Leave alcohol behind and re-learn your life. The freedom thread.

[Drybird2020]

This is thread 6, the Anniversary Edition! Welcome to old hands and newbies! From Day 1 onwards, you’re all invited to share this safe, supportive and encouraging place.

If you've not yet decided whether total abstinence is for you, do feel free to 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.

It might help to have a read through the previous threads;

1 is here, www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3781133-Anyone-else-stopping-completely-in-2020
and

and 5 here;

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/4043965-YES-it-is-SO-worth-it-YES-it-gets-easier-and-YES-we-thought-it-was-impossible-as-well-its-not-A-thread-for-those-embracing-an-alcohol-free-existence?msgid=101761283

You'll find links to the others in there somewhere.

The 31st December is my Soberversary. I'm 2 stone lighter, I've taken up running, I'm better off, more present and more patient with my children, and I've found the courage to address some difficult and traumatic parts of my life. And I couldn’t have reached this point without the threads to keep me accountable, and my lovely sober buddies to keep me sane.

Aw maaan - I hear ya bunnies - I love it too!

Congratulations on 11 months, that's amazing. One year within sniffing distance!

Congratulations Bunnies!! Happy 11 months! Woohoo!

Happy Saturday everyone! I have now done 41 days AF ! So chuffed with myself, just need to stop the snacking now and up my exercise quota. Doing the school run is helping (6000 steps a day) but could really do with doing more -dodgy Achilles does restrict things though ☹️

Hello and happy Saturday everyone!

I am on day 27 I think. Tomorrow will be four weeks exactly and also exactly one month since valentine's day when I last had a drink.

Feel fine, but I may need to take it easier with the runs I've been doing, as I'm feeling it in my older and fatter knees and shins! I can hear my knees clicking when I walk today . Bloody DH and I went for a walk yesterday and he walks so fast! Don't think that helped.

Aaaaanyway, I'm not at the 'stop snacking' stage yet. I was mightily disappointed when I went to get some ice cream last night as my Friday treat, and there was approx a teaspoon left! So I'm buying more treats today. Not planning to binge or anything, but it is weekend 🥺.

Planning another run tomorrow, but sticking to just a couple of miles and maybe a bike ride today (easier on the joints).

Massive well done @ItsActuallyWasabi and @Shelleyjelly80, those first few weeks are hard and you’re rocking it💪💪💪

bunnies 11 months is amazing!! Well done!! Next stop 1 year!! 👌

Ah thank you @BunniesBunniesBunnies ! Well done to you on almost a whole year. That's amazing.

I got a bottle of 0% gin and naice tonics (plus chocolate of course), from DH and dcs as a Mother's Day gift today. So lovely of them! I know some people can't drink fake alcohol, but I've never had an issue. Looking forward to seeing what this is like.

One month AF today . Feeling quite pleased with myself this morning, but mornings have never been my problem tbh. It's the evening when the wine witch comes for me. That bitch .

Hope everyone is having a nice morning!

Happy mothers day to you all. Keep going, I only started for 30 days but so glad I'm still at it 4 and half months later, not a single regret sure whe would regret not drinking
?!!

Congratulations on your milestones @ItsActuallyWasabi and @Shelleyjelly80 the weeks are racking up and sounds like you’re both in fine fettle (albeit with slightly creaking knees!).

All well here had a lovely Mother’s Day weekend with the kids, spent most of the weekend outside which suits me just fine when the week is spent glued to the screen.

Was recommend this alcohol free sparkling wine alternative by a friend yesterday. It’s actually tea! Has anyone tried anything like this? www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/real-royal-flush/806624-746535-746536

Just checking in to see how my sober buddies are doing😊

Hope everyone is well and that those with kids are enjoying the relative normalities of school again - I certainly am!

Does anyone else ever have dreams in which they drink? I had one the other night and they always have me wake up in a cold sweat (and then feel instantly relieved that it was just a dream🥵).

Hope everyone is well x

@Furble I haven’t tried that one but I clicked on the link and it’s kombucha which I’ve never tried but have heard really good things about!!! Must try one day!

Hello all!

Just checking in.

@BunniesBunniesBunnies, I have had those before! When I really didn't want to drink and then I dream I've been on a huge night out and drank a tonne. It's so disappointing, but then a big relief when I realise it isn't really.

Thanks for the congrats and kombucha recommendation @furble! I will have to try that one. I like kombucha a lot and allegedly it's good for your biome.

It's been a while since I've posted but I continue to lurk.
Lots of new people and well done all of you reaching new targets and exercising a lot.
I reached my 100 day target yesterday which I truly believe I wouldn't have managed without the support of this thread.
I'm so glad I stumbled across the ''alcohol'' threads. (I'm fairly new to Mumsnet and only joined as I'm a childminder and wanted some advice).

Keep going everyone !!!

Congratulations Horlicks4me!!!🎉 So cross with myself for my Feb blip otherwise I’d be getting closer to that landmark. Still feeling utterly drained and not quite right but I’m still not planning to let booze into my life again. Not having any probs resisting when dh drinks - it smells toxic, which I suppose it is!!

Massive well done on the 100 days @Horlicks4me, such a big milestone!!!

@Blimeyoreilly2020..... I know exactly what you mean. On the odd occasion when Mr. Horlicks has a cider in the evening I really can't stand the smell but I would never notice when I was glugging back the wine!
I see it as a good sign.
Onwards and upwards as the saying goes.

@Furble that looks right up my street and I will order it - thanks for posting.

Yes loving schools being back. Can hear myself think for the first time in yonks.

Got a small niggle about what it will be like to go out on the first girls meal out. Especially because it will be such a celebration when it eventually happens. Bit nervous that I'll feel the pull to have one cocktail. Crap. I think I'll just play it forward when I'm in the actual situation. Don't want to go back to day one.

Meanwhile, day 5 of zero coffee and the headaches have gone and I feel less tired and less anxious. Off to google some yoga poses to help things... ahem.. move along (downside being my poor digestive system has now ground to a halt).

(Sorry - that wasn't an AF post, but I feel there's a massive benefit that you can have a good clear out of your life after you get rid of toxic booze clouding other things you have issues with)

Well done @Horlicks4me !
Anyone got any tips on how to kill the sugar cravings I now have ? I have always been a savoury girl but since going AF I cannot get enough chocolate and cake 😳

Hey Bunnies, congratulations on your 11 months!! It just goes on getting better , in my experience. You sound very chipper as well you might. I'm raising a glass of homemade kefir in your direction but if that doesn't appeal I recommend kombucha from a shop. I haven't started on the kombucha home brew yet.

@shelleyjelly80 don't worry too much about having lots of sugar in the early stages. It will help to get you through. I'm still not brilliant around the sugar bowl and am trying to cut down, but it isn't the end of the world. I don't drink and thats the main thing.

@pamelapeaces I cut right down on caffeine in January and had horrible withdrawal! Feel much better now .

Hi everyone, I have done 4 weeks. Very pleased. The longest I have been AF for 10 or 11 years. Thanks for the support. It’s been a great help.

I am falling asleep much faster now. No racing heart, no anxiety. Excema is much improved. My face is less puffy and I think the redness is better too.

Shelleyjelly80 same here, I usually don’t have a sweet tooth, haven’t eaten cake or chocolate in years. Without wine every evening I am now having a chocolate bar every night. My only advice is to try sticking to fun sizes. But really as everyone says the big picture is being AF and our livers hopefully repairing.

Thanks again everyone and anyone lurking do give it a go, alcohol really isn’t worth it. I feel lighter (mentally) and free of the demon.

Well done on 4 weeks @Pepper54!

Re sugar cravings; I'm trying not to have refined sugar, but not getting annoyed if I do.

The key for me, (and admittedly, I am very far from the voice of experience), is making sure I eat enough of the non sweet stuff! It seems counter intuitive, but I definitely find, for me, the key to not overeating is making sure I don't UNDEReat in the first place.

I actually am the voice of experience when it comes to diet and weight issues tbf as k have dietted for most of my adult life and even before. Never again though. I am trying to eat more intuitively and healthily and just looking after my body.

Alcohol probably was dulling my intuition when it came to food. I could put away HUGE amounts of food during or after a big night out in years gone by. Barely even noticed the handful of nuts at the pub, then a gourmet meal, then a bag of chips on the way home, (I'm not even exaggerating, unfortunately), as I was watering it all down with wine which made me hungrier. And then the next day, I was hungover, so I 'needed' junk food. You probably know how that story goes and it isn't a healthy body!

Anyway, just wanted to mention my thoughts on food, as I have even found myself in the past going on a diet, like low carb and then drinking dry white wine and spirits, even if I didn't really want them, just because they were low carb! So dieting has even been a trigger for drinking for me in the past. So I now avoid them like the plague.

Well done @Pepper54 and thank you @Drybird2020!!! I do feel pretty chipper most of the time these days. I mean I have my moments😅 but having a clear head makes everything so much easier to cope with. Strangely nervous about coming up to a year. Like people will expect me to knock it on the head now?! I want to keep going though, just for me. I hope I can!

Its an incredible achievement getting to year, heck so is four weeks if you've a bad habit. Enjoy the Friday night chill people. I have a coke chilling and a chocolate bar waiting for me. I do not miss alcohol today and most days. I know the bigger challenges are ahead for me though.. when the world opens up again and temptation will come. One day at a time anyway.

Interesting reflections on food, @itsactuallywasabi A few of us on here have issues with the off button with other things - I'm like this with food an am currently trying to stick to alternate day running to save my ageing knees and feet. When I get into something I get REALLY into it.

How are all the new starters and relative new starters getting on? I'm not over the joy of hangover free weekend mornings, I think
I will appreciate them forever! I hope you lot are all feeling some of the benefits already. @cartooner I hear you. I've been having the odd dream in which I am drinking, perhaps my unconscious mind preparing me for the times ahead when I will be tested in social situations again - always very very glad to wake up sober! In hindsight, 2020 was the best year for me to start my alcohol free life, I was feeling secure in it by the time I was going out and seeing people in the summer. Hopefully the same will be true for you.