night. It helps me wind down and relax. Life is short. I occasionally drink midweek but I am going to cut that out.

missmartha · 05/09/2018 07:45

I gave up three years ago. It was a Dry July thing and I liked the feeling so much I never went back to alcohol.
Now I wouldn't. I cope better with stress and other problems in my life without booze.

supercalifragilistic2 · 05/09/2018 07:48

I haven't had a drink for over 2 years, I don't feel different. My life hasn't changed, just means i don't drink alcohol.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 05/09/2018 10:28

MuggleStudies if you can have just two glasses of wine twice a week then you’ve nothing really to worry about. The problem is for those of us who can’t stop at that and suffer as a result.

PlainVanilla · 05/09/2018 11:19

My aunt, practically an alcoholic, gave up smoking and drinking for 6 weeks before an operation.
She told me she didn't feel any different, certainly not "better" (than what?).

HesterMacaulay · 05/09/2018 12:26

I drink far too much... I consistently want 4 or 5 AF nights a week But I don't want to be completely AF. I like a drink to socialise and relax.
I can certainly relate to that Frouby and in the past when I thought about 'cutting down' that wouId probably have been my aim. But I found that as long as I thought about alcohol as being a treat, or fun, or necessary for a good time etc., I wouldn't succeed. Cutting down would be a never ending battle. It would be all about applying willpower to deny myself something on AF days, and then 'rewarding' myself on drinking days.
I read the Allen Carr book and although I found it irritating and long winded, the central premise made absolute sense to me and I had a real mind shift.
My way of thinking about alcohol now, is that although it feels like it adds something to life, the reality is the pleasure comes from satisfying a need (created by drinking) rather than a genuine positive . Once I had broken the cycle by simply not drinking, there was no 'need' to be satisfied. And by 'need', I don't mean having the shakes, waking needing a drink to get up in the morning. I mean that anticipation of a the first drink after a hard day etc. I realised that the sense of relief / relaxation / pleasure etc. was more like the relief that comes from scatching an itch. The relief and 'pleasure' is real but it come about because there is something wrong in the first place which you (temporarily) put right. Scratching is only pleasurable if you have an itch to start with.
I have no idea if any of that made sense and I can obviously only speak for myself but it really was a sudden and complete shift in my perception and I haven't had or wanted to have a drink since then. I can buy alcohol for others, I can cook with alcohol. It has absolutely no emotional hold on me at all. I have celebrated happy events without alcohol and coped with the absolute hardest period of my life without alchohol. In fact, I am so incredibly thankful that I had stopped drinking before life became incredibly difficult, because I'm pretty sure I would have increased my consumption and justified it because of the difficult events in my life.
Absolutely the best lifestyle / health decision I have ever made.

RiverTam · 05/09/2018 12:36

I stopped over 3 and a half years ago, for a number of reasons but mainly because even having a couple of small glasses of wine made me feel sluggish and a bit yuck the next morning.

I feel better in that I never wake up with anything even approaching a hangover which is a lovely feeling. Other than that, it hasn’t benefited me at all, I certainly haven’t lost any weight! And I would say it’s negatively impacted on my not-very-active-in-the-first-place social life.

I’m about to start a new job and I do wonder if not drinking might make it harder to fit in socially (it’s a fairly social and noisy industry). I might try the odd small glass. But really, I hate that slightly heady nauseous feeling in the morning.

If I could drink a couple of glasses with no effect that would be great!

RiverTam · 05/09/2018 12:37

Noisy?? Boozy!!

thenightsky · 05/09/2018 13:04

I did 100 dry days from Jan 1st onwards. I then tried to carry on, but it fell apart when I was faced with sangria on holiday. So I did 5 months in total.

Did I feel better? Physically maybe, but that was probably due to better quality of sleep. However, I felt my mental health dipped as I spent too much time thinking/worrying about things that I had brushed off previously.

Methe · 05/09/2018 14:14

@HesterMacaulay your post made absolute sense to me. Alan Carr was a pretty amazing guy wasn’t he! I listened to his book as an audio book and it literally changed my life.

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 05/09/2018 19:10

Another Allen Carr person here but my story is different in the respect that I did the stop smoking seminar and it seemed to delete the part of my brain that wants booze as well as fags.

You could argue I got a 2 for 1.

Do I feel better? Hell yes. I loved drinking to excess but the self loathing after was just getting worse plus I literally can’t have a hangover and be a functioning parent.

My skin looks clearer and my hair is plumper. I genuinely feel healthier for it and just don’t miss booze at all.

Allen Carr. Worth absolutely every penny (and no
I’m not getting paid for this hahaha)

HPLikecraft · 05/09/2018 19:55

Ah, very similar position here, OP! Perimenopausal, could do with losing weight, and am a week or so into my alcohol-freeness!

I'm hoping to lose weight and feel better too. But previous "dry" months have made little difference, so I'm going to keep it up until Christmas.
Up till now I was drinking 2-3 glasses of wine per night. Sometimes more if I was out somewhere. I was never drunk or hungover, but it's silly to continue like this into middle age: it must surely be detrimental to health.

TheOldestCat · 05/09/2018 19:58

Yes, feel much better for giving up alcohol 5 and a bit months ago. Like many others here, I had a dodgy ‘off switch’ and moderation didn’t work. Going AF has eased my mental load and the lack of hangovers is amazing. I thought I had indigestion - turns out that was the drink.

But it took more than a few weeks to feel the benefits. Club Soda on Facebook has been ace - and lots of quit lit and self care. It’s been worth it for me - if you want to carry on, or just to get support with moderation, I would recommend Club Soda.

Original poster
MeltingWax · 05/09/2018 20:56

Great to hear of everyone's experiences.

Have had a very trying day at work today plus a bit emotional with DD starting secondary school. My default would have been to pick up some red wine on the way home from work but have resisted!

OP posts:
IsTheRainEverComingBack · 05/09/2018 21:05

Well done Smile

Allthepinkunicorns · 05/09/2018 21:17

I used to be a big binge drinker in my 20s as soon as I had my ds I cut back as I can't deal with hangovers. I only really drink heavily when I go out and thats probably a couple of times a year. I have one or two beers ever couple of weeks. I cannot believe how much money I have wasted on alcohol over the years. I cannot see any improvements other than saving money.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/09/2018 21:32

I’m planning to do a dry September as we drank a lot over the summer. Have a party on 29th and a weekend away the following week, but then may resume for October/November. Only as an attempt to lose some weight and feel healthier.

I am running a 20km race in April so after Christmas I am planning to increase my training and give up drinking between January and my race.

I downloaded an app after watching the Adrian chiles documentary and even though I was drinking below the gov recommended 14 units, it still said I was drinking more than 95% of women in my demographic , which really surprised me.

Every time I’ve done dry months I have felt better, slept better, but missed it and found the weekends boring.

Djnoun · 05/09/2018 21:36

I have been mostly sober this year and I noticed my hay fever was significantly better than it had been for the last few. Alcohol produces histamines.

I haven't read the thread so don't know if anyone has mentioned this.

Moononthehill28 · 05/09/2018 22:01

Interesting thread. I had never been much of a drinker until the last ten years. During that time my alcohol consumption has gone up and up. To the point t where I am really questioning if I have a dependency problem. Suddenly, I am finding I can’t metabolise it, it makes me feel really ill and I am very aware of what it’s doing to me. I have completely lost the taste for whisky which was my crutch. In the past few weeks I have drink very little and am feeling a lot better. I am now thinking of kicking it altogether. I have a fatty liver and a lot of belly fat . At some level I know it’s killing me.

numptynuts · 05/09/2018 22:09

Alcohol free 5 months now.

Feel better
Sleep better
More energy
More positive