This is it, my day 1

[Stopthisshit]

I drink too much
I need to stop
This is my day 1
Join me

Argh I still haven’t managed this. Last night wine. Keep waking up at 4am and can’t get back to sleep. Feel horrible.
I’m going to do it today thought I’ve had enough x

Well done everyone, and good luck to those who are starting today. I don't miss waking up at 3 with my thoughts going over and the guilt.

Can’t remember the last good nights sleep I had.

The witching hour....

Snap @alwayssunshine , mine is an elderflower cordial with sparkling water.

I have just been googling alcohol free drinks, I can recommend the aperol, Redordelig cider and Kopperberg.

Cooking dinner with no glass of wine... I really lost my temper... I wouldn’t mind, but it was only tuna bloody pasta bake.

My main issue with non alcoholic drinks is how sweet they are. I'm switching to tomato juice tomorrow (check me out planning my next non alcoholic drink)😄. I've heard beetroot juice is nice too.

Some of the non-alcoholic gin substitutes are quite nice, Wilderness, I tried some when I was pregnant. But you need to take out a mortgage to keep trying them. Stupidly expensive.

Aperol is nice it has a bitter edge to it so not so sweet. I am not keen on drinks that are too sweet but most of them are.

I have tried seedlip it's ok but not worth the money. I also tried M&S fizzero as it was recommended on here it was awful, I now try to avoid most of the substitute wine/ beer unless desperate when in which case I have peroni or Kopperberg.

Hope everyone has a better day tomorrow it is really tough for a while but I promise it is worth the effort.

I thought Aperol was alcoholic - is there a non alcoholic version? I love Seedlip but agree it is way too expensive.

Please can I join! I hate myself for not getting through the day without a couple of glasses of wine, last night was a whole bottle. I’m a single parent / separated, with a teen who can be hard work, my elderly Mother lives with me and I now have a sick sibling staying. I know it’s no excuse but the wine has been my escape and I want to stop. I tried a couple of months back but then hit GCSEs so went awry. I want to stop this week before school starts!

wilderness yes it is non alcoholic, you can get the alcoholic version but have never tried it. It just gets a bit boring my caffeine consumption is too high so I end up feeling a bit jittery.. 😆

Tanline welcome. wow you have alot going on however it is still possible to quit/moderate with all of that. what is your plan do you need to quit? Or are you moderating?

I think like you I would often have a couple of glasses of wine in the evening not every evening but, more often than not then it ended with me finishing the bottle. I had alot of difficult things going on,so that was my excuse. However some of those things are still happening but you know what, sober they are a whole lot easier to deal with.

@ruoertpennyswife Thank you
I want to quit. I also go between finishing the bottle, or almost finishing. My liver aches and Im still waiting for an MRI as there was an undiagnosed blob on my ultrasound. I’m so worried but it still hasn’t stopped me. I’ve been drinking this much for the last year but have always had 2-3 glasses for the last 5-10 years it’s just got more and more and I’m quite disgusted with myself. Today is day 1. Dd goes back to school so I’m hoping to get to the weekend drink free.
Thank you for welcoming me, I hope I can be the same as you !

Good luck @tanline , we're in it together. The wine becomes such a habit, I know.

I told my eldest last night that I have quit and his reaction was quite telling - he was gobsmacked. That's a sobering thought in itself.

I need a detox, possibly and hopefully a permanent one after noticing my intake has been creeping up. On day three now which is very exciting! So far the only symptom I have noticed is sleep is really tricky from 3am/4am. Can anyone advise when the sleep improves?

I am out for dinner this weekend, any advice?

I am reading the alcohol experiment, to say it has had an impact on me is an understatement, would highly recommend. It reminds us that we are fed this relaxed, carefree life with wine, and link it to well being when nothing could be further from the truth. It is ingrained in society. It is a glorious read, and if you want to change your mindset and habits, then considering why I drink has been a great starting point for me.

Has op been back?

@JudgeJudyismyinspiration- love the name! I have seen the book recommended and always thought yes I’ll read it it but never bothered, so I have just ordered it
@Wildernesstips 🙏 I have decided not to tell my Dd because I have said it too many times and feel I have let her down. I’m hoping this can be my safe place.

I had a dream last night I had a glass of wine and felt so terrible about it. So that’s a good sign, I guess.

Tanline, 👋
I am
A single parent to 3 children. My eldest has done her GCSEs and is starting college next week. I also have a 12 yr old and 4 yr old starting school next week.
I’m still drinking wine in the evenings and feel guilty after and want to stop before next week. It’s hard work being a single parent x

judge I am 5 weeks sober today!!! Never thought I would manage it. Are you wanting to quit now? because it could be quite triggering, do you know what alcohol alternatives are available where you are going? I often check online if possible then don't have to make a rush decision and end up with coke. I often go for peroni or alcohol free cider.

Re sleeping I found it took me a good 2 weeks to settle back into a routine I would sleep well for a couple of nights and then the next be awake at 2am. Currently I sleep pretty well

I cannot recommend highly enough waking up knowing you are sober.

I've just bought four bottles of different non-alcoholic drinks from Waitrose. I think the next few days could be tough because I'm on leave and normally that's my "sod it" moment.

However, saying that I'm quitting is psychologically different to doing a challenge or cutting down. I feel more determined somehow.

Saying out loud that you feel you have a problem and want to change it makes a difference. Well, it seems to have for me. One of my friends is outraged and keeps trying to talk me out of it, but I’m not biting. Wether I’ll manage to moderate one day, time will tell. But I’m going to asses in 6 weeks time and maybe have a glass of fizz for a celebration that’s been a long time coming. I do wonder how my husband will cope with me being sober as well, a lot of our relationship has centred around alcohol. He did mutter the words “you’re not that bad! It’s not like we’re destitute!”. 🙄

oh today is hard. I'm stressed and angry and anxious all at once and this is exactly when I would normally open the wine.
I also have people telling me I shouldn't give up alcohol, I'm not that bad, everyone drinks etc. they are just as bad as I am but not wanting to acknowledge it or make a change . I haven't suggested they should but I think its annoying them that I want a different life