The freedom thread ( continued ) Riding the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life!

[Adm1010]

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🙂).

We are a supportive welcoming bunch. No question is ever to “ silly “ and their is generally someone around if you are struggling

So just come here to chat or vent or check in . Whatever you need as you ride the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life

Thankyou to bunnies for hosting the last thread.
And here’s to the next 40 pages

Thank you Bunnies!

@BunniesBunniesBunnies thank you, I'm inundated by poorly children but giving myself the day off from my assignment and catching up with listening to the radio and binging celebrity coach trip. It's so wrong it's right! How are you doing?

@BunniesBunniesBunnies thank you. Don’t know, just feel like I want to drink but I can’t. I’m imagining having a drink and the kick/hit it would give however I know what happens in terms of not being able to moderate and the consequences. Feeling fed up of the forever aspect but I know too well of all the positive benefits versus the the negative. Hopefully will feel better soon!

I've just done 24 hours without alcohol for the first time in six weeks.

Been going through a tough time and hitting the wine to stop hurting so much.

After the inevitable anxiety I'm now feeling peaceful.

Determined to do at least 15 days as I then start a new job and want to be physically, mentally and emotionally in a good place.

70 days here! Just checking in. I'd still love a proper glass of wine but holding strong ✊🏼

Evening all. Just had a couple of glasses of Noughty. The best yet but expensive.

Morning all. Survived another Saturday AF. Had to go to bed though. Still tired all the time.

Morning! Another night of sleeping straight through.

Day 19. Out tonight for a friend's birthday drinks. Strangely am not worried that I will drink, I feel like a switch has gone off in my head even though I am still experiencing cravings

@sunshineforest

Good luck with the do tonight.

@SavBbunny well done. I’m a bit jealous!

Day 1 here again. Drinking isn’t fun any more - perhaps it hasn’t been for a long time. But it took 35 days dry and 2 days drinking to see it for myself. Bit cross with myself nevertheless.

Like @Shortkiwi I’m finding the “forever” part hard, and I feel a bit sad that it’s come to this. I’m reading Alcohol Explained at the moment, which isn’t helping as it feels like beating myself up more. Any recommendations for a more positive read? I’ve read Unexpected Joy

Morning

Sorry to read you're having a tough time @Bagpusssays I hope things improve
@Onewildandpreciouslife I read Sober Mummy and Unexpected Joy of Being Sober and followed the alcohol experiment. However I then moved in to reading books about dealing with emotions and personal growth as that felt like the next step for me ie dealing with my underlying issues.

@SavBbunny interested to know about nutra check and whether it's any different to MyFitnessPal?

@onewildandpreciouslife

I still find I long for a cold glass of wine. I avoid the booze Isle.
I recently had a awful experience.
I went to work for a new company last year. Fab job, great pay, wonderful team, shit colleague. He bullied me and made my life hell. Wine was a prop to keep going.
I also had a serious eye problem and was warned that I could go blind. Drink didn't help.
I didn't know what his problem was until I found out he had lied to get his job and I was way better qualified than him.
He than started a campaign against me when I went on holiday. My drinking kept me going on the nights I wanted to throw the towel in.
However it all came to a head when he convinced the owner to make me redundant. When I objected he threatened to expose me as an alcoholic. I am not but I can't drink and be well.
So I chose to stop drinking, look fabulous and when I see my old boss I will tell her what an utter barstard he was to me.
For what its worth he drinks a full bottle of plonk a day but it is ok for men isn't it?

Onwards and upwards my friends.

@Onewildandpreciouslife I’ve got about 4 or 5 quit lit books on the go, I keep giving up on them as getting fed up of the same messages - alcohol is a poison etc. Think this thread is more help tbh. Just want to feel better about the future being AF. Think I’m generally bored, I always looked forward to my alcohol treat pre dinner and with dinner! However, I know where that first drink led to on some occasions. I’m disappointed that I’m not feeling more energetic or very motivated to exercise! On the plus side, day 30 and no hangover on a Sunday!

@SavBbunny - so sorry that you had to go through all that but good on you for turning things around, very inspiring! As for the horrible guy, one word - Karma!

@Shortkiwi

I can't say I feel marvellous either. I use to with a nice glass! I too find the books blah blah. Yes we know its bad for you, it rots your guts and teeth. At least no one snorted drugs off my boobs! Although I think I flashed my spanks in July!
What is better is my sleep and my skin. Baby's bum.

Evening all .

Tired tonight . Lots of extra hours at work so feeling it a bit this evening . Another week of overtime hours then I’m having a weekend off . All much easier to cope When I’m hangover free though!

Keep on keeping on! X

@Onewildandpreciouslife thinking about forever is a truly destructive thought isn’t it? But it gets a little easier as the days and weeks and months go by . I’ve seen a difference in the last couple of weeks . I’m not getting blindsided quite as much ( still happens but nowhere near as much ) the inner dialogue is slowly but surely getting quieter and less intrusive . The “ forever “ thoughts are a little less scary . Keep going x

I lost the post I was typing. The Wine o’clock Myth by Lotta Dann is good because it looks at how women are encouraged to drink and how alcohol is normalised. It allowed me to stop being quite so angry at myself for constantly “failing” and to understand a bit more about why moderating my drinking felt like trying to push water uphill.

Checking in 🙌. Was bit poorly this weekend so will catch up soon with the thread. Sorry I'm so crap on here, I have a few weeks off after this placement so will be more present and helpful/responsive then.

@Adm1010 hope your okay 💜

@ChampooPapi I’m good , just tired . Going to head off to bed soon. Thankyou for asking

Thanks for the wisdom Adm1010 and everyone else . Checking in on Day 7 after a weekend of almost drinking a lot of times but resisting!

Thanks everyone. Feeling a bit better this evening- it’s lovely to go to bed sober

Back after a lovely evening where I was able to drive, and had just as good a time as I would have had drinking Prosecco.

The one friend who I thought would find this hard did ask me why I wasn't drinking and pushed - how long for, what about x and y etc etc and I just said it was because I didn't want to. Sounded mildly rude but we are good friends and it didn't really matter (and frankly it's none of her business).

She was also the one who was up for cocktails and a third bottle which neither of the others wanted.

Morning all.
Day 30 so a third along the habit theory 30/60/90 days.
Husband went out last night which would have been a excuse for a bottle of wine. I usually went to buy a 'cabbage'. Took my book and went to bed after call the midwife.
Starting my new job on Wednesday so excited. Hoping to get the husband to agree the new house too. All looking a bit better.
@sunshineforest
My cousin was very rude about my not drinking. At pains to tell me she wasn't beholden to the drink. A bottle a night is her limit. Being doing that for decades. Hasn't effected her blah blah. Not my business and I didn't ask but I think people get defensive.

Checking in
Sorry can’t keep up with thread as it’s so full and f new people and lots of stuff there checking in!
Welcome to new joiners - smashing group to be part of, very knowledgeable and non judgemental which was so important for me in the early few weeks.

Sorry to hear about some people struggling or coping with difficult situations - don’t look too far ahead and think about how a clear head is a fab start to any day.
Someone said they flashed their Spanx??? I’m still giggling 😂