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.

Can I join in too? I can relate to so much said here already.
I’m usually ok during the week it’s the weekend I tend to let loose as I’ve been ‘good’ all weekso am caught in the cycle of being hungover most weekends.
I can’t take the guilt anymore of being thrown on the couch when I should be spending quality time with my children; who deserve so much more from me
I’ve read the Jason Vale and Annie Grace books and also Alcohol lied to me Craig Beck before and found them good and I plan on reading them all again.
I’ve also downloaded some of them on audiobooks app as plan to listen to them at night/ in the car
I’ve also downloaded the I’m sober app

Apologies, I meant the audible app and sobertime app not I’m sober app

Thanks for the book/app recommendations. I'm reading everything I can get my hands on, and hoping this group will motivate me (and I want to support others, too).

I've had 3 AF beers, no urge for wine, and am now off to bed.

Wishing you all a peaceful night.

I've made it to 450 days alcohol free today and hope that telling you I don't miss it at all, am so much more confident,calm,happy, and content will spur you on.

I thoroughly enjoy coming home from occasions where everyone else is getting smashed sober, having a cup of tea and a good nights sleep, then being fresh in the morning. I love being in control and never having to worry about what I did or said, or fixing the damage I'd done whilst drunk. If that sounds appealing to you too, then you can and will do it.

I never thought I could give up drinking for good and neither did my friends and family but I have and I'm bloody proud of myself. And you will be too! One day at a time. If you like seeing your progress, download an app that lets you see your sober day total and let that motivate you.

Best wishes to all

@chenilleblanket - Wow, well done on 450 days clean!! Great to hear about the positives - totally what I wish for for my future days.
I'm off to bed .. another AF night done.

Here's to a sober, happy 2020!

This thread is really inspiring!! I don't want to stop completely but definitely need to cut right down!

I'm doing the Great north run next year so the training for that will help! I'm also doing "run every day" for January.

I'm planning on rejoining slimming world and weigh in is a Saturday morning, so that should help my Friday night wine habit!

DH is wanting to lose weight and get fit too so a bit of friendly competition with him will help too.

Have rejoined the gym too as I find going to the gym on an evening stops me from having a drink once the kids are in bed.

I might end up stopping completely so will definitely be watching this thread!

Thank you all for sharing your stories!

I stopped drinking 5 months ago and feel so much better for it.

I look different. Everyone comments on it.

It allowed me to give up other bad habits, lose weight, I'm hydrated all the time, eat more healthily, no more bloating, more energy, don't feel like a dick after socialising, and never having a hangover has been freeing in away I couldn't imagine!

Can I please join? I really need to stop. Have found that my weekend ‘treat’ has turned into Friday, Saturday & Sundays now. Am having some champagne with friends right now but am so ready to stop tomorrow. I gave up before and looked really great. Am hoping my vanity will prevail where my willpower has failed. Have gained a stone this year, purely from drinking 3 nights a week and all the associated snacking.
Good luck everyone!

I stopped about 2.5 years ago- best thing I ever did. I was drinking in excess of 100units pw.
Go for it - you will not regret it!

Hello, can I join you too? I would like to give up drinking in 2020. I have previously given up for a year or more & have done sober October successfully for 4 years now, but always seem to go back to it. I currently drink 50+ units a week, but I also have to take lots of medication for my pain condition, so I know I should just stop. Its hard though when I don't have much of a life due to pain & being a carer for my autistic DC also & to my dad, who is an alcoholic, but now a dry drunk due to a brain injury after a fall. Hopefully we can all help each other.

Happy New Year ( decade ) to you all! Day 3 for me here, hoping to make that Day 30, 300 maybe even 3000! Wishing everyone all the best

Me! 🙋🏻‍♀️

Joining. Have a bit left in fridge but after that. Here's to 2020

Happy new year! Who's feeling fresh and smug today? I am, but had next to no sleep. Still, better than I would with a bottle of baileys in me!

Morning everyone! Some fantastic and inspiring stories here, and more than enough reasons to go AF.

I am on day 5 AF, but I have a heavy cold, so a bit of a head start. Even so, I am already sleeping better and feeling calmer, happier and full of energy. I'm going to keep reading and hit the library on Saturday.

HYN to us all, and wishing everyone success with whatever goals you are aiming for.

Morning all! Feeling amazing here, just cleaned the kitchen after a fab party last night. Everyone else has a sore head, I am so pleased to feel fresh and ready to go! Here’s to a dry 2020

day one for me and I'm trying to not think about wine right now, I would normally be sipping on my first (or maybe second) glass of the evening by now. Instead I'm drinking lots of water....I can do this

Just lurking and wanted to wish you all luck and strength.

Fantastic well done all of you if you can do a month you can do a year. This was me a year ago, and having been af for a year I can honestly say it is one of the best things I've ever done. I started with the naked mind book too and have read all sorts of other books and blogs that have really helped. Right I'm off for a lovely New Year's Day run whilst most the world sleep off their hangovers, good luck all of you on your journeys

Well done badger, chenille, justenough and pan!

Any and all suggestions for blogs and books greatly welcome! And of course any advice and tips - I know I am going to have a tough day on Sat 18/01 when I meet a friend for lunch, but am just going to be straight up. She's the sort that won't care so long as she can have a drink!

Drybird - how are you getting on?

Good Morning @HouseTornado and everbody, especially all the newly dry posters! I am lazing in bed listening to my children play harmoniously, which surely cannot last. Have had 8 hours sleep and feel very well rested indeed.

My book recommendation is The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley. I can relate to so much of her experience and its an easy, entertaining read too.

Hope everyone has a great first day of 2020.😊

I think the key is to keep occupied and hydrated during your 'witching' hours and also to take note of HALT - Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired as they are all triggers to pick up and use.

Reading sober blogs seems to help lots of folk in the early days of stopping drinking but I find them a bit too saturating for me - too much talk about boozing when I don't actually want to think about drink of an evening once sober but horses for courses and all that.

Tonic is my tipple of an evening as it's bitter and a bit more punchy than fruit juice or diluted squash.

I've stocked up on library books so getting stuck into those at bedtime - so lovely to be aware of what I have read the night before and for it not to be a fuzzy blur or ... a blackout.
Sleep is kicking in naturally for me now ( I self medicated with wine to sleep ) it is bliss to be reading and to feel yourself nodding off ... SOBER! It has been fucking years since I felt natural sleep coming over me, it is a massive breakthrough for me and not one I want to give up by giving into drink again.

My non drinking is rubbing off on DP too, he had a couple of shorts over 4 hours last night and sloped off to bed 10 mins later than me so we both woke fresh and alert this morning. Nice!

Off to beach for a yomp with the dog to get some postitive ions and fresh sea air.

Have a good day all, take it hour by hour!

The unexpected joy of being sober is a great book. There are some good alcohol free FB groups too that help keep you focused.

Once you start looking and feeling better it motivates you to keep going. I'm at the point now where I need to find more sober activities and friends. My whole life pretty much revolved around alcohol so I need to branch out into new things or I can see how you could just slip back into it.

Oh and mindfulness really helps me - being in the moment and accepting all my emotions and thoughts and letting them pass.
Might be a bit woo for some but it is simply just awareness and acceptance.