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?

So sorry Holothane. have messaged you.

@Threeflyingducks Had a glass of Coke and now in bed with a book. I thought - if I am in bed early, that's less time to be tempted to drink.
As evenings, when kids are in bed, are my drinking hours - I go to bed with kids now to avoid all temptation. Hope it will get easier with time!

It will well done 💐💐💐

Welcome ChiaraRimini and KirstyHasLeft
You have come to a good place at a good time on this thread!
Just checking in myself, day off work but plenty cooking, cleaning, gardening, baking and taking shopping to my parents. Slight craving preparing dinner but an AF beer put it to pass. Phew. Another one down..

Hello everyone. Sorry about the pain holo-chronic pain is awful. I’ve managed four nights now-I’m really chuffed.

That’s great news @Haggisfish 🙌🏻. Sorry to hear you’re still suffering @Holothane.

Hello to all the newcomers 🙂

Hi all,
I’m a long time lurker but never had the guts to get involved. I’m usually lurking while full of wine and hating myself.
I’ve been “off the drink” since July 2019, I lasted 3 months and have been sneakily drinking ever since.
I hide it from my husband and family who think I’m doing great.
I have two small boys and work full time, although I am working from home at the minute so my drinking has spiralled out of control.
I usually start drinking in the morning so I will be sober when hubby gets home.
I’m so ashamed of what I’ve become. I look awful and have piled on the weight! I used to take such good care of myself when it came to fitness etc.
Now I just look how I feel.
I’m determined to do it this time and I cAn relate to so many of you, Blonde, the post about texting exes is so me! Men I don’t give a shit about. I don’t understand drunk me. My husband adores me and when I’m sober I’m so in love with him.
I become a completely different person when I’ve been drinking.

Thanks for the welcome Haggisfish, Iam and others.
Day 5 and my sleep is fucked!! Just can't drop off at night sober as I am wide awake. On the plus side I have got my evenings back! Had been starting on the wine or gin at 5pm and then would be falling asleep by 9pm.
I've had the odd pangs but no horrendous cravings for booze yet. Have been drinking iced tea instead at the "witching hour" which I really like. I think that combined caffeine/sugar hit is a good replacement. Has anyone tried energy drinks as a booze substitute?
Doing the washing up and getting DD to bed sober is soo much easier and then I have time to read or watch TV.
Also, the chronic heartburn that I have had for months has eased.
So I've already got some "quick wins" which I need to remember in the harder times.

Welcome Chiara! Day 10 for me here and my sleep is also fucked. I tried sleeping pills a couple of nights but they gave me night terrors. So yeah. Hoping I just randomly start sleeping!

Five nights down now-feeling really chuffed with myself. I think it’s the most barring I’ll was since I was pregnant.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

I use an app
Called meditainment through Facebook. It’s brilliant -really lovely guided meditations. They are all free at the moment.

www.meditainment.com/

To help me get to sleep that is. God I haven’t even been drinking!🤣

That's brilliant @Haggisfish!

The sleep does get better! Hang in there and you'll soon be sleeping like a baby. It took me probably 2-3 weeks to feel like I was sleeping properly but it was so worth it.

For the first time in ages I really wanted a drink last night. I was just feeling a bit meh with too many things on my job list so I just wanted to switch off for a bit. I didn't do it but it was a good reminder that the wine witch lives on and not to get complacent.

Well done-it does feel great going to bed sober. My mum got absolutely hammered last night and ranted at me. It just makes me more determined that I won’t put my children through that. My whole family have a very dysfunctional relationship with alcohol.

Everyone is doin so well ! Has anyone every suffered physical pain from drinking ? Whether it be after or during ?
From drinking a lot I do worry about my body... liver kidneys etc xxx

Welcome to the thread @Holyjebus, do you think your DH suspects you are drinking again? Perhaps it would be good to talk to him about it. I would think keeping it a secret would be very stressful and isolating for you. I don’t think you should be ashamed of yourself at all. You did fantastic getting to three months. Alcohol traps you in a cycle and has you fighting your own mind. It’s exhausting to fight your own mind daily. 💐

@Teetotallyimperfect, well done for pushing on through. It’s a reminder to us all not to get complacent. I also found sleep improved after a couple of weeks.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Well done Haggisfish and thanks for the meditation link. Thanks also Tiny.
I definitely need a bedtime routine for myself!!
Yesterday was hard, I was working and really felt I deserved a drink to treat myself at the end of the day. Also had some sad news that a friend's DH suddenly died. In normal times this would have been a reason to crack open the wine, but I had a seedlip instead as another lovely friend who knows I am not drinking sent me a bottle.
Really enjoyed reading a Roald Dahl book at bedtime with DD - sober kids bedtimes are so much easier and less stressful. However it was very late and then I ended up watching telly until after midnight. Had a disturbed night, got up at 6 am had breakfast and then stupidly went back to bed- and then slept until after 11am with crazy vivid dreams!!!Woke up and felt really guilty about oversleeping so badly. How can I still be such a mess sober????

Welcome newbies!
Hope you're all ok.

It took 2 weeks before I had a good nights sleep, so hang on in there, it does get better. Something to do with our brains rewiring - and alcohol induced sleep isn't like proper sleep, so we have to learn to sleep properly again, something like that, anyway.

I used to go to bed really early to avoid temptation - with my lap top, book, music, whatever, just to break the habit of watching TV with a bottle on the go.

And I do feel less stressed and anxious now. It is getting easier, but I'm six weeks dry now, and I won't lie and say it was a breeze, it was bloody hard, the first month or so. But it is worth it.

You're all amazing, we all get how hard this is, and sometimes it doesn't seem worth it, because if you're like me, then there's always that little voice telling you you're over-reacting, you don't need to quit, you didn't have a problem, go on, just have a glass or two. Ignore that voice! It's wrong, quitting is right. Hard, but right.

Have a good day everyone - will catch up properly later.
Sx

Hello, can I join ! Thought Id do June too and have managed 3 nights so far.succumbed again last 2 nights, and am sooo disappointed with myself. Af nights, I slept better, woke up livelier, felt less anxious..
I get that same little voice you get Sophie b. I think, oh one won’t hurt..it’s easing into being af...
Aggh! Trying the meditation thing, thanks for that haggisfish try again tonight!

I have had two nights on the sauce. However, I’m confident that I can stop again. We can do it!

Yay haggisfish! It’s the witching hour so am knocking back ribena! Going to give sweet iced tea a try too. You’re right, we can do this!!
Reminder...
Good...Sleep well, energy, not grumpy, positive, health, money
Bad... £7 a bottle so that’s approx £30 a week, £120 a month ( blimey!) And I think I’m too Brooke to get a haircut/buy a lippy
Or work half a day to earn wine for a week. ..
Puffy face, Makes me wheezy, causes breast cancer, makes me ratty to the kids, fall asleep in the arm chair then stagger off to bed leaving a mucky kitchen. Knackered the next day so bare minimum of housework and diy so house an unloved tip.
Also I may not actually be a slim, witty woman with film star good looks..I suspect I may be a podgy housewife with a bad haircut and roots. Hmmmm!
More ribena! Go haggis, you’ve got this 😀

Evening everyone!

Haven’t posted in a while, but thought I’d stick my head back in to say ‘hello’.

It’s fantastic more people have joined and the thread is thriving. No matter where you’re at in your sobriety (or struggle to get sober!), it’s bloody marvellous to have others to talk to about the good, the bad and the ugly.

I’m currently on Day 56, and the cravings have really, really improved. I’m hardly having them at all, and I was an almost daily (5-6 times a week) drinker, and drinking increasing amounts each time at the point I decided to stop (Easter Monday). I feel SO much better. The self loathing I was getting from hangovers has gone. It’s gone! I actually like myself a lot more, which feels great.

To anyone struggling to go more than a few days...You CAN do it. Try again. Keep posting on this thread. Seek help from books, podcasts, friends, AA...whatever works for you. It’s worth it.

That's great @AvoidingTheWineAisle!

@GulpMore the housework thing and bad roots sounds very familiar... I've mentioned here before but as like reading (when sober!) i remind myself that £7 is the price of a decent book which is a much nicer way to spend an evening.

Once I've got through today it'll be 15 days for me, with a couple of weeks before that getting down to once a week. I think because I've been shifting my thinking for a while I'm not really getting cravings, DH has a couple of drinks most evenings at the moment and I'm not interested in joining. Feels very liberating!
I am tired of reading about people getting 'miracle mornings' and doing 5am yoga though, I mean my sleep is better but I still need an hour and decent coffee before I'm functioning, don't think that'll ever change!