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 for the welcome!! I decided to stop drinking for September after a summer of drinking fat too much and eating way too much. Then I found out I was pregnant mid sept but it was an ectopic needed a tube removal and I've come to the conclusion it was my fault due to being so unhealthily for months!! Now I've decided I can't be hungover at weekends and want to enjoy them!

Blimey flobba you've really been through it.

I'm sure your eating and drinking wasn't responsible though, you mustn't blame yourself for something that sadly happens to lots of women.

But I agree with you about the hangovers. If I could have back all the days I've lost due to feeling like shit after a binge it would be in the hundreds. I missed an entire Christmas Day once because I got so pissed on Christmas Eve!

Right, I'm in. Day 3. Haven't had any alcohol since Halloween night.

But that's not unusual, I've never been a daily drinker. But Wednesdays were always my wine night as I don't work the following day, so tomorrow will be triggering.

Wednesdays and then the weekends of course.

Ive been averaging about 3 bottles of wine a week in recent months. This is probably the most I've drank my entire life. I want to reset to a truly moderate level, because I think 3 bottles a week probably is very much NOT moderate, by doctors standards.

It'd going to be very hard, have associated it with "unwinding" now, and I have a stressful job. But that's just psychology and am going to see if I can trick my mind with alcohol free Presecco etc.

Have told everyone in work too, to hold myself accountable, and am going to do some reading on the subject.

Worried about it, tbh. What if I've just made an already stressful life more stressful?! I absolutely love my wine!

Hi Elspeth

You sound like me. I would drink a couple of times a week, but each time I'd easily put away 1.5 bottles - so averaging 3 bottles same as you. That's 30 units, so double the guidelines for women.

As for unwinding without booze - Youtube has loads of guided meditations, some specifically for giving up drinking, but others just for winding down, destress, relaxation etc. I just draw the curtains, like down on the bed with the headphones on and listen to one or two of those. Not for everyone maybe, but it's really helped me, and I find I'm much more chilled out and without the guilt and 'the fear' that used to come through self-medicating with wine.

Hi Elspeth

You sound very much like me. I would drink a couple of times a week, but each time I'd easily put away 1.5 bottles - so averaging 3 bottles same as you. That's 30 units, so double the guidelines for women.

As for unwinding without booze. Youtube has loads of guided meditations, some specifically for giving up drinking, but others just for winding down, destress, relaxation etc. I just draw the curtains, like down on the bed with the headphones on and listen to one or two of those. Not for everyone maybe, but it's really helped me, and I find I'm much more chilled out and without the guilt and 'the fear' that used to come with self-medicating with wine.

No idea why that posted twice?

Seems to be happening all over the board tonight.

I find fridays are the hardests to not drink it's always how I've relaxed after work!! Im planning a big walk with my kids on sat so that wouldn't happen if I was in the states I was last week!!

How's everyone doing? Day 10 here. I too have ordered some kombucha! I didn't like the one I tried a couple of years ago but I have decided to give it another go. I have in my head "only 3 weekends to go", which isn't the best way to look at it! I'm doing it to reset my drinking and go forward drinking a lot less and having more control over it. I do actually believe that the only way to have complete control is to stop drinking at all. Who knows, I may feel like that by the end of the 30 days!

Cake - after I tried the kombucha, I read a few articles that said all the health claims for it are a crock of shite! So I don't know what to think now? Is it good for you or isn't it? Who knows. I can deal with the odd taste if I think it's got some health benefits but otherwise ....

This afternoon - seeing all the people piling into (and gathering outside) the pubs for a last pre-lockdown drink has got me all agitated and thinking how nice it would be to go for a glass of wine with my daughter. It sort of feels like I'm missing out, which is crazy and I've only been to the pub once since March and we sat outside on a glorious sunny day. A bit different to now.

I did also get a slight twinge last night cooking pasta sauce which I would normally whack a big slug of red wine into as well as pouring it down my throat as I cooked. But it was only for a moment ... and it was perfectly delicious without the booze.

I don't really have any worries about getting through November if I'm honest, but what I am having a debate about is do I really want a dry Christmas? I think it's probably going to be bleak and muted enough anyway this year ,and the thought of sipping kombucha or Schloer, instead of Wine and Sherry (I do love a bottle of Sherry at Christmas!) isn't exactly filling me with joy.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The main thing is to get through November which is what we've signed up for!

So how is everyone else doing? How are you feeling, are you finding it difficult or easy? I know it's early days but keep us posted.

Hello please can I join. Drank way too much in October and would like a break for health reasons in November. Only just seen this thread now.

I want to do this so thank you for setting it up and the here's to a successful month!

Hello, still here, still sober, went for a meal with a friend last night, premature birthday celebration for her due to lockdown, I drove so no drinking even considered. I have started reading the joy of being sober, Catherine gray. Only a few chapters in but some things ringing true. The days off drinking whilst trying to moderate were filled with me thinking 'I am not drinking tonight, I am not drinking tonight, still not drinking, this is a drink free night' so much headspace dedicated to booze. My meal with my wine friend for 14th Nov is obviously cancelled and that was going to be my achilles heel I think so lockdown will probably help me. Welcome all, you're in good company.

I'm having a 0% beer after dinner. Just as good as the real thing. Going to really see what the supermarket has to offer tomorrow.

Wednesday is my trigger evening so am very glad to have some 0% beer in the house!

Could I join? After way too much drinking for way too long I decided after Halloween something had to give. Am on day 4, previous alcohol consumption was making me depressed, irritable anxious and I look like crap, dry haggard dehydrated saggy skin. Feel gutted looking at v photos from only 2 years ago I looked so much younger and fresher. Also have a real redness and puffiness to my skin that I hate.

It's tough though, I'm bored out of my brain and can't sleep at all. The days seem long and bleak. Am using lockdown November as an excuse to stop as I know if I socialise I'll crack. Doing lots of exercise, trying to be productive. No improvement in mood, sleep, motivation or skin so far but feel less anxious... Which is something I suppose.

Not really November, but DH and I are going for dry lockdown. I'm hoping not being able to go out will help, plus no "reason" (birthdays etc.) to drink at home over the next few weeks.

I tried and failed at dry January earlier this year, so hoping to do better this time.

26th October was my last day of booze, I’m going to join you for the lockdown.

I drank a fair bit in the spring, then cut back. But often find myself in a row with DP when I drink so I want to reevaluate that by going dry for a while

Have to say not feeling grotty this morning feels great. First Thursday in I don't know how long to not have a hangover, or at the least feel exhausted getting up.

First thought lying in bed this morning "I could go for a run today... Yes I will".

Normally it's "ugh, I should go for a run. Maybe see how I feel later..... Probably will be too tired though...." and then end up slobbing around until I forget about it again.

And then I wonder why I'm always so tired and unproductive on my days off!

I did have an ice cream at 10pm though. My hands were fidgeting for something.

Yes it's great waking up with a clear head. I also like the fact that I eat normally. When I was hungover I'd crave all sorts of crap - mainly sugary carbs. I'd put away about 5,000 calories the day after a night on the wine.

There are loads of positives to not drinking, we all know it, but it doesn't stop us going back to the booze. I've done it dozens of times .

So all I can say is 'at the moment' I'm doing ok. Don't want to drink, don't think I will drink (for the rest of the month / lockdown) at least and just be glad for that. A few weeks ago, I couldn't have stopped if you paid me. I tried so many times between May and September but as I said in an earlier post 'the stars weren't aligned', and I just couldn't do it.

Hello can I join in? I've lurked on lots of these threads over the years. I drink too much and too often so I'm freeing myself from the clutches of booze for lockdown 😀 As someone upthread said "the stars have aligned". I've also joined The Alcohol Experiment and hopefully with that and this thread, daily journaling and some early nights followed by early morning exercise, I'll get through it 😍

Aldi haul : Bought two bottles of 0% sparking wine, a 6 pack of 0% pilsner and 2 bottles of 0% IPA beer.

I went a bit mad as I want to have lots of options. Especially as I bought a bottle of red for DH and I don't want to be sitting there looking gloomily at him whilst I nurse a cup of tea!

They have a surprisingly good alcohol free section, which was heartening.

@ElspethFlashman which 0% beers do you recommend?

Today is a week of no booze for me - been far too long since I’ve been able to say that not finding it hard at all, makes me wonder why I usually drink so much

I'm going to try to stay mostly sober during lockdown. Day 1 today!

I'm yet to find a decent bottle of alcohol free wine, so sticking to sparkling water. Day 1 today, so early night planned to remove all temptation!

Yes early to bed for me too. Tomorrow I'm hoping that my brain will ignore that it's Friday and that I will sail through the evening with fizzy water rather than wine; what a novelty 🤩