Anybody else doing Sober October?

[Trodincatsickagain]

I know there’s been a long running thread for years for dry January but I fancy having a break through October, in preparation for Xmas, give the liver a break beforehand - that is all meant very tongue in cheek 😜

Anyone fancy joining?

Wow 🤩 we did it!

Morning everyone, we’ve made it to the finish line. This month has dragged and flown by all at the same time but I hope that everybody is pleased with the progress that they’ve made, be it less days of drinking or total abstinence, this is all pattern forming and so positive for our health.

I hope everyone has something nice planned for the weekend, whether of out somewhere nice or chilling at home- have a good day!

Morning TrodIn & everybody 👋🏻

Hey @Thursathat was a completely acceptable reason, hope you all had a good time 🥰 Do you think finding the cocktail overly strong was because of your tolerance levels after this month of being mostly AF? (Or just cos the cocktail wasn’t well made?!)

Hope everyone has a good day and doesn’t get too scared by the dodgy skeletons and whatnot ( or indeed the over-use of plastic!)

Happy Halloween 👻 🎃 because I know you’re all out trick or treating tonight! 😄

Again, congratulations 🎉 for getting this far and @Thursa that sounds like a win to me!

Happy Halloween and well done everyone! Woo hoo!

Hi, I just want to say a genuine Thank you to PP for helping me to cut out alcohol for 29 out of the 31 days of what’s been a pretty varied & tough month. Typing it out like this, I realise what a personal achievement it’s been & honestly I never thought it was possible - I just expected to hang around for a few days and then fade quietly away after failing. But I didn’t, you kept me here & with your support I did it!
Obviously massive thanks have to go to the Queen of Sobriety @Trodincatsickagain 😻 without whom I wouldn’t have got started.
And to those of you who have travelled this bumpy road alongside us, thank you.
I’d genuinely love to know anyone else’s stories, if you’re willing to share.
If anyone else wants to hang around for more days of controlling alcohol, instead of it trying to be in control, I’d be up for it!

Morning everyone- here we are 1st November and I’ve decided to try and hang in for another month.
This month has really made me realise that although the initial hit from alcohol is nice & addictive , everything else from it is rubbish and I do feel better without it.

Good choice!

And I’m with you. I went out for a walk at 6:30am and it suddenly hit me how great it is to feel this alert and good first thing and I don’t want to taint that feeling with alcohol, because even a couple of glasses leaves me feeling ropey the next morning.

Morning!!

I’m so pleased that this thread got us all through - it definitely helped for me having all of you for support. It’s been fun 😊

Shall we just keep this thread going? we’ve got a way to go yet till it’s full and the we can just update as and when.

@Trodincatsickagain DH & I are just heading out to the woods with the dog now. As you say such a good feeling and I’ve always regretted it when a morning or day has been wasted due to alcohol 🍷

I’ve been following all your journeys during October and wanted to say what a fantastic achievement. I would love to join in during November if you’ll have me? Me and my DH have decided to have a reset in the hope of generally feeling healthier. It’s become too easy to have a few drinks to unwind on most evenings. I think checking in every day with people who are all doing the same thing will really help.

Welcome @Daffydaffodil25 and a reset sounds like a really good idea. I know it’s helped me tremendously and I certainly feel physically and mentally better for it.

Alcohol is such an insidious habit and it’s so easy through the week to just reach for that drink as a way to transition from the end of the working day to winding down, so I hope that we can all help you on this thread to get through November AF or nearly AF 😄

Thanks @Trodincatsickagain.
I’ve got a bottle of Nozecco chilling in the fridge ready for strictly tonight. I actually feel quite excited about doing this month alcohol free, which quite surprises me as I do love a glass of wine.
I was wondering if people found it helpful to drink alcohol free wine/beer or to have something completely different to drink so it breaks the cycle?
Anyway, hope everyone has a good Saturday night. Looking forward to having a clear head in the morning.

I'm hoping to keep AF through November....not sure about Christmas. I do like a mulled wine!

Morning. Such positive posts again, it’s great - it shows me how society, the drug itself and big business have combined to make us think that we can only relax if we’re drinking.
After two tiring, busy & fairly high-achieving (for me!) days I managed to stay AF - so chuffed!
Best wishes to everyone for a lovely sunny Sunday x

Morning!

Sun is out this morning and pretty mild here in the SE and another lovely early morning walk, all the better again for not being hungover!

@Daffydaffodil25 How was your first evening AF - Did the Nozecco hit the spot? I have to be honest that I don’t really go in for substitutes, although for the first 2 weeks I made sure that I had something in like a Fever Tree tonic that I could have over ice and the odd bottle of Nozecco, but I soon settled on decaf tea and the occasional hot chocolate. I just don’t feel the need to replace the alcohol, but that’s just me and I know that lots of posters find them helpful.

Sounds like a busy time @HotTiredDog but fantastic that you managed it all AF! What an achievement.

Hope everyone has a nice relaxing Sunday and here’s to hopefully another week AF!

Hi @Trodincatsickagain
It was good thank you. The nozeco was quite nice. It’s nice to wake up and not have a fuzzy head. I think I’ll keep the AF alternatives for a Saturday night. One of my problems is I associate a drink with certain programmes, e.g., a nice glass of red with celebrity traitors, so I want to try and break that habit.

Raining here unfortunately, but did go out to fireworks and then for meal at some friends - I had an AF cider ( Courtney’s light ) which I drank a lot over the summer and you honestly cannot tell the difference.
Need to do a Tesco shop , but only a small one as next Sunday DD is gone from Uni for a few days so will do a big shop midweek.
Well done everyone who’s staying on the AF wagon 🥰

That should have said home from uni 🙄

I though you meant you were stocking up after she’d left you with bare cupboards, Nearly!
Thanks for the tip on Courtney’s, not heard of that one.
I tried Cobra Zero tonight; a very pleasant alternative.
I’ve never liked Nozecco, so am pleased there are other decent cold drinks.
Goodnight all x

Hi @Trodincatsickagain & @Nearlyadoctor& all the others on this lovely, supportive thread.
Hope those of you who work are having a good start to your weeks.

I’m not gloating at all, I promise , but we’ve just gone on holiday for a fortnight. I’ve decided that I’m going to drink a little but not as much as my old self would have done 🤞 Just need to find the right barman who will make decent lime-&-soda’s (for a low price!)

Last week I remember that a few of us were struggling with not drinking, after stressful days; hopefully today will have been much more bearable so we’re not as tempted.
xx

Have a great holiday @HotTiredDog look forward to hearing about it when you get back! 😄

Tough day today, few things to deal with that are causing me some stress and my first thought is sod it, I’m going to buy a bottle of wine for tomorrow night. Cleared it with myself, done deal and then I started to read the other thread earlier ‘Do you know an alcoholic’ and it totally put me off buying that bottle. some really sad stories and although I’m not at that level, binging at the weekend is still so damaging. So off to fight another day AF.

Hope everyone is having a good evening!

@HotTiredDog - have an amazing holiday and a no doubt well earned break. I’m guessing some sunshine too?

@Trodincatsickagain Well done for staying strong , it’s so difficult especially when you’re already in the f… it mindset .

Busy day at work today but thankfully not too stressful, just had something to eat and now going to chill in front of the TV.

Have a good evening everyone x

Thanks @Nearlyadoctor and so true with the ‘F it’ mind set!

And great news that you had a night out with only an AF cider, such a positive step! 💪

@HotTiredDog enjoy your holiday. That would be one of my weak spots as holidays mean relaxing with alcohol and nice food. I hope you manage to cut right back.
@Trodincatsickagain I know that f it attitude so well! Well done for not giving in.
@Nearlyadoctor that was my evening too. A nice chilled one in front of the tv.

Morning!

Very jealous this morning @HotTiredDog that you’re away for 2 whole weeks! What a great time to go away and when you come back you’ll have the run up to Xmas 🎄

Well, It sounds like we all survived Monday evening and pleased to say that I have no crazy ideas regarding bottles of wine 🍷 tonight! Fortunately I’ve got a busy day ahead so it should keep me on the straight and narrow. Thanks for the encouragement @Daffydaffodil25, It sounds like you’re doing well so far, is it helping having the OH abstaining with you?

Have a good day all and keep on keeping on! 💪