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!

Trifle sounds good but I’d have probably given the nuts a try too!

Oh I tried them. DH thinks they are fine. To me they have a funny smell.

[twirls] new namechange.

Fancy an afternoon tea extravaganza today. :)

@GreenAfternoonTeaMug ohhh are you having an afternoon tea today? Jealous!!!

I am marking week 10 of no booze today - 70 days!!!😱

Still feel apprehensive about my future with no booze (will people stop inviting me to things? Will I be boring? Or worse, will I start drinking again and end up where I was before? Or maybe not?) but for now feeling happy, so just hanging on to that feeling😍

Excellent achievement, @BunniesBunniesBunnies! 🎉🎉

Hello! Day 34 here! I've tried before to give it up and the furthest I got was day 10. It seems to have clicked and I haven't had cravings really.
I was drinking a bottle of 14% red wine about 4/5 times a week plus 3 bottles of 8.5% cider a week.
Unsurprisingly, I feel dramatically better! I'm sleeping better, I'm not puffy, I don't have the moment of guilt when I wake up in the morning!

I'm also on wk9 of c25k.
I've lost 1st7lb in 5 weeks. Just 7st left to go!!

Have today though, I am very lucky in that my family who I live with (mature student! And 40year old DB is saving house deposit so staying too) are going sober too. Dad is on day 16, mum is the same as me and DB is 3 years in. It makes it so much easier, I would crack if with people who drank a lot.

Well done Bunnies and Orlando sounds like you are both doing great. That’s a phenomenal weight loss Orlando. I’ve only lost 1lb and on day 21. The injustice! Enjoy your afternoon tea GreenT love a nice scone.

Congras Bunnies.

hello Orlando!

I love the sound of your hosuehold Orlando sober warriors to a person!

I had an unexpected craving...... DH is away today enjoying father's day with a group of friends from his sports club going walking. (I am not sure any of us twigged it was Fathers day when it was booked, but I suspect this would be his preferred activity anyway!).

Usually when this happens and he is out for the day I start drinking - early.

The craving was hard and unexpected. So I am chilling a bottle of Alcohol free prosecco. The mere time it took to locate the bottle and put it in the firgde then run a bath for the DCs meant the craving passed. Thank heavens. Phew! Bullet dodged!

Well done @OrlandoInTheWilderness - awesome work! And you've nearly reached the end of C25K - go you!

I've been feeling a bit low all week but trying to change it round this morning. I've got in touch with a couple of people about meeting up, DH is taking the kids out to see his dad so I've a couple of hours to myself this afternoon and I've got my running gear on so am heading out for that soon.

I decided not to apply for the job that I was initially offered, but then had to be advertised to all to tie in with new HR processes. I think I'm feeling deflated by that but also relieved that I've made the decision. Turns out my lovely boss is pregnant but suffering badly with hypermesis and has been hospitalised twice. I am still covering the post but will be glad to hand it over to someone else. There's lots of meetings to attend and that combined with the prospect of blended learning till god knows when means that I am feeling stretched. I think the 6 months secondment will be extended to cover her maternity leave too and while it was nice to be offered in the short term it's not a job I particularly want or need. It's good that I've been making these important decisions with a clear head and not skewed by alcohol or hangovers.

Enjoy your afternoon tea @GreenAfternoonTeaMug .

@BunniesBunniesBunnies well done on your achievement ☺

On the subject of snacks I keep snaccidently eating crisp sandwiches. Must stop 🙊
@OrlandoInTheWilderness day 34 is brilliant, well done. So good that no one else is drinking either that must help hugely.
What's everyone up to today? We did fathers day yesterday as my 2 oldest have gone to their dad's today. I've got a science expiriement birthday party on zoom at 11 with my 5 year old for a friend in his class wich I'm nervous about as don't really do tech stuff and not done this zoom thingy that every man and his dog seem to have done😂 wish me luck. Have a good day all. Day 108 here.

Hi iamyourequal thanks. :) Yes defintiely afternoon tea today I think. I might even go all Nigella and bake a cake. :)

Oh lots of cross posting!

DH will be socially distancing on his walk - caveat duly added.

Ulysses I was wondering how you were doing. it sounds like you have made a good decision that is right for you. :) I sort of got encouraged into a new role /marginal promotion before lockdown and to be honest and feeling trapped. I wish i had made a different decision. I am so pleased for you that you have made the decision that is right.

Congrats on day 108 Jess. :)

That's amazing Bunnies. Fantastic! And great you're feeling so positive.

I'm feeling more positive again too.
Yesterday I was having a clear out and found an old ID badge. It's only about 2.5years old and I was shocked by my photo. I look pale, puffy and haggard. I honestly look terrible! It's awful to see what I was doing to myself but its given me a real boost to see the changes.

That's great going Orlando. You must be so pleased! I've just started week 3 and I'm not loving it yet - hope I can make it to week 9.

Well done for making your decision Ulysses It's good you're feeling positive about it.

I don't have the moment of guilt when I wake up in the morning

This. I used to wake up every morning and my first thought was "am I hungover?".

Yes.... and 'did I facebook anything embarrassing. I'm 48 ffs.

Thanks @GreenAfternoonTeaMug and @Teetotallyimperfect. I'm really positive today now. My run was lovely, I've done some jobs in the garden - putting food in the bird feeders and repotting some tomato plants my neighbour gave me - and I've gotten in touch with my sis-in-law so she is coming over for a BBQ on Wednesday with the girls cousins. She's not had a drink since lockdown either so it's nice to socialise without the need to have alcohol involved at all. She's driving as well so it was a given anyway.

I've got the house to myself just now so just vegging out with a cup of earl grey tea and the TV.

Just checking in and enjoying reading all the new posts.

Just checking in! I love this great positive thread. :)

@OrlandoInTheWilderness - well done! Jealous of the weight loss too!

Day 28 for me... was drinking nearly a bottle wine most nights and well over a bottle plus gin at the weekends.
On the plus side...No mental or physical cravings (I find it easy when I want to do something but also very easy for me to just have a change of mindset and fall off the wagon as it were)..... I also feel more "content".

Still feeling so tired though. And not seen any movement on the scales! Am 2 stone overweight...and as well as the lack of alcohol have also been doing 16:8 for the last 3 weeks! Back on WW tomorrow!
Also, just finished week 5 of C25k, so ran for 20 mins today. :)

Well done to us all!!

Aw thanks everyone! I'm so happy, I can't believe how my life had got too. I was having horrific pain and a blood test had shown raised liver enzymes which was terrifying. The pain has disappeared since I cut out gluten (on the doctors advice), I've stopped sugar in drinks etc and I'm eating so much better. Repeat blood test on Friday so fingers crossed my poor liver is better.

That must have been so frightening, Orlando. Hopefully your results will be be proof that all your hard work is paying off.

Awake early again after more weird smoking dreams.

Morning all. @OrlandoInTheWilderness that sounds scary, hope your next tests are okay.

I’m hanging in there. Hairy moment last night when all the kids were being dicks and no one wanted to go to bed!!! That sort of thing is a real trigger for me.

Am knackered today, just the strain of COVID really and combining childcare/schooling with work. Feel a bit defeated, but still sober so hey ho, can’t complain.

Checking in....

Speaking of pains...did anyone else make excuses for their ailments because they didn't want it to be booze that was the issue? I'm sorry if I've already posted this further back but I had a horrible pain in my side for FIVE YEARS which was eventually diagnosed as duodenitis. I explained away a million ways. After 22 days dry, it's gone.

Mad cravings here tonight but I thinks it's because I'm starving!

@Hangingover - me! Right sided pain wich I assume is my liver area. Haven't got it now funnily enough. @OrlandoInTheWilderness wow that mist have been scary, glad it has eased since you cut a few things out.. hope the results are on on Friday.

I've had a bliming headache since Friday. It won't go so off to the chemist to get something strong to try and kick it's butt. Have tried various things it's not going.

It was scary. And embarrassing too, I felt I didn't want my family to know as it indicated a problem. But now I'm coming to the conclusion that actually we as a society need to be aware of this as the culture around drinking is just ridiculous. Almost all of my friends drink too much, and it is part of everyday life and conversations. I don't want my daughter growing up thinking that opening a bottle of wine is the best part of the day. Life should be more than that.