No alcohol - feeling twitchy

[Iambouddicca]

Just need to be distracted I think. Been drinking quite often over the summer - not huge amounts but most days. Have decided I need to cut right back starting with a dry month. Tonight is my first Friday without wine in ages.

Ive also been weaning myself off sertraline over the last few weeks and I’m noticing that I am more irritable and restless with that too.

Im trying not to make excuses but I got back from a lovely ( and boozy) holiday to go straight back to work this week and I am very tired. I’ve got lots to catch up on at home and at work and I’m finding it hard to settle.

all of the above is really making me want my glass of wine.

please help me to stick with my decision and not fall at the first hurdle. Thank you

Play it forward. The first sip will give you a feeling of relief - but by the end of the glass, the itch will come back.

And you’ll want another. And then tomorrow you’ll be back to square one. And it’ll be even harder.

I'm in a similar position. Giving up for a while for both health and financial reasons and this will be my first dry weekend for ages. Never used to drink every weekend but somehow it crept up.

Just think of the money you will save and the benefits to your health. Especially if you're weaning off sertraline. More likely to be successful without the booze!

I'm 2 weeks in to a month of not drinking. Just poured DD and her friends a glass of wine and had a lemonade instead. Is weirdly fine, I also managed a gig last weekend without booze. You can do it!

Thank you for the support. Keep going everyone!

I don't drink, but I enjoy finding nice non alcohol drinks when I am shopping. I don't do it often just now and then. Anyway.... I hate most of them actually and stick with lime and soda mostly.

But..... One day I found a non alcohol version of the Italian Spritz, you know the orangey one that is oh so cool in a nice glass with slices of orange and a straw? I mixed it with fizzy water and have to say it was very nice. It is called Lyres Italian spritz, I actually got it in Tesco Dublin when I was there recently, so don't know if it's sold in UK. It's made in Netherlands.

Ooh thanks for the tip. I find it hard to get soft drinks that aren’t too sweet for me

I have come on mumsnet tonight as a distraction technique as I am giving up alcohol for a bit too.

I've had a manic day at work (frontline healthcare) and usually Friday night I'm found on the sofa with a bottle of wine and eating Doritos.

Tonight I've got sparkling water, crudités and I'm planning to have a hot chocolate in bed reading in a bit.

It's deffo all about playing it forward. It's bloody hard though!

You can do it. I gave up nearly four years ago. I found books and blogs on giving up booze unbelievably helpful - I basically inhaled them for about 3 months non stop. Clare Pooley’s Sober Diaries, that sort of thing.
And as someone else said, play the tape forward. You are never going to regret waking up with a clear head after a good night’s sleep.

You are not alone. I'm staying sober for September as well. Far easier than trying to do it in January and September always seems like the new year when the DC go back to school.

I've got to pick up DD3 in a bit so wouldn't be able to drink anyway. Tomorrow we are going out for the evening somewhere drink won't be available.

And I can second Lyre’s Italian. They’re an Aussie company but available in the Uk and have a small but good range. Best to find online. I guess the name comes from the Lyre bird which can mimic any sound it hears - the drinks are good dupes.

Same.
I was off for three months and then let my hair down over summer.
The time to scrape it back I to a bun is definitely here starting today.
Try and go alcohol free but when you get desperate have some non alcoholic stuff then. I like gordans gin zero alchol and some nice mixers..
Also rose nosesso is nice.
Holding everyone's hand.

Lyre’s is great - we have the full range! Two years sober here. There’s no downside.

@ShirleyJackson so true - there really is no downside.