Day 1

[moochies]

I posted another thread earlier about my disaster of a Christmas Day.

I just can't do it anymore, looking into the future I can see myself losing everything, my DH, friends, family. I was considering taking myself to a&e this morning because I was such a mess.

I'm absolutely determined to do it this time, so this is day 1.

Please join me.

Also got the 'Try Dry' app on my phone (which I am finding helpful) to do Dry January and apparently have already saved £117!! I am shocked . Still guess when you are consuming roughly 70 units per week, as I was, it's entirely possible....

@firefly123

Also got the 'Try Dry' app on my phone (which I am finding helpful) to do Dry January and apparently have already saved £117!! I am shocked . Still guess when you are consuming roughly 70 units per week, as I was, it's entirely possible....

I have that app too Firefly, it's shocking isn't it! I've saved approx £200 since 26th December. Eek.

@moochies Oh my god it's scary isn't it! I used to use Sober time but didn't get on with it. I must have saved over £100. Well done on your dinner out @firefly123 that's incredible. Were you triggered at all by getting ready to go out or anything?

@moochies - yes it is shocking isn't it!! I am spending all the surplus money on cake!!! Am not weighing myself though, just concentrating on staying dry.@MinnieJackson luckily no triggers going out but was just with my kids and husband so easier than larger group I think..

Morning all, glad to hear you're all doing well. I have to say I'm so glad we have this group
Woke up late today but was tired and was so nice to not have a hangover. Drank AF brew dog last night and some elderflower spritz. And watched the Beatles documentary. DH had some beers but I had no wish to have any. Day 14 today

@firefly123 well done! That's great 
@MinnieJackson that's really good.

Congratulations @teaandtoastwithmarmite!

@firefly123 I am eating so much!! I'm not too worried, I'll reign it in when I'm sober longer, that's more important. Is alcohol an appetite suppressant or something? I only drank lager or vodka and diet coke, so minimal cake from the vodka and only about two beers before the vodka

Cals not cake!

@MinnieJackson

Morning everyone! It's freezing here today. I'm having a cup of tea before the kids wake up. Going to do a roast for lunch today. Anyone else getting more done? I've done 2 loads of washing, loaded the dishwasher, first lot of drying on and tidied the kitchen and living room. I've been buying myself more books as well as I love reading but never have enough money left for them. My thinking was 'well I'd have no problem spending £4.50 on a drink' so I've already bought myself three oh and a sober diary counter thing off amazon. Happy sober Sunday!

I joined the library years ago and al books there are free Also motivates me to read the book as I know it'll have To be returned in 3-4 weeks.

People are doing amazingly well here!

On the subject of money I have just worked out (very rough figures) if I have been clean for 9 years and used to buy a minimum of a bottle of wine a night - not even counting spirits etc, just on wine alone I have saved over £22,000 (Except I haven't saved it but I have lots of clothes and lipsticks I wouldn't have had otherwise!)

It's sickening really how much I spent, I feel ashamed but also relieved if that makes sense to anyone?

Hi everyone, I hope it’s ok for me to post here. I’m on another thread too. I didn’t start until Jan 4th so I’ve done five days. Not craving yet but I’m sure it will come. I was never a fall over have an argument type drunk but I would fall asleep in front of the TV which annoyed DH as we love to watch movies etc together and then talk about them. I couldn’t talk about them as I’d either fallen asleep or I had no memory of watching

I also started to get very maudlin and make embarrassing SM posts so it’s much better for me to knock it on the head, certainly for now. Not sure how it’s going to go when I’m meeting up with friends etc though.

I’ve lost a massive amount of weight and the drink has started to make me put it back on so I need to reverse that too!

Happy sober Sunday everyone! It's lovely to see everyone doing so well.

Is alcohol an appetite suppressant or something?

It is, in a way. When metabolized it yields so many calories that it makes you feel full. When you stop drinking you miss those calories.

Welcome, @afaloren, and well done making a start.

Well done everyone, I'm impressed that everyone is doing so brilliantly.

I must admit I didn't think I'd make it this far.

Went to a pub today and found a decent IPA, it's called Pine Trail, 0.3% I think. It's nicer than Nanny State!

@moochies will have to try that. We went to bath for a mini moon a few weeks ago and I didn't drink the whole time we were there. I was a bit sad as there were loads of different beers but then the landlord of the pub gave me a nice non alcoholic beer.
@MinnieJackson thank you

Hi @afaloren oh I know that feeling of stupid social media posts, it's awful. And instead of giving up drinking I gave up all my social media accounts and don't even have a mobile phone! I'm very strange but I've actually now just made an Instagram account under an anonymous name on my kindle, so I can follow all the sober pages. Well done on day 5!

@FridaRose my towns library has been shut since before covid! It's awful. Leaking roofs, then vandalism, then roof fixed and started leaking on people using the gym. Tomorrow Dh is going to take me to the charity coffee and book shop in the next town hopefully, it's brilliant. will be my first time out in ten days. Feet don't fail me now!

@SoberMornings that's amazing! Have you read Ozzy Osbourne 's book? His therapist asked how much financially alcohol had cost him and he said he wrote down cockily £1,000,000. The bloke said actually I've been looking into it and it was way more! Things like court cases, countries he wasn't allowed to enter, or earn money in, brands that had dropped him, insurance ect. crazy!

Good morning everyone and happy sober Monday! Just wanted to wish everyone a good start to the week. I have to say that my sleeping is definitely getting better, so one massive plus of over a week being AF! Hope everyone else is also feeling some early benefits

Good morning @firefly123! Yes I’m sleeping much better and my digestive system is also functioning much better! I’m so hopeful about this alcohol free attempt, unlike the hundreds of others I’ve had.

Morning everyone! Last night was weird. My next door neighbour came home while I was having a cigarette outside and she was a bit merry. She'd been to a pub that we frequent and met someone we know and said she's going to go drinking with her and I HAVE to come! And whenever I next go to the pub knock on the door and tell her and we'll have a drink. I did a weird little laugh and noncommittal yes, yes it's so weird that I actually felt terrified I was going to be frog marched to a pub and made to drink it won't happen, when I was drinking she's done this before and we've never managed to get together for drinks.
Happy sober Monday! Heading into day 10.

Gosh @MinnieJackson that sounds jarring!

If I can get through today it will be a full week. I’m excited about that. I read somewhere it takes two weeks for your liver to recover so that’s my second goal.

We watched Stay Close yesterday and it was excellent. DH kept saying how nice it was that I wasn’t falling asleep and could follow what was going on

@afaloren you can do it! I'm really looking forward to two weeks aswell.

@afaloren, two weeks is an excellent goal, but the time it takes for your liver to heal will depend on how much cumulative damage it has suffered. Your GP can do a simple blood test to assess liver function. If you haven't had a physical exam in a while, book one for a few weeks out and request the test if you're concerned.

@SoberMornings @MissConductUS do you mind me asking if you've ever relapsed? I have no intention to today, but its a thought that keeps popping into my head. I need to stay focused on each day as a whole.

The thought is 'id be so disappointed if I started drinking or had a drink' not 'I really want a drink, I'm going to have one' by the way

Minnie, there were times I came close to relapsing, but it was really only a problem for me in my first few months of sobriety. So, no, I've been clean since March of 1994. When tempted, I think back to the inpatient detox I went through. Getting sober is the hardest thing I've ever done, so I don't want to have to do it again.

A relapse isn't the end of the world as long as you nip it in the bud, but it does retard the adjustments going on in your CNS. You're right about the disappointment. You've worked really hard to get this far. That's one reason why counting days is important in the beginning. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and reinforces your commitment.