The Freedom Thread (Continued) - Enjoying the positives of an alcohol free life *Title edited by MNHQ*

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

Hello all,

This is a thread for people who have decided that life is much better without alcohol!🤩 These threads were started by @Drybird, and they have changed the lives of many people.

Some posters on these threads have been sober for a long time, and some are only just starting. We are a very friendly and inclusive bunch and we are always excited when someone new joins the thread. The only thing we ask is that our posters have given up alcohol completely. Talk of moderation can be triggering for some people, so this thread is not the right place for that (there are other moderation threads🙂).

I hope to see many familiar names on this thread, and some new ones too! We always welcome anyone to share their feelings, ask questions or simply “check in”🙂

I’d also like to thank @Breathmiller for hosting the last thread (and to ask for your forgiveness for shamelessly stealing your thread title😳) - Thank you @Breathmiller 💐

Thanks all!

Bunnies

Just a quick hello 👋🏻 from me on day 1 of my new alcohol free life. Reading this lovely positive thread has helped me a lot in preparing to stop drinking. Hearty thanks for the insights and inspiration!

I'm in bed feeling a lot better today than yesterday- totally beating myself up for having a drink- well not quite true - not just one drink actually quite a few. I've just left my relatives drinking wine downstairs, I got a bit bored and tired sat there so decided to leave them to it. Looking forward to waking up feeling HF .

@ChampooPapi ❤️

Hello @AfreshAfreshAfresh

Hello everyone can I join? I’ve known for a few years now that alcohol, even just a couple of drinks, is a major depressant for me. Struggled with PND after dc1 and felt so much better when I went AF for 6 months or so. Have been drinking a bit since dc2 arrived a few months ago and depression definitely knocking at the door. Last night during a night feed all the depressive thoughts came back along with suicidal ideation.
So that’s it. Done. Worried about NYE but I’m 38 now and it’s nobody’s business.
I am so much happier without alcohol in my life, I know I am.
I also think I’m a much nicer person. I never drank excessively, just 1-2 glasses a night, but if I’m drinking find it v.difficult not to drink every night, and the culmulative effect was very negative.
Anyway sorry a bit of an essay. But that’s it. Done. I hope I can do it.

Hello @AfreshAfreshAfresh!
@Kindtomyself 👊
@ChampooPapi - well done on seeing off the challenges head-on. I would be disappointed with some of those responses and attitudes. You are certainly your own person and you will succeed in this AF/HF universe 💜
Cardinal- thanks for posting it’s so heartening to be reading all these insights.

To everyone who’s still flying the flag I salute you!
Checking in for what is I think day no 153 and Christmas weekend navigated ✅
Night all

Checking in 👍

Hi all. Joining again, was here a while ago on a different UN but kept failing so feel like I need a fresh start. Feel gross, bloated and ready to do this....but hopefully more successfully this time. This thread was very helpful last time and I only failed when I stopped checking in x

Thanks @Blackberryblossom
That’s a lovely post @CardinalCat! Glad you abstained. I too have found it difficult today. Opening the fridge on Boxing Day and not drip feeding on wine is strange. Hopefully next year will be easier.
Welcome @Ijustneedtosleep21, @afreshafreshafresh and @Afreshstart2021. Your situation sounds difficult indeed, don’t be afraid to go to see your GP if you are struggling. It’s easy to fall into depression when the babies are small and you are so tired all the time.

I’m in bed after taking DD, DM & MIL out for afternoon then watching TV in evening. I’m shattered tonight but houseguest leaves tomorrow and relaxing bit of holiday starts (I bloody hope), I think that will be easier to do AF than the stressful bit. Stay with us everyone.

@Afreshstart2021 that’s sounds very raw and as @iamyourequal says professional help could be part of your way forward. You sound determined to change and you have self awareness about the negative impact drink is having on your life. Keep posting and if it ends up being an essay don’t worry about that - everyone here will be supportive and you will get responses as the day goes on. Even when our circumstances are quite different the underlying fears and concerns will often be the same and so understood by those posting.

Keep focused and drop in whenever you need to.

Welcome @AfreshAfreshAfresh @Afreshstart2021 @Ijustneedtosleep21!👍

@Kindtomyself glad you’re feeling a bit better.

BTW @Afreshstart2021 your story sounds so so familiar to me. All I can say is that my feelings of anxiety and depression got sooo much better since quitting. I also had some small children at the time (and some older ones) and found them so much easier to deal with without alcohol. I’m a much more patient mum now. Good luck to you!

Checking in 🙌

Checking in after an AF Christmas .

Checking in, AF since my slip up!

Didn't want it over Christmas, LOVED being present with the children, soooo wanted to play with the kids rather than sit around the table drinking.

Well done everyone for sticking with it, marching on into the new year AF!

@indiesearcher bet the kids loved it too!

Day 31! I'm so pleased how this Christmas holiday is going. I am tired because my 3y/o likes a 7am start. I'm not as tired as I would be if I was drinking this holiday because I would have been going to be later and having worse quality sleep. I'm also waking up ready for another day of playing rather than hungover and wishing I could go back to bed. On Boxing Day, I had a sip of the wrong drink and the taste of alcohol made me wonder why I like it anyway. I'm feeling pretty good about my life choices right now! Hope everyone else is doing well.

Hi all. I rejoined yesterday but have seen a Dry Jan thread and think for me mentally I need to take things one month at a time at the moment.

I found this thread amazing but do still have a lot of stress in my life and the idea of taking it month by month is making me feel better.

If I can get passed my usual 6 week mark I'll officially rejoin. I will check in though and I am off the alcohol from now and not just from January. I've even made plans to drive NYE.

Yes @Newmum738 💪

Checking in all 🙌 Feeling smug today, this a good feeling this alcohol free life

Checking in too. Definitely a fabulous feeling to not wake with a hangover

Checking in, starting to feel better.
I watched an interesting presentation yesterday on you tube - it was said that alcohol aggravates the same neural pathways in the brain as depression. Thought provoking.

@Touty alcohol is definitely a depressant and is known to worsen depression. Many people will notice an improvement in their depressive symptoms when they quit booze. It’s a little counterintuitive as people also use booze to mask the symptoms of depression (and of course alcohol is marketed as “fun”), but the undeniable truth is that for many people alcohol only makes depression worse. Glad you are starting to feel better!

My depression/anxiety definitely lifted somewhat with stopping alcohol. I don't understand how some people drink shitloads and always appear upbeat. I know a woman like that...so bizarre

@Kindtomyself I know what you mean (about some heavy drinking people appearing upbeat) but I think two things are true:

1. “Appear” is a key word here. They may actually feel like shit. I know I still appeared very upbeat (mostly) when drinking heavily, especially to the outside world (my OH saw the more depressed side of me). I was miserable though.
2. Substances do affect people differently. Perhaps if you’re not prone to depression some people can drink to excess and feel fine. Just like some people can smoke weed and be fine whereas others are badly affected.

@Touty - I have actually managed to come off my AD's since I went AF. Admittedly I was on a low dose of citalopram but they kept me on an even keel and helped me in stressy situations- not needed anymore!

Loving being AF at Christmas. I'm not going to lie - it isn't the easy option, though, that's for sure. It's definitely the easy option the following morning - being HF! But the draw is still there in the day and evenings with celebrating.

I keep reminding myself of all the benefits and remembering why I can't/don't want to drink.