First steps in sobriety - maybe baby steps but we will get there

[Failingbettereverytime]

Like many people, lockdown has forced me to face my drinking and I needed to admit I had a problem. Working from home meant taking the brakes off on my drinking and I was getting through five bottles of wine a week.
18 days ago I decided that I had to stop before I did irreversible damage to my health. I've been lurking on the alcohol support board since then but tonight, after reading a thread in AIBU I decided to be brave and start my own thread. I hope to use it to hold myself accountable and to maybe gather together some likeminded people to see this journey through with. I've given myself a target of 100 days to start with. So far it's been up and down, but I know that I am doing the right thing for me.
Please come and join me if you think some mutual support and encouragement would help you get started on this journey too. And if you are further along the path, come and share your words of wisdom - they will definitely help.

dog I found Allan Carr's easy way for women really helpful. I like the way he talks it makes sense. Hope you enjoy it. I got nosseco for my birthday last week but didn't fancy it in the end.

i must definitely get some interesting af drinks...I've drunk far too much squash this evening (but no alcohol so that's a bonus) I'm also interested in what books people have found helpful? There are so many out there I'd love some recommendations.

My DH has decided to lay off the alcohol, day 1 and he was sitting there wanting a drink. I recommend a book “alcohol lied to me” and he got his head in it. After a while he looked up and said “no wonder you haven’t touched a drop since you read that”!

I think it’ll be harder for him to fully give up. He is already thinking about his fishing trip in September and how he’ll have to drink. Hopefully by then he’ll be a bit stronger and realise he doesn’t need it to have a good time. I’ve lost half a stone so far! Bonus side effect of giving up drinking!!! Probably saved myself about £40 too!

angorra there are loads of books some more science based and some personal stories. Personal stories I have enjoyed Mrs D is going without, the unexpected joy of getting sober and we are the luckiest.
Science based ones Annie Grace (she does include her personal story) but also alot of facts, Allan Carr easy way for women and alcohol explained by William Porter.
Just started alcohol lied to me by Craig Beck.
For drinks I tend to have things like kopperberg, soda and lime and the odd Becks blue. I found in the first few days I needed "something else' now not so bothered but,I do have iced coffee as my treat.

Some good tips, thanks. I'm finding the cravings in the early evening need something more than a cup of tea as a replacement! I'll look at some of the suggested books.....I like the idea of finding out more of the science behind drinking, because logically i should just be able to tell myself to stop, but it's so hard!

Hi Everyone. Haven't posted for a few days because things got a bit hectic on the home front but I am very pleased to report that I have passed my first target as I am now on Day 31 of alcohol-free living. I am pushing for the 100 days now and I am finally starting to see a bit of movement on the weight front too. Only a pound to go before I slip from obese to merely overweight!
Soft drink wins for me so far: Fever tree Blood Orange Soda and also Lemon Tonic Water and Aromatic Tonic Water. Slimline tonic with a splash of lime cordial. I find most normal soft drinks too sweet and I am trying to go sugar free too (with mixed success).
Half a stone is amazing @Doggodogington You must feel very pleased with yourself. Alcohol Lied to Me was the first quit lit book I read and it really did the trick for me - I totally agree with your husband. I might recommend it to my husband too, he says he is going to stop from September to Christmas. To be fair, he is drinking way, way less now that I have stopped. I can see that I was the engine driving the drinking in the house which is a shaming thought.
@angorarabbit I have tried so many times before to give up drinking by logic and willpower and failed. The difference to me this time is definitely reading the books. Craig Beck's book, Annie Grace's book and The Unexpected Joy are the three I'd really recommend to start off with. They cover similar ground, but hearing the same thing repeated in different ways is actually enormously helpful. Allan Carr and William Porter are great too and the Sober Diaries and Mrs D. I seem to have done nothing for the last month BUT read quit lit! @Rupertpenrysmistress I haven't tried any AF 'proper' drinks yet. What is nosecco like? I think if - when - I make it to Christmas I might need to replace my usual Christmas Day prosecco with an AF version!

Hi all, hope everyone is ok. 17 days no alcohol for me today. I have just put the bins out for recycling and for a change I’m not ashamed! One bottle of Captain Morgan’s (OH last weekend) and four empty cans of Stella (Also OH last weekend). We went out for a curry last night and couldn’t believe how much cheaper it was with both of us not drinking! We worked out that we were spending about £5000 (possibly more) a year on alcohol 😫
Bought a bottle of non alcohol red wine to try, it’s ok, a bit sweeter than normal red wine. Think it’ll do for Spaghetti Bolognese night.
Have bought a multitude of vitamins to repair my body, and have separated them into pill containers. How sad
@Failingbettereverytime have got the sober diaries on audible and I listen to it when I’m cooking. Takes my mind off the fact I always used to cook with a glass of alcohol and it reminds me why I’m doing it.