Anyone else stopping completely in 2020?

[Drybird2020]

I don't mean moderating or cutting down, I know that I can't control my drinking this way and I need to stop.

I have stopped for periods of time before and enjoyed the peace of not thinking about alcohol, or stressing about my consumption, or negotiating with myself about whether or not to get a bottle of wine on the way home on a Wednesday night.
There's no point in doing dry January, because I will just use it to justify a wet February.

There used to be a series of threads for total abstinence, think it was in Relationships but it seems to have tailed off. I could really do with a place to talk about this, but with an emphasis on being dry, not moderate. And if nobody else is keen I can use it as somewhere to witter away to myself.

Hi All. I am joining you today (if that’s ok😀). I have been drinking too much for years and am truly fed up with it. I hate being tired all the time and procrastinating on all the good things I never get around too. I am mid-forties now and determined to tackle this. It’s a bit too scary to think I will ‘never’ drink again, so I have set myself a goal of 100 days AF to start with. I have signed up for Annie Grace’s 30 day Experiment to start me off. It looks really positive. I’ve also taken some truly terrible ‘before’ photos, in a swimsuit, not a sight for sore eyes! Anyway, good luck everyone on our adventure!

Hi iamyourequal great to see you on this thread.

I set my first goal at 30 days, as I was doing the Annie Grace 30 day alcohol experiment too. Best of luck.

Ugh the tiredness is crazy, I'm sure I am sleeping instead of drinking. Got home from an annual work event today and which would usually have me pour a drink when I get in and fell asleep on the sofa, just the same as the weekend I was napping instead of having a drink.

Day 6 is complete! I am still a bit shattered sleeping all the time and had the return of the dreaded brain fog this morning. Nice to read all the messages and know I am not alone, very motivating. Keep up the great work everyone.

Thank you for the welcome.

HowIs - I will look into it - thanks.

Just left my meeting which was pretty intense as they are a group quite far ahead in the process (if you are familiar with AA). There are loads of meetings I've now discovered so am going to try and go to another couple this week to keep the momentum going..

Anyone else really really thirsty?! I've drunk over 4 litres of herbal tea today (I make it in a 1l pot so I keep track of how much I'm having) but I just can't seem to quench my thirst. Off to bed now with a bucket of bedtime tea, my fav. I've downloaded the Try Dry app today, the calorie saving is a big help!

@ProfessorPollington I'm day 6 as well!

Was cooking dinner for the kids this afternoon and would usually pour myself a nice glass of wine while doing so, made a big mug of tea instead and ordered myself a new thriller book. Treated myself to a chocolate orange lindt Lindor bar to have later with a cuppa soon.

The biggest thing for me is my anxiety has almost disappeared, alcohol was a crutch for me when it came to anxiety and I was almost self medicating with wine, but it was doing me no favours at all because it would in turn make my anxiety 100times worse the following day (usually beginning by jolting me awake at 3am)

I am feeling so much more realxed and content in myself, its great feeling. I want to feel the ups and downs of life and learn to handle them and work through them, not temporarily block it out with wine & beer. Clear head from now onwards.

boots and professorpollington* I am also on day 6. Its gone fairly quickly but I wonder if the days will drag now we are back in term time routine.

@HowlsMovingBungalow thanks for the info about supplements, it kept slipping my mind to ask. Is anyone taking milk thistle?

@dottydolly72 well done surviving the after school witching hour, I was out at yoga so DH had all that fun this evening.😜

I've had loads of exercise today so should sleep well, and I hope you all do too.

Hi all, great to see so many newcomers ♥️

My Mum is still unwell in hospital so we haven't long got in. With the extra stress I would usually be pouring a large one. Instead I'm having a hot bath, cup of tea and hour watching The OA to fit a little chill time into a manic Monday.

And the best bit is, I didn't think on the drive home I could get through tonight. Yet I'm still here, ending day 6 on a winning note. I think my mindset is changing which hasn't happened before. Scared it's a fluke but I'm just going with it...

I feel silly saying this as it's only my first AF day but I'm proud I've made it through the first evening! I was a little bit tempted at around 7pm by the remaining glass of white in the bottle but I poured it down the sink and went out for a brisk walk. Usually at this time of the evening I'd be asleep on the sofa!

I love this thread and have been reading through it this evening.

Well done @ineedtostopnow. First night or fifty first night, it doesn't matter. You can't do it until you start! Loads of us are only a few days/weeks in. I'm only on day 6. Day one was harder though, its getting easier each day as my self belief comes back. Heres to many more af nights!

Well done @ineedtostopnow the first day is the first step. Stick with us!

Do you know @boots20 your post made me think. I was just saying to dh that it feels like my head is quiet. I feel calm. I can't remember the last time I felt that way. Most nights until recently it was wake up at 3 and drink cordial and then call back asleep at 6 but wake up exhausted.... Then be on edge all day. Now I feel quieter like a lot of white noise has gone away. Does that make sense? Also drinking loads and loads of water.... And AF beer and light tonic. Sorry I have not said hello to everyone but really happy to see so many people on this thread!

Thanks @ ElsaCragg good to see you are here too (and doing so well).

Well done ‘ineed’. Celebrating AFday1 isn’t silly. I’m in the same starting block as you. (I was determined to celebrate all 12 days of Christmas before quitting.) I’m in bed and have just opened my Christmas posh chocolates. I can’t even manage 24 hours without some kind of vice! Well done to all you learning to cook without a wine/beer on the side. I might just avoid cooking all meals I associate with wine until I am coping. Unfortunately this rules out almost everything Italian, French and British I make. Stir fries and curries here for a while I think (with AF lager!) . Does anyone else have strong food-alcohol pairings to break? It will be difficult I think.

Fantastic to read about everybodies AF nights it doesn't matter if it is day 1 or day 100, every moment AF is something to celebrate!

Wishing everyone a peaceful nights sleep.

Another day/night achieved!

Thank you @Saltypotato and @ProfessorPollington, I'm determined to stick with it this time!

@ProfessorPollington I know exactly what you mean about white noise.

I feel a bit nervous going to bed, hoping I have an ok night. I woke at 4 this morning sweating and had to go and get a pint of squash.

Hi, can I join you please?

I'm so exhausted with everything that I can't even bring myself to type it all out. I'll just say that I really have to stop drinking. I don't want to, but it's ruining my life in lots of ways. I'm going to find it very very hard. Today is day one.

Just read your post @iamyourequal, thank you.

Totally with you on food and alcohol pairings. I find it easier not to drink when eating spicy food so going to cook up some Indian and Thai curries. I tend to have a glass of wine whilst doing the cooking so need to find an alternative to that .

So many people I would like to name check. But like everyone else I’m shattered.

Just wanted to say @coastergirl - I totally feel you. Stick with us. Just keep checking in. The first few days are hard but you know you have to do this.

Just about to turn in here, day 3 finished.

Ds age 5 was a right handful this evening, normally I'd have been fantasizing about a glass once he had settled. I had a brief yearning but waited it out.

Who was it above that said a craving only lasts 7 minutes? Thanks for that information!

My mantra is:
Fatty Liver
7 minutes

Oh sorry , I might have put this on the wrong thread, I meant the Dry Jan thread - oops.

Your welcome here too 7days

Why the heck am I still awake drinking tea in bed 💁‍♀️ seriously cleaned the house today to keep me 'busy' I should be shattered by I'm up watching gun crime with that fella off eastenders! Welcome @coastergirl your in good company here x

Well done everyone! This is just what we need to know too- supplements. Take. A good vitamin already and various bits and pieces but maybe I should get on the b12 too.
Another one here still feeling mega tired and horrendous., Head fog for sure and trouble getting to sleep... Day off tomorrow so going for. A half decent walk with a friend. Not lunch in the pub.. the garden centre!
Smashing it not smashed! I can drive to meet her which is such freedom from planning my day around getting places and being able to drink too.

Hello, can I join too? I've slowly waking up to the fact that for 20+ years I was a functioning (sometimes only just) alcoholic. In the last decade I've drunk much more moderately due to pregnancy and young kids, but now they're getting older and I'm feeling the pull again. It's like I'm riding a racehorse and I'm fighting to stop it bolting - and part of me wants to say fuck it and just let go. When I was drinking heavily I got myself into all manner of trouble - dangerous situations, injuries, pissing off everyone and generally being an idiot, awful blackouts and subsequent fear and anxiety. I don't want to go back there and I think AF is the way forward.

Thank you testing - I might lurk for a bit.
When you're proud of three days dry somethings not right.