Tell me what happened when you kicked the booze?

[LotteryWinPlease]

I'm doing Dry January... in fact I think I'll go whole hog and do Dry 2023. I calmed down a bit last year but in 2021 I went through a series of personal matters and really, really hit it hard. I'm not talking a few extra beers. At my very worst I did 17 bottles of wine in one week. It was terrible.

Last year I was better as I say and I started knowing the lovely feeling of waking up fresh as a daisy on a Saturday morning. It felt great. But I still drank somewhat. I still regularly experienced The Fear. Oh, The Fear. It's crippling.

This year I've snapped. I just don't want it anymore. I've been reading all about clearer skin, thicker hair, brighter eyes all that shit. But for me mainly the biggest positive would be less anxiety and less bowel issues. I've just bought a book called "The Unexpected Joy Of Being Sober" and will spend tomorrow night getting stuck into that instead of drinking something that will only make me feel euphoric for an hour, two tops.

I'm only a couple of weeks in but already feeling relieved.

So tell me - what's it like on the Other Side?

The unexpected joy of being sober was a huge help to me.
2.5 years AF.

I expected to feel instantly amazing so it was a slight blow that didn’t happen but around month 3 I looked in the mirror and I was no longer puffy and grey looking.

I initially hit the sugar hard, replacing the sugar I was missing from wine, but figured it was more important to be AF. I found a new energy to walk and do yoga a few times a week, I now have firm abs, amazing arm and leg tone, my anxiety has somewhat lessened, I sleep better, I’m thinner, I’m far RICHER. I can’t believe the amount we were spending on booze! DH still has the occasional drink, and I’m fine with that, I’m happy knowing I’ll never drink again. I seriously don’t ever want to risk ending up like I was, mindlessly pouring alcohol down my neck 3/4 times a week to ‘unwind’ or escape. I love being AF.

If you are ever tempted remember ‘no one ever regrets not drinking’.

I read an extract of TUJOBS and really related to it. The trackie bottom trek to the offy before it closes, making a cunt of myself in front of sympathetic neighbours, the shame of the bottle wheelie bin noise, drinking alone listening to depressing music, feeling like you're best friends with someone new then not having shit to say to them when sober, the bad skin. I can only imagine how much else I'll nod my head to when I read the whole thing.

Mine is the contrarian point of view: Maybe I have never drunk as much as some in this thread (though in lockdown it was a steady 1/2 bottle to a bottle a day). Felt fed up of it and so gave up last year for a few months.

It was very anti-climactic. I felt the same. If anything, slightly more anxious. Went back on anti-depressants. Slept better, and skin looked slightly better, but not enough for anyone to notice. My weight remained constant to the pound.

I was very disappointed and started drinking again. Again no change.

Then I gave up dairy and that has done far more for my physical health. Eyes not ringed with dark circles. No heartburn. Terrible, chronic rhinitis much improved. Still off dairy.

Also tried giving up caffeine a couple of years ago. No real difference there, either.

The only thing I have ever given up that had substantial and immediate health benefits was smoking.

I used to have a few glasses of wine in evenings...I gave up 6 years ago as my late aunt was unwell and i often had to drive over to check on her etc....I didnt want to rely on getting cabs etc...first few months i drank lots of tea and sugary cakes...friends tell me how great i look...complexion...no bloating...have lots more energy now also....i have friends who are younger than me yet drink a lot and they honestly look 20 years older than me....that irritates them !

I honestly feel differently this time, like this time THIS IS IT. If I start to get cravings tomorrow (probably around 5pm) and the old "oh fuck it it's Saturday night" kick in, I will kick back. I might pop into Hobbycraft or something tomorrow and see if I can find something new and fun to entertain myself with x

I lost weight! I ate better; exercised more because I had more energy. Hadn't really thought about what an unhealthy habit drinks after work/on weekends had become.

For me, flexibility and freedom. If me and DP go to an event, we don’t have to get a hotel and wait about for taxis- I just drove home. If I’m out with a crowd and the night’s a bit rubbish, I can just leave and get in the car- I’m not relying on sharing a taxi with someone. Same with going to restaurants, I’m not dependant on taxis which may or may not turn up, and I save a fortune in taxi fares. It makes a lot of things more simple and less stressful.

This is such a good strategy OP, focus on a positive replacement activity for those trigger times, rather than just thinking about what you don't want to do.

I gave up drinking when things reached crisis point with my addict husband. I gave him an ultimatum and stopped completely as well. I have had the odd glass of wine out for dinner with friends but can totally leave it now and i am very conscious not to have more than one. I went on a girls weekend away and didn't drink at all. I have become very aware that much of my demographic have alcohol dependancy. All socialising is related to drinking.

I feel so much better and our house is a much happier home. No more laid out on the sofa on a sunday afternoon.

I've been really poorly recently and realised i felt like this all of the time before i gave up booze.

I’m only 7 days AF so far, and so far so good, but each time I crave a drink I am going to read this. Thank you @DuncanBiscuits You are right there are no downsides!

I’d recommend a book called The Naked Mind - really opened my eyes to the damage booze can do and helped me have a sober streak of 125 days! Fell off the wagon after that unfortunately but trying again (Day 5 today). Best bit was waking up clear headed on a morning and never worrying if I’d had too many wines to do the last minute ‘taxi’ runs the kids always ask for!

Nothing happened really.

I noticed how boring drunk people are and how obsessed the British are with drinking and the weird excuses they make for binging or drinking daily.

Sober for 24 years now.

A little play on my retro computer, a good 2 hour night walk at 6pm followed by a book and a candle. Going well so far. I hope I'm thinner by the end of January! 😃

Average weekly units in 2022... 40
Average weekly units in 2023 so far... 0

🙏❤️

I used have a couple of bottles of wine a week average. I could never shift the weight whilst drinking alcohol, even when I was working out like a mad woman. Since becoming teetotal the weight has fallen off me and I'm really toned now.

Other benefits include:

My anxiety has all but gone
No more puffy face
Amazing quality sleep
Tons of energy
Mood vastly improved
No more worries about it being a carcinogen- raising risk of certain cancers
Look younger
I just feel more on an even keel and less all over the place emotionally

I will never go back- alcohol is a carcinogen and a poison and it places a strain on the liver which is a major detox organ. Ive never looked back since!

I’m kicking the booze too. Been sober since 31st Dec. I only drank a couple of bottles a week but more if I went out socially. I’ve done it for my mental health (overthinking, depression and anxiety) also the financial aspect is really spurring me on as I have to be so much more frugal this year. Today I woke up with clear, not red eyes for the first time in ages. My skin looks firmer and glowing already. I have no anxiety and feel so good. I thought I may just drink socially but actually I’m thinking I won’t as I’m scared of how it might affect my mind, because I feel so much more calm. I’ve used it as a crutch for all my life. The term sober-curious also gave me pause for thought and helped my decision. It’s a good term for taking a decision to see how things go. I’m looking forward to seeing how much better I feel & look as the month goes on!

This is one of the best books ive ever read on alcohol! There is also a facebook group based on the book

@LotteryWinPlease WELL DONE fir not caving in last night. I am doing dry January, in the last few months of the year I was frequently drinking a bottle of wine a night. I'm very keen to improve my physical and mental health and this can only help. At the moment, I am missing wine, a lot.

I've not had a drink since 30 April 2022, apart from one day last November where I thought I could moderate and found I couldn't.The resulting four day hangover convinced me that I should not drink again.

I've now done a sober holiday and a sober Christmas, desire pressure from my OH to drink, presumably to justify his own drinking.

Benefits were slow to accrue, which rather confirms why I had never seen the point of Dry January, but now I do have better skin and hair and mostly better sleep.

That’s lovely to read. I am doing it alongside you. Started dry January late as needed to finish off the last of the Christmas booze 🙄.
I’ve noticed that I’m a binge drinker and if it’s in the house, I’ll drink it but won’t go out specifically for booze. So I’m not buying it anymore. I also drink alcohol sometimes because I’m thirsty! So drink something else instead at about 6pm when I’m back from work and cooking the dinner and like to “reward” myself with a glass of wine, so now reward myself with fancy expensive cordial or fruit juice.

I've got the Try Dry ap and I love it. I was drinking at least a bottle of wine a night and on weekends much more. I was arguing with my kids, chatting shit, forgetting the plots to TV shows we were watching. Awful. I've not had wine since August 2021 and I've lost 3 stone and don't crave it a single bit.

I have been drinking more IPA type beers recently and can feel it so much. My sleep is shit I feel so fucking anxious and we are spending a fortune on takeaways. And for what? Often I think I don't even enjoy the taste I just do it for the (very mild, 2 pint) buzz. My relationship with alcohol is so dysfunctional I want to give it up all together.

I’m a recovering alcoholic. Been sober since Oct 2017.

I’d do approx 8 bottles of wine a week BUT mainly condensed into Thursday to Sunday.

It felt like this at first not drinking, imagine you are not allowed to look at your mobile phone AT ALL, each time it rings, pings etc, you can’t touch it or look at it - it’s very hard.

However, after the first few days, then a few weeks it became less compelling to drink, I sucked a lot of boiled sweets (chocolate limes).

I slept so much better, I stopped having horrendous bouts of self hatred, no more ‘beer fear’ the morning after 3 bottles of Sav Blanc scared to look at FB to see what shite I’d posted or who I’d messaged in a pissed up state.

I am not in the same place as you, I'm still drinking far too much. Managed to stop for a short while last year tho and found my days off were longer and more productive. I wasn't giving up at 3/4pm to sit on the sofa and have the first drink 'to relax'. I would be still going for a walk, or shopping. I didn't have to subconsciously be sitting down by mid-late afternoon. Might have to give it a good go.

It’s great. I’m never going back.

anxiety and bowel issues have improved a lot x

I stopped drinking about 4 years ago when I realised alcohol no longer agreed with me. I was feeling dizzy and sick after just one or two glasses of wine and the hangovers were horrendous. I think as I've got older I've developed an intolerance to alcohol (which I think is quite common during perimenopause).

I didn't actively make a decision to stop drinking it just of happened as I didn't want to drink. My friends found it odd to start with but now don't think anything of it. We're all late 40's/50's and they all drink much less than they used to as well.

I've found get togethers with friends have changed from nights out/in that revolved around alcohol, to getting together for tea and cake, going out for lunch, going for long walks, going to the theatre, etc. We used to have some hilarious alcohol fuelled nights and I look back at and laugh at the memories, but I don't miss them at all, this feels like the next phase.

I don't miss the hangovers at all and love waking up in the mornings feeling fresh. Weekend mornings I get up and go to the gym or yoga and then for a long walk. It's lovely not to have that anxiety about saying something stupid or doing something embarrassing or waste the day away feeling awful. I haven't lost any weight unfortunately, but I feel much healthier and happier.