Staying Stopped - Alcohol Free, permanently.

[Drybird2020]

This thread is a kind and supportive environment for anyone committing to an alcohol free life.

From Day 1 onwards, you are welcome here for support, encouragement, tips and chat. There are many of us, at different points on the journey some have been sober for years, months, or weeks, others are just starting out, but all are
committed to an alcohol free life and the freedoms it brings...

Freedom from the tyranny of booze and the effort of figuring out how much to drink, and how and when to procure and drink it.

Freedom from guilt, self loathing, and 3am wake ups, and the fear of what might have been said and done the night before.

Freedom from the pervasive sense of dread and shame.

Freedom to embrace life with energy, and to face challenges with an uncluttered head, a lighter heart, and a lighter recycling bin.

If you've not yet decided whether total abstinence is for you, do feel free to hang out and ask questions but please be aware that discussion of drinking can be triggering, especially for those in the early stages of sobriety.

If you are still drinking, or planning on moderating (and this includes occasional or once in a blue moon drinking) have a look at the moderation threads, which might be a better fit for you.

I check in here every day as part of my recovery. It has kept me accountable, and the wonderful posters who contribute have helped me more than they could possibly know. This is day 137, and I'll be here for a long time!

... And good morning to everyone else. Hope it will be a good week for everyone.

I’m on a big health kick at the moment which hasn’t been possible for a long time because of the drinking and it feels so good. I’m starting to feel like myself again🙂

@Tiggytico I haven't told anyone either, partly because of lockdown (I haven't been in any social situations involving booze) and partly because I can't bring myself to say it out loud yet.

I wish I could harness the cleaning method to manage cravings . I might give it a go today. I usually go for a walk, although yesterday I ended up eating half the contents of the fridge whilst cooking dinner, so cleaning is a great idea!

I'm going to start cleaning stuff, I'm inspired now.

[whispers] ... yesterday I went to the 'Big Sainsburys' (that;s what us villagers call the sainsbos out of town) and bought up ALOT of cleaning supplies. And fabric softener. And limescale remover.

DH took one look at all the pretty bottles lined up on the kitchen table and raised an eyebrow and said; 'Everyone needs a hobby...'

@GreenTeaMug that made me lol. I totally agree cleaning really helps me out mentally feel so much better when the place is organised, I'm just not very consistent that's the problem!

Day 14 for me and have woke up so thankful that I never caved yday, got a hillwalk planned for 5.30 so that will really help me get through that danger time going to really try and make sure I've something to distract my mind then.

Have a great week everyone.

I need a bit of a boost so have been reading this thread again. Made it to about 80 days this year until the start of lockdown but then started weekend drinking again. Definitely not been anywhere near drunk, but even having 1-2 makes me feel shitty (guilt?) in the morning. I'm really active as well and miss the clear headed runs I had at the start of the year!

It's been a slow creep up to 120 AF days this year since. I just don't know why I have been having the 'odd one'. I don't even think I enjoy it 😖

Really impressed with all of you on here - my inspo! X

Guess who cried twice making dinner...! Fecks sake. Why is this so hard.

Sending hugs to you @Hangingover that was me yday, it's so hard but feeling how I felt getting up this morning it was worth it. You can do it your doing amazing.

I'm having a look at as many distraction techniques as I can esp through that dinner time danger hours.

I feel a bit similar @Splendidsunrise. I don’t seem to be any less irritable or any more energetic or content, although at times I am really pleased that I’ve managed to go AF. I wonder if there’s some quit lit that addresses this?

I was very weepy for a long time, @Hangingover. I think it's part of the process of introspection and regret and you have to go through it, like the bear hunt.

@slantedbutenchanted, eat your tea early. Make yourself a fancy AF drink, I like slices of frozen citrus and I might have just purchased some cocktail umbrellas 😁 In the evenings it's good to do something that you couldn't do with a glass in your hand, I've never gone in for nails but I sometimes do fake tan or eyebrows or a face mask. These days I am only twitchy when wanting food on fasting days, but they're the same techniques I used to distract from boozy thoughts.

Welcome back @thisusernameismine 😊

Hi all. Just checking in. Booze free weekend which I feel very proud of since we went to have some socially distant drinks with a neighbour. (AF cobra beer. Bit sweet.) feeling less all over the shop which is great. I think my irritability comes and goes with my cycle, worse when I’ve been drinking.
For me it’s all about the glass - making it special. Pretty glass, ice, lemon or cucumber.....

Thanks all. Weepy is a good word for it. Have been on a weird mood all day. I was trying to make Bosh! Tso Tofu and the recipe missed a step so I cried. Then I spilled the cornflour on the floor so I cried. But it was actually really delicious. I even found my missing debit card which I'd spent all morning cycling round the village looking for because I thought I'd dropped it. It was a mission actually because everyone's so friendly here that every single shop owner wanted to hear an exact description of where I last had it and the neighbours dog had decided to follow me on my mission so I was trying to simultaneously look for my card and try and usher Buddy away from traffic and stop him from going into the shops and greeting everyone. Anyway after asking everyone and the police and all the local Facebook groups, I found it stuck to yet another empty apple pie box in the recycling bin 🙄 Anyway me and DP had more pie and watched the Voice Australia (really v.good!) and now I feel better.

Ive also decided to apply the breakup logic to quitting booze and am getting hair cut and bleached on Friday and getting microblading!

Sorry @Hangingover, but that did make me chuckle . I'm glad you found your card. And it sounds like you deserved that pie!

@GreenTeaMug, you've inspired me too and now I've ordered some lovely smelling cleaning products. You'll be the Mrs Hinch of the sober world!

Had been planning to run (jog) all day and now I've finished work I've changed my mind. I have some very fit and athletic neighbours and I'm embarrassed to go past their house in running gear. Especially as I'll be coming back a very short time later looking like a beetroot . I know it's ridiculous. Shame it gets dark so late or I'd go this evening.

@jess3817

Save me and save me too... Such a grim watch... But horrific to think how rife this is in our country... I live in a quiet part of the country not much going on... Close enough to city centres... But far enough away.. I done some training for barbardos and the woman told me that it was absoluty rife around our area.. Which stupidly i thought wouldn't be the case. I have always been involved in social care and thats the k9nd of area I would love to help in absolutly despicable goes on in this day and age

Sorry completely off thread but just had to get that out there. Its some subject

Hanging sorry, that made me laugh. hope you feel better tomorrow.

I am definitely feeling weepy also. i have made some stupid cockups at work- mainly by first of all slightly misuunderstanding alot of what was said to me, and then trying to correct that. I explained to my boss that actually i really an a fucking moron. He asked if that was the case specifically or just generally. I think generally.

I like the idea of being some sort of super cleaner of the sober world Teetotallyimperfect It is funny given that today i combined fuschia pink trousers with a blue and red top because I am not up to date with my washing!!!! Good thing and we are not client facing yet.

Never mind. Downton Abbey awaits.

@Hangingover oh man! I'm so jealous you can go get your hair cut😂 I look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards - I have/ had very short cropped hair that I get cut ever 7 weeks...so you can imagine
what I look like 😂 enjoy it!

@Jlou0712 it's definitely a grim watch. I couldn't sleep after watching it. It's easy to think it doesn't go on near where we live as not involved in it, but like you say it's probably nearer than we think wich is awful ( there aren't enough words really)

Sorry I'm a bit behind with all the posts..hope everyone is doing ok. X

Hi everyone, I'm checking back in. I'm afraid I went to the dogs at the weekend 😤
Back to day 1. I need to get back to work!!
Staying at home gives me way too much free time on my hands.
I haven't even started back on my running. I have an excuse for everything. I'm sick of being this lazy ass person with no motivation, plenty of motivation to drink wine and smoke though grrrr....
Im so glad the rest of you are doing well xx

Oh well day 1 for me again. Really went for it last night been sick on my floor. Slowly managing to get myself 2gther. I need some fizzy juice. Feel really depressed but one good thing thats maybe came from. It just confirmed i cannot drink!!

Jlou it's horrible isn't it? The guilt and then realizing it wasn't even that enjoyable 😫

Bad luck Jlou0712

Be gentle with yourself today

Ouch, @Jlou0712 and @Holyjebus that must feel bad. Sympathy, and well done for picking yourselves up and coming back to the thread to talk about it. Take it easy today, your one job is not to drink. Running, quitting smoking, painting the hall, can all come later and will seem easier after being AF for a while.

Awe i know.🙁 Im no going to beat myself up even tho i feel horrendous. Just need to get over it..

Hey @Holyjebus & @Jlou0712 you are both back on and yous can do it. Don't be too hard on yourselves you've got this!!

@Drybird2020 thanks for the tips sounds stupid but I've been making myself drinks with ice something I never do unless it's got alcohol and it's really helping. Really pushing myself with the exercise as well and it's really helping me mentally as well just need to keep it up.