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

[Touty]

@Adm1010 yes that's it, no off switch, constantly feeling things, TBH it's too much feeling which leads to too much thinking about the past which is not good. I wonder how normal people manage, have they all had enchanted lives without pain and heart brake that they never had to rely on booze? I do wonder.

[Touty]

@BunniesBunniesBunnies yes that's a good point, it must be doing my organs the world of good. I think my face looks better anyway.

[PrisonerofZeroCovid]

@SavBbunny You definitely win the shitty week prize. I thought my indefinite school closures/ hamster extermination squad combo was bad enough but yours takes the biscuit. Well done for sticking with it.

@Touty I think sobriety weightloss will be quite slow, especially if you're someone who drank instead of eating. Bottle of rosé is 500 cals so even if you drank 6 bottles a week it would only be 1lb by cutting it out, and my weight can fluctuate by 5lbs over my cycle so don't lose heart. I am hoping for 1kg per month from a combo of wine not drunk, and more exercise done due to fewer hangovers.

I am annoyed that I'm not looking less wrinkly, and weirdly am thirsty all the time despite not dehydrating myself with wine. Hope I haven't become diabetic. That would be the last irony.

[SavBbunny]

Checking in, day 12.
Put the big girl pants on yesterday and went alternative house shopping. Went in with a big fat bid for a house from last year withdrawn from the market. Should hear today.
I am so tired? Headaches clearing and I am not really on the scoff. Friday is danger night but I shall get myself a novel. Husband is a bit too interested in me now I don't smell like a nightclub😁.
I can't wait for the spring because the dark makes me miserable.
Good luck everyone today.

[AlloftheTime]

@SavBbunny day 12 is good! Steaming towards a full fortnight now - good to hear you have been out and been proactive on the housing front.
Know exactly what you mean about the dark days in winter. I’m blaming the recent full moon for moodiness though it did light up the sky in a fairly spectacular way 🌚
Checking in 👍

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

Well done @SavBbunny for cracking on with the house shopping.

I’ve really embraced January this year. Lots of nice herbal teas, wrapping up warm and early bedtimes. Being kind to myself and taking it easy. I am lucky though that I am not so affected by the seasons. Still January is usually my worst month, feeling grim and low and disappointed in myself after giving up on Dry January after about 5 days. So at the moment I’m carefully hanging on to feeling quite nice.

Hope everyone is okay.

[HangingOver]

Drybird2020 oh god you guys saved me on that bloody flight. At least when we go back in September (hopefully) we can do the whole flight in one go.

BunniesBunniesBunnies hello hello hello. What time do you turn in? My 'fuck this shit it's bedtime' alarm goes off about 4pm these days.

But then again my lunchtime alarm goes off about 10.15. Seriously, I tried to UberEats myself a McPlant early but it 'wasn't lunchtime'

Waving to all the new people I haven't met... hello from chilly Cornwall. Me and sleepy cat and fat rabbits wish you all calming, sober thoughts. Take your vitamins!

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

Well done on the flight @HangingOver! Pissing myself at UberEats telling you it’s not lunchtime😂😂😂 I get the same with Deliveroo trying to order lunch at 10.30am😂😂😂 They make me wait till 11:45 which is pretty much dinner time!

I get up at 6am usually and love going to bed super early, like 8 o’clock! I don’t always manage it though because work/kids and also my OH gets up later and and goes to bed later, so if I always go to bed at 8pm I would never see him😅

How’s Cornwall? Been in the sea much?! Must be freezing now!

[HangingOver]

I was at bloody yoga at 6 bloody 45 this morning...that's how disgustingly wholesome my life is. I don't like this teacher though because she talks a load of rubbish e.g 'breathe into your kidneys'

I'm trying to hold off till 12.30 to order...

[SavBbunny]

Had my brunch, bacon, eggs, mushrooms. Stopped my telling lovely husband to feck off! Knows I am upset so watching for wine gate. I am in bed by 8 too.
It is hard today.

[Breathmiller]

breathe into your kidneys 🤣

Good to see you hangingover and big congratulations on your 600 days! That is amazing.

[Adm1010]

@SavBbunny how are you managing ?

[SavBbunny]

@Adm1010

Hardest night tonight. Desperately thirsty and fuming over the house. Doubting my commitment.

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

@SavBbunny on nights like that I just go to bed as early as possible! Hang in there you are doing great

[SavBbunny]

Good morning all.
Boy am I hitting that teapot!
Got myself to bed without opening the only bottle in the house!
Hoorah I have a new job so not so desperate to stem the misery this morning. Friday was always wine night for me. Will need to buy a book to keep me busy.

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

Congrats on the new job @SavBbunny that’s great news!!! When do you start?

[SavBbunny]

@BunniesBunniesBunnies
Good morning, next month.
Will be competing against my old company who made me redundant without compensation. Hence the final booze fest! So upset would have drunk myself to death if best friend hadn't staged intervention.
However don't want the new bods to know I like the sauce😀
Will not talk shite at business dinner week after next.

[Adm1010]

Glad you got through it @SavBbunny

Off today as it’s my weekend in this week . Not sure what to do with myself . January is looooooong

[Drybird2020]

@SavBbunny I hope you made it through and and waking with a renewed sense of pride in yourself for battling through this tough stage.

I'm off to yoga for the second time this week. It's a lovely new class with an instructor who reminds me a bit of @Breathmiller, except she is completely obsessed with the moon.

I can relate to the posters feeling that Friday nights are not the same. I found Fridays at best a bit flat to start with. At worst they felt boring and empty and like all the fun had been sucked out of them. Now I love Fridays more than ever have; it's the end of the week, the start of the weekend, family time, catch-up-with-myself time...all of which was true before, but I had taught myself that I needed Friday night drinks to really enjoy myself.

Happy Friday, Everyone! Xx

[Touty]

Checking in 👍

Had a strange few days where I keep thinking of red 🍷 wine.

Finally had that tooth out.

Next week I go to the UK to see my mother, I'm looking forward to getting off this island for a bit, but my mother drinks every day and I'm not sure how I'm going to remain sober, I also won't have DH there who doesn't drink and gets very angry when I used to drink.

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

@Touty great news about the tooth and getting off that island!
With regards to your mum - many of us had the same issue (or similar issues with visiting parents who drink A LOT). Personally I have been pleasantly surprised by my parents, who really DID NOT GET why I quit drinking at first (and I think maybe saw it as a judgment on them - it wasn’t!). However now they just don’t make a big deal of it at all and always stock up on AF beers and never offer me wine! It was a big surprise but I’m so grateful, so it might not be as bad as you think!

[Touty]

Thanks @BunniesBunniesBunnies
She practically has a full bar in her kitchen! I can buy some AF lager.
Never tried AF wine. Does it taste like normal wine? Is it worth the money?

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

@Touty AF wine is mostly vile!!!
AF beer is nice though, I like Brew Dog, AF Heineken and actually some super markets do own brand AF beers (I’m thinking of Lidl but others must do too) which are good!

You can also get AF spirits like Seedlip (AF gin) but they are super expensive (for what is essentially flavoured water…)

[BunniesBunniesBunnies]

What do folks want to do about the new thread? @Drybird2020 @Breathmiller?

I’m quite happy to host another one, I probably won’t check in daily as it’s a busy month for me work-wise but I’ll definitely be around👍

Am also happy for someone else to host! (Perhaps someone more capable who doesn’t mess up the thread title😂😂😂
Speaking of titles, ideas for thread titles are welcome too!)

[SavBbunny]

Checking in. 14 days!

Had two temporary crowns fitted yesterday and was as sick as a pig. No wine was not a problem. Had to go to bed. Marks do an AF fizzecco, rubbish. I have hot milk now or the raspberry and ginger cordial.
Eating a few sweets which is usually not my thing but I remember one of the AA leaders a few years ago telling me I will need the sugar.
House saga rumbles on but we can rent it if we want so they are not beibg complete Dicks. Litmus test this coming week with passive aggressive friends coffee morning. She wont be offering bucks fizz but she has a way of getting to me.
He's to sober Saturday x