Tell me all the amazing things that happened once you gave up alcohol!

[MargaretElsie]

I need to go dry for a bit, around 6 months for medical reasons (not alcohol related!) and need some extra inspiration for when times get tough. Not only is there the football tonight, but I have two weddings and also a holiday to maintain it through all of which usually involve a few drinks.

I've read plenty of information online, but it's always nice to read things from a personal angle too.

So, please tell me your stories about being alcohol free and how AMAZING it was so I can dip in whenever I get the urge to drink.

Thank you ever so much!

I sleep much better! Losing weight too . Partly because I don’t snack on crisps with booze. Such a joy to rediscover old clothes in my wardrobe .

This is what I need to hear! How much weight? I did sober October a while ago and really felt so much better sleepwise (writing this to remind myself of how good it felt...)

Shit, I have just seen there are so many threads asking the exact same, I was just looking in the wrong part. Oh well! More replies and threads aren't a big deal

Trying to stay motivated not to drink tonight. Night 3!

I always have loads more energy when I have a decent stretch of AF. My mood improves and I feel more confident in myself, because alcohol is a depressive.

The only thing that works for me is to think about how I'll feel immediately after drinking/eating anything and say up to 24hrs later.

And then think about how the first one is the easiest to resist. Even imaging the urge to drink as a fierce dragon, if I give into it it gets stronger, if I resist it i get stronger.

And have a heap of options of alternative things that really enjoy. I'm most tempted when I'm a bit bored and looking for 'fun' so I have a list of alternatives at my fingertips.

Hope you find what works for you. xx

I never have to wonder whether I’ll be able to drive somewhere. Not even in an emergency, but just say if someone changes some plans or asks for a lift.

Never having to justify to myself why I am drinking. Good day/bad day/birthday/friday/monday. It’s draining

I’ve just bought a few non-alcoholic beers and some crisps for us to have during the football.

I find having a replacement ‘treat’ really helps during the initial behaviour-change phase of drinking less.

Just felt better. Never had that ‘day after alcohol feeling’. I liked it. Rarely drink now and only one if I do.

I stopped completely. I have more money, I no longer get indigestion and my memory has improved. There are no downsides.

I love that my sleep is better. And I am never hungover. That I don't waste time sleeping off a big night out. I like being able to drive everywhere and leave when I like.

When I was drinking I had awful "hangxiety" and I really don't miss that.

My IBS became so much better!! I still enjoy myself with a glass of nosecco, but when every else is hanging the next day, I feel great!

You'll be a nicer person and happier

Smug in the morning after a night out

Life was exactly the same for me when I was drinking and when I was not drinking

I'm an alcoholic. One phrase someone on here said a while ago that really stuck with me was "No one ever regrets waking up not having drunk".

Currently fighting my way sobre after decades of trauma-related alcohol use. Have stacked up on ALLLLLLLLL my fave snacks and food! NO alcohol in the house helps massively. Bought in literally 5 boxes of Aldi lemonade for the fridge to just crack open a cold lemonade and drink whenever I want.....I'm fighting it...I'm completely alone in this, but I'm trying. It's possible. Keep going op x

I love all this - thank you!

I think the initial stage is tricky (from limited past experience) but I suppose the benefits start to feel more real the further you go on...?

@Therunecaster <waves>

@YouJustDoYou How long have you been AF? And what was your tipping point?

Non-alcoholic beverages taste the same and there are lots of different varieties including rums and gins that are 0.0%
I like the taste of fizzy pop (the zero sugar ones only) they're also cheaper than alcohol. I lose weight easier when I do not drink alcohol - which makes it easier to fit cake &/or chocolate into my healthier eating plans 😉
Alcohol is a known dehydrator, it raises blood pressure as well as having a negative impact to the liver and other vital organs. No alcohol means I'm always fit to drive and will not get a nasty hangover 😎
Hope that helps!

For me it is skin and sleep.

I cant tell you how much my sleep health improved.
it took a few days but honestly once I had detoxed, when i went to bed it was blissful.

For skin that took longer but all the chugging water has helped immensely.

Good luck.

Ok, so, I've been an alcohol dependnt all my adult life, BAR the times I was tryingt to get pregnant, was pregnant, and then breastfeeding. OP, only 9 months no alcohol I dropped 3 stone in weight. 3 fucking stone. I ate doughnuts, I ate what I wanted, and I still lost fuck tons of weight. Alcohol is EVIL.

Significant weight loss, ie 35kg. Lower blood pressure. Not waking up hung over every weekend morning meant I got up earlier, exercised more, ate healthier (no more recovery fry-ups) & fitted more into my days.

I never had a drink problem, in that I drank beer because I loved the stuff, not because I needed the alcohol but I was clinically obese and the amount of booze I was consuming was a significant factor in that. My general diet was never awful, but I was consuming thousands of empty calories every week in the form of beer, which is full of them.

On the downside, I socialised less because I went to the pub much less. Going to the pub & not having a pint or three was never going to happen, so I had to stop. I also stopped having beer in the house, because if there were a few chilled bottles of something delicious in the fridge, I would drink them.

Honestly I feel no different whatsoever but clearly I am in the minority.

Great stuff and well done 👏

Remain strong - You can make that change!

Thank you 😥Honestly, I have absolutely no one to talk to about this, and can't risk either ringing aa or going to a meeting so, thank you