No Booze November

[FannyFernackerpan]

This thread is for those of us on the Sober October thread who have decided to continue on, plus anyone else who would like to join us.

1st November coming up on Sunday - a good day to start!

Thanks Fanny, marking my place with good intentions

I started yesterday! Day 1 was easy, it's the weekend I am dreading. But trying to reframe it in a positive way (can you tell? ). Reading the Alcohol Experiment at the moment, and hopefully have a buddy roped in from Sunday. I have told DH and DC so I have to stick to it now.

Welcome cake, we're all still on the sober Oct thread on the moment so pop over there to get inspiration before this thread gets properly going

Hi Cake, I've said it a couple of times on the October thread but the Allen Carr book aimed at women stopping drinking has done it for me - complete change of mindset and my need has (largely) gone. It's bizarre!

Hello could I join for Sober November I havent been on the October threat but need to make a change

Welcome Spotty - glad there's going to be a few of us giving it a go in November.

A friend sent me this which I found very inspiring ....

digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/398/reader/reader.html?social#!preferred/0/package/398/pub/398/page/76/article/95934

That’s a great article thanks for sharing it... I am in for November and hopefully beyond.., I am overhauling my health starting today and stopping drinking is top of the list!

I started yesterday too! So far so good but next wknd, I have a social event that usually involves a lot of gin. I don't have the excuse of driving as it's a 2 minute walk for me from home! I'm hoping I can stay strong! I only have one other social event in November so am really hopeful that I can do the whole month!

Count me in

I'd like to sign up for November please.
I've cut back a lot since April, but haven't stopped completely. So the incentive for a month without any wine with support on here is too good to miss!

Hi all, hope everyone has had a good weekend so far and not struggling too much. Day 5 for me here - so far so good. I started work very early yesterday morning and was knackered by the time I got home so not too difficult not to drink. I was pretty grumpy though - other half irritated me as he had had skinful night before after lecturing me about my drinking - that’s what made me grumpy. Feeling good today though - clear headed if a bit fatigued due to early shift yesterday. On an early again tomorrow so early night again. Hope everyone has an easy day of it.

Great article - thanks @FannyFernackerpan

Morning all!

So 1st November is here! Well done to everyone who completed Sober October and to all those embarking on No Booze November.

I bought some cans of Kombucha from Holland and Barrett yesterday and had a couple last night.

For anyone who doesn't know, Kombucha is something of a wonder drink - with anti-oxidant and probiotic qualities. Excellent for gut health and for the liver. It's quite pricey at £2 for a small can.

Anyway I thought I'd try some and it's not bad, it's got a sort of vinegary taste (because it's fermented) but it's flavoured with various fruits etc - I got the cherry, raspberry, lemon and ginger and peach varieties. It's sour but naturally fizzy and very refreshing, and although it's an acquired taste for sure, I think I could get used to it. Lots of people make their own because of the cost. There are videos on YouTube showing you how to do it, if anyone is interested.

This morning I've woken up with a fuzzy headache. Not sure if there's any connection or not. My daughter was also complaining of a headache yesterday and it's been quite stormy where we live, so it could be that. Not going to blame the Kombucha just yet!

Hello, I’d like to join please. I’m having a dry November so day one for me. Will have a look at the sober October thread for inspiration.

Welcome all who've joined us. How's everyone's first evening been? Day 32 for me today.

A so-so day here. Shit weather but I did go for a walk in the woods in the rain and I enjoyed it.

Just drinking tea and watching Netflix at the moment.

Hope everyone is doing ok

Hello, I'm planning to lurk. Having a final glass of wine here & then aiming for no wine in November. I will allow a G&T as I'm not as fond of them as the wine. Just hoping for improvement here without the fear of nothing allowed

No booze since Thursday and feeling ready to do dry lockdown this time around (instead of swimming in wine for the last one!) Cross trainer is supposed to be delivered tomorrow so I can get back to exercising too, a bad knee has stopped me running for the last few months and I feel like a lazy lump!

Five weeks today. V happy with that and apart from a couple of wobbles I've not missed it at all. Even when I've been wobbly I knew I'd be annoyed with myself if I had a drink plus I couldn't think of any actual advantage or benefit to it. This is such a huge turnaround compared to me previously. I think my DH is surprised but now seems to have accepted it as the new normal.

I'd like to jump on this after having an awful hangover all day Saturday and wasting the day!!!

Welcome flobba and everyone else trying to stay dry in November.

I'm into my sixth week now (last drink was Sunday 27th September), and feeling good. No desire to drink at the moment, but I've been here so many times before I'm not getting complacent.

I did 55 days at the start of lockdown and was so much happier. I had a good routine going - in bed at a certain time, up at a certain time, exercising daily, a 1 hour walk or bike ride per day and lots of self care and discipline. That went out of the window on my birthday in May and it was downhill from there.

With another lockdown looming, I'm glad I'm off the wine and at the very least I intend to better the 55 days I did at the beginning. So day 37 and counting.

Can I join please!! I've decided to stay dry for November and hopefully beyond. Have been in an awful pattern of drinking every day for way too long now, and it needs to stop... hopefully we can help each other

Hi can I join too? Sick of feeling shabby and a bit crap, and embarrassed about the recycling bin . So stressed about lockdown and what that will mean for my job. But I am determined to take this month on hangover free and I can’t go anywhere anyway.

Welcome!

I don't know how others feel about this and it's quite hard to write down what I mean but hopefully you will get the gist.

To stop drinking it's almost as if the stars need to be aligned somehow. It's not just a case of willpower and determination but other factors and circumstances have to click into place.

So as I've written previously, I was dry for 55 days at the start of lockdown. Then my birthday in May, daughter's boyfriend sent me a bottle of red and that was it. A birthday drink kicked off a return to my old drinking habits which lasted until the end of September.

Throughout that period I tried numerous times to stop again. But just couldn't. All the good intentions were there, but it made no difference, I kept falling off the wagon. I even joined a support thread on her but only lasted a few days.

Then on 27th September I tried stopping again. Wasn't hopeful I could do it but decided to give it another try. Saw the Sober October thread but was too scared to join it as I was sure I would fuck up again.

It was only later in the month when I'd got some sober time under my belt that I tentatively signed up. And here I am into my sixth week without wine and not missing it at all.

It's so weird how sometimes it's like things click into place and how other times you just can't do it no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try?

Is it like this for you? Have others had a similar experience to me?

I suppose the lesson to learn here is never give up trying. That no matter how many times you fail eventually things will 'click' into place and you'll find yourself with several booze free weeks behind you.

What are your thoughts on this? How has it been for you in your battles with the booze. If 'battles' sounds a bit dramatic, I use it because that's how it sometimes feels for me. I know wine is my enemy and not my friend. It's not out to help me that's for sure. And I do feel like I'm fighting it and so far in my life it's always beaten me.

Hope you can make sense of that ramble and I'd love to hear if you can identify with any of that, and how it's been for you?

Hi Fanny. I love your post and think it will resonate with a lot of people. There's always a celebration or social engagement coming up, or at least there was, but even with lockdown etc. it's that sense that you deserve a treat or something yo help you relax.... Even though it's actually neither and is just a vicious circle. I've also had periods of stopping, not always for as long as I planned to, but always counted down the days til I could drink again. Reading the book I keep mentioning has helped me totally change my mindset to the point where it's really just not a consideration any more. Which is amazing. Definitely properly looking at the benefits and not what you think you're missing out on helps too. I think that when the stars align it really is a case of you making that decision and really making it properly. Not sure that makes a great deal of sense but I know what I mean.... sort of!!!