Day 4 of giving up alcohol

[Saltypotato]

Hi all,

I am on another thread that started in Jan and is still running. We all started together and the support was immense, it was the only thing that got me through the first month. At the end of Jan/beginning of Feb I started having 'just the one' and we all know how that goes if you have a problem. The group are now at 100 days and whilst I love checking in they aren't at the starting stage I am at the moment.

Lockdown has meant I am out of routine and haven't had a reason to keep my drinking under control (no work, not driving etc) so after drinking every night since it began I ended up passing my last full bottle of booze to a friend a few days ago and making an attempt to give up.

That was a few days ago, I am just starting my day 4. It's been easier than I thought as there isnt the option of just popping out to the shop so I'm not taunting myself. I have got a bottle of vodka and one of gin in my amazon cart that I keep hovering over buying but its on a few days lead time so I don't want it to arrive when I'm a week in and undo my hard work. That thought is stopping me.

But we have to go out today for essentials and tonight I have a zoom call with friends in the "pub". I am really tempted to get something whilst I'm out and my brain is doing the 'oh you deserve it, its a stressful time' and 'you can just have two to join in' (from experience, I can't)

If anyone else is feeling similar or just started their journey into the wonderful world of tonic water please join me. Strength in numbers, right?

@AvoidingTheWineAisle I'm sorry to hear about your friend, hope you're ok.
Thanks @Teetotallyimperfect I've had better weeks, but I'm ok.

Anyone else exhausted? Is it our brains getting re-wired and used to no alcohol, is it the uncertainty of life right now? I'm so exhausted, and I'm not doing loads, just walking a lot, house stuff and a bit of gardening.

I'm finding early nights are helping - I go to bed early with a hot drink and a book, or catch up on here, and it's easier than watching TV because that's when I always had a bottle on the go.

If any of you drank red wine - Tesco's do a decent alcohol free one - Rawsons Retreat, if I recall. It isn't the same, but it has a bit of depth to it, unlike a lot of alcohol frees.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

@AvoidingTheWineAisle ... so sorry to hear about your friend. It's heartbreaking.

Day 2 and no desire to drink. I'm on fizzy mineral water and even managed to decline a takeaway ordered by my grown up kids (who still live at home). A salad for me.

Just a couple of days without booze and all my (pre falling off the wagon) energy is back. I've got loads done today.

SophieB I am very tired too. I agree, it's probably a combination of stopping drinking and everything else that's going on in the world right now.

I'm looking forward to finding some of your energy, "Fanny!*

Bold fail.

@Teetotallyimperfect** are you ok?

Haha...yes, sorry. I meant I had tried to bold Fanny's name in my previous post but messed it up. But thanks for checking, @qwertyl

What about you? How are you doing?

Afternoon everyone.

How are you all? Where is @Saltypotato. Hope she’s OK.

Nothing much to report today, except to wish you all a sunny sober Saturday [flower]

even!

Hi @avoiding

Struggling a bit today. It’s really nice here and I just want to drink wine all afternoon in the garden. I’m so close to going to the shop.

Hang in there everyone 💐💐🤗

I nearly succumbed yesterday eveningto a large glass of chilled white. I was also feeling exhausted, like you SophieB, so it was harder to resist 'just having the one' .
I did resist, thankfully but it's still on my mind .
Am off to do some yoga to make me feel more positive about the new, healthy me.

Sorry you're finding it tough @Ghostonthedancefloor

Would it help to go to the shop and spend what you would have spent on wine on something else you will enjoy? I love buying a few treats that I would normally consider to be too extravagant. But I appreciate that doesn't always cut it.

Well done @EdwinaMay. Enjoy your yoga.

I'm doing ok but DH hasn't been drinking this week so it's been much easier. I know as soon as I'm around people drinking it won't be so easy. Trying not to look too far ahead.

I didn’t succumb luckily but it scares me how hard this is. I wanted (want?) to be AF for the rest of my life and the wind has already come out of my sails!
A lot of people say it gets easier after a month or so and it’s day 20 today so we shall see

Well done all of you for resisting. You’re doing really well. It will get easier. I stopped smoking and it took a long while to get over it. I still occasionally have a pang for a fag but the reality of it is very different -I imagine it will be the same with booze.

@Ghostonthedancefloor, It gets harder before it gets better. I did 30 plus days last year. I only caved because I got cocky that I'd cracked it, and could have just one. Don't worry about the amount of days, just focus on getting through each day, one at a time.

The wine witch knows you're serious! She's mad and whispering in your ear, and this is when she's most dangerous. Put the wine money you save in a jar or something, and spend it all on you - something nice - new yoga mat, big bunch of flowers, whatever.

It is hard, I am going to bed so early it's still light outside and the kids are still playing out next door. But I'm determined to stick with this, because I know I felt so much better last year when I quit. But I do understand, it's an addiction, and we're going cold turkey.

@Teetotallyimperfect well done, it must be so hard having a partner who drinks, I would find that very difficult. My adult son lives at home and he has an occasional beer or Guiness and it doesn't bother me at all, if he was a wine drinker, I'd be crawling up the walls. I had to stop watching Made in Chelsea the other night because they were popping open the Prosecco!

IVe started again! No booze tonight.

And I went to the shop and didn’t buy more wine. Feeling proud!

Well done @Haggisfish. I think starting is the hardest part.

@SophieB100 I'm lucky in that DH is a very normal drinker. He loves a beer but he can take it or leave it. He doesn't drink wine if I'm not drinking because he wouldn't want the whole bottle. That is definitely better for me because I'd find that very hard if there was open wine in the table. I know if I asked him he would stop drinking but I really don't want to do that.

@Ghostonthedancefloor I know what you mean. It hits you when you're least expecting it and leaves you feeling a bit winded.

Woke up this morning feeling rested, and without fretting about a vague pain in my liver...result! Feel well chuffed with myself.

Evening all.

Glad you’re feeling good @Haggisfish! I used to get odd liver pains, too, and it’s a horrible, nagging worry. I was watching a (frankly terrifying) Louis Theroux doc about alcoholism last night - not on purpose, I just stumbled across it - and a doctor was saying the liver is the most forgiving organ in the body if you stop abusing it before the point of no return ie. cyrrohsis (sp?). So, that’s something!

Today I could’ve murdered a large G&T at about 5pm, but the feeling was fleeting. For the first time in my life these last few weeks I’ve been able to hold on to the thought of waking up fresh in the mornings, and it’s motivated me to stay sober. It didn’t work for many years before, as I’d just think ‘fuck it, I’ll deal with tomorrow tomorrow’. I don’t know what’s changed.

Wishing you all a good rest tonight and a happy Monday.

That’s great you are in that state of mind @avoiding. And I totally get the cravings, I’ve been having a lot the last few days. Apart from yesterday, I agree that they are mostly fleeting! Oh and we are totally into Louis over here too. Loving his documentaries on Netflix. I didn’t see the alcohol one! We are up to the drugged kids at the mo.

You are right @SophieB100, the days are quickly mounting up and do I really want to back at square one? Definitely not!

Three weeks today! I don’t really know how I’ve done it. DH has been very supportive. He too is a ‘normal’ drinker. Although Allen Carr would disagree (pitcher plant).

Hope you’ve all had a great sober, fresh and [alcohol related] anxiety free weekend!

Well done both of you-fantastic achievements.

Well done all, amazing achievements.

I'm plodding along, sleeping much better now though, so that helps.

I've got a new slogan.

Stay alert for the wine witch. Control your cravings. Be proud.

That’s a lot clearer than Boris’ message @SophieB100

Glad you’re sleeping better and still plodding on. A day at a time and all that.