Benefits of being alcohol free

[LibbyVonTrap]

So I’m starting dry January and am really going to need some motivation. I can already hear that niggling voice in the back of my head saying “you might as well have a drink tonight, it’s New Year’s Day and it’s a Saturday night!”

So thought it might be helpful to have a thread full of reasons we don’t want to drink. What are the positives to NOT drinking?

My Facebook memories keep showing me I looked totally different 5 years ago (before I started binge drinking), I was slim, fresh skin, decent hair … I had motivation and I looked genuinely happy. I’ve aged 20 years in 5 years.

So … benefits …

Weight loss?

How long before I can expect to see a change in my skin? Anyone know? What about puffy eyes?

Hi @LibbyVonTrap well done on making the decision but from bitter experience it takes a lot more to get sober than at first appears.
Have you got any quit lit? It helps with motivation and assessing the benefits and costs. Also there's a lot of podcasts around, I'm listening to janey Lee graces stuff at the moment, it resonates more with me than those by younger people. All depends on your circumstances what works best.
Good luck with it

Also re physical changes, I'm feeling more alive and less anxious. I think the physical stuff takes longer to heal so be prepared for a wait

I’m tempted to get “alcohol explained” book, people keep recommending it to me?

More money for other things. You could spend what you save on alcohol in a month on some nice clothes or shoes or an activity you enjoy.

I sleep much better when I’ve not had a drink, and feel fresher/less tired in the day.

The difference in sleep and mood was astonishing to me. I also just feel a million times less anxious and comfortable in my own skin. Waking up every morning feeling fresh never gets old.

Every day that you wake up and haven’t had a drink, you will be so proud of yourself.
Do it one day at a time, don’t think too far ahead.

Is alcohol explained the William Porter one? If so it is excellent. Will help you understand everything you go through

More energy,
Less negative thoughts,
Motivation for even basic daily tasks,
Basic self care because you're not tired,
Less impulse decisions that have major life impact,
I could go on, I was a major binge drinker and my catalyst to stop was when I broke my collar bone and couldn't remember how. It sent me into even more of a depression because I couldn't work, I was a self employed dog walker. I've still had my drinking moments though throughout the past 2 years of trying hard to cut down.
I can only tolerate one or two drinks now or I'm flat emotionally and feel tired and irritable for 3 days anyway. Since stopping wine and drinking every weekend I've already lost a stone in weight. Any questions fire away xxxx
You can do this 💪 👏 🙌 ✨️

Loads of benefits:

Skin and eyes look better.
You won't have that awful dehydrated feeling in the night.
No hangovers.
Less anxiety.
More energy.
Feel less tired.
Weight loss - because when you're drinking alcohol, your body's first responsibility is to get rid of the toxin (alcohol) therefore all the food you've eaten goes to the back of the queue so you put on the extra weight.

When I was drinking alcohol, I noticed how much I was THINKING about drinking.
Is it too early for a drink?
If I had one now, I only have 2 glasses left in that bottle of wine so I won't have enough to last the whole evening.
(In a restaurant while friends are chatting) thinking "why the hell are we chatting when we haven't even ordered drinks yet?"

Less thinking about drinking has been a big relief.

Now, I didn't drink loads but I noticed over the last couple of years my drinking habits changed and I didn't like it. I was perhaps having a drink 5 nights out of 7 which was a big change for me as usually I'd have a drink once every couple of months.

I've read a few books which helped. These ones I enjoyed the most:

• The unexpected joy of being sober by Catherine Gray. She also has a good Instagram page with lots of info.

• Drinking by Caroline Knapp.

It's a good decision and I wish you all the best with it! 🙂

@LetsStartAgain111

Loads of benefits:

Skin and eyes look better.
You won't have that awful dehydrated feeling in the night.
No hangovers.
Less anxiety.
More energy.
Feel less tired.
Weight loss - because when you're drinking alcohol, your body's first responsibility is to get rid of the toxin (alcohol) therefore all the food you've eaten goes to the back of the queue so you put on the extra weight.

When I was drinking alcohol, I noticed how much I was THINKING about drinking.
Is it too early for a drink?
If I had one now, I only have 2 glasses left in that bottle of wine so I won't have enough to last the whole evening.
(In a restaurant while friends are chatting) thinking "why the hell are we chatting when we haven't even ordered drinks yet?"

Less thinking about drinking has been a big relief.

Now, I didn't drink loads but I noticed over the last couple of years my drinking habits changed and I didn't like it. I was perhaps having a drink 5 nights out of 7 which was a big change for me as usually I'd have a drink once every couple of months.

I've read a few books which helped. These ones I enjoyed the most:

• The unexpected joy of being sober by Catherine Gray. She also has a good Instagram page with lots of info.

• Drinking by Caroline Knapp.

It's a good decision and I wish you all the best with it! 🙂

This is exactly what I’m like with the constant thinking about alcohol! I binge thursdays, fridays and Saturday nights. The thinking starts Thursday while I’m at work. I start thinking about DH coming in at 4:30 and then cracking open a beer at 5pm. I even buy light meals for a Thursday night as I don’t want a heavy meal to spoil my drinking. Then Friday I arrange my day to basically keep me busy and occupied until I can start drinking … such as booking the dog field for 3pm because by time I get home at 4:30 it will be an acceptable time to start drinking. I’ve even put off having my grandchild on a Saturday night as it would interfere with my drinking schedule - how awful is that! I think it was that which caused the lightbulb moment for me, I was literally prioritising drink over one of the most precious people in my life

@LibbyVonTrap
That's exactly the sort of thing I was doing. Everything I was arranging was around having a drink. And the thinking would start during work. "Do I have enough wine for tonight? I can't go out and pick some up because that'll look too dodgy. I only have enough for one glass and what's the point in that?" Etc.

I would also eat lighter meals so food wouldn't interfere with the drinking.
If my partner was going to the shop the first thing I'd think is I want them to pick me up some wine but I wouldn't say that because I was worried what they'd think, so I'd wait til they'd already set off and then text them like it was an afterthought:
"oh actually, is there any chance you can pick me up a bottle of wine? I've just realised I only have a tiny bit left". Even though I'd known that all day!

I'd be thinking of when was an 'appropriate time'.
Thinking 'if I wait til 5.30 or 6 that's not too bad. I'll make sure I stop by 9. Or I'll have a couple of glasses of water to compensate having another drink" etc.

When I think of it now, it was awful. Really awful.
I listened to the audiobook called Drinking by Caroline Knapp. It was brilliant. I'd really recommend it.
The Catherine gray book - the unexpected job of being sober. I've read that one 3 times. That's also really good.

*Unexpected Joy

I had loads of dry days last year. Im on. Life is so much nicer without booze.

Thanks for the Janet Lee Grace podcast recommendation. I've started listening and really enjoying it.

My son was out and didn’t feel great. He phoned me at 2230 and I was able to go and pick him up. That for me is the biggest bonus of not drinking, always knowing you are fine to drive.