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

[ChampooPapi]

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 smile

Thank you to @Adm1010 for hosting the last thread 💜

And here’s to the next 40 pages grin

Gone AF again after almost a year of heavy drinking post baby. Not unusual as I've been drinking since I was 15 and a lot for 10 years. Doing it for my daughter. Want to be a good example and give myself the best chance of getting pregnant again. Very nervous as I did 30 days previously and gave in.

Morning all.
86 days here. Feel like school when you expect a gold star.
@horlicks4me I guzzle the Gordon's af too as it has that flinty taste. I am going to get myself a measure thingy.
Flying on business tomorrow which was always an excuse for a snifter. What was I thinking?

I put the forgiveness statement up on my Facebook yesterday with a background and guess what? Just two responses. My SIL and a close friend. Both know I have alcohol issues. Both know how hard life has been for me. None of the fecking booze buddies bothered to contact me or even ❤me.
Same happened when my lovely daughter was ill. MH issues that may be catching!

Sorry you didn’t get the response you wanted @SavBbunny - you may have shone a light on something they’d rather stay hidden.

I had a bit of a lightbulb moment myself yesterday. I was sitting in another lovely country pub, looking at all those women with their large glasses of white wine, and thought “maybe I’m not the weird one here?”

I’ve also made a resolution. I’m not going to sit anxiously scanning the drinks list for something interesting or defaulting to cranberry juice. My lovely DH just went up to the bar and said “What are your AF options?” And that’s what I’m doing going forward. Surely if enough people do this the penny will drop?!

Welcome @Tomlettegregg - I’m very early days myself

@Tomlettegregg Hi and welcome. This is the place to be ! Early days for me too (Day 10)

@Onewildandpreciouslife
Good morning.
I walked out of a pub the week before last as no af wine. We were going for a £70 meal so I want nice af. I am not compromising.
I was reading a thread this morning on enjoying alcohol and it made me sad to see the amount people drink and see no issue. It will bite them on the arse if they carry on. Can't go all evangelical as will get trolled 😀

Day 50 for me today!

Unchartered territory, other than pregnancy and BF'ing ( and childhood ) I've not been here before.

Feeling quietly proud of myself.

I think I read the same thread @SavBbunny

Every poster who was saying "I can enjoy it in moderation" / " I can take it or leave it" / "I only have a glass" made me want to shout my head off.

Years ago I could moderate or take it or leave it or just have a glass.... until I couldn't!!!

@Crunchymum

Afternoon. There were a few admitting to the full bottle and three days on the trot. See you in five years my friends if you carry on with the addictive juice.
Congrats on fifty days.

[quote SavBbunny]@Orangesandlemons77

Nosecco £3- co op and Tesco. Asda Sav Blanc £4. Gordon's on special £12 Asda.

Welcome[/quote]
Thanks!

Sainsburys also have Gordons AF at 12 pounds (I'm guessing all the supermarkets do? )

Checking in 🙌

Well done @Crunchymum! Hope you are feeling some positive changes by now.

Hi champ - hope your week has started well 👍
Welcome newbies

@AlloftheTime hey, I've been okay, feeling very flat and down the last few days. I'm going to endeavour to make this week a success though and turn my frown upside down. How are you getting on at the moment? Any plans this coming week ?

Morning all.
Absolute stinker of a day yesterday. Trouble with ex employer. The court house beckons. Just what I wanted to avoid.
No sleep for me but I didn't go on the booze so I am proud of me.

Well done Sav - you should be proud.
@ChampooPapi sorry to hear about the flat mood, sometimes that feeling arrives unannounced with no apparent cause. It might be a case of just plodding through a couple of days and waiting for it to lift. Don’t forget to practise self care - have the children started their Easter break yet? Stay strong, I’m rooting for you 👍

Morning. 7 months today. Feeling so much better. I'm still carrying some extra pounds but I definitely feel more authentic. I can't believe that I was using alcohol to deal with feelings and emotions no wonder I was unpredictable when I was drinking. I am practicing sitting with my feelings and observing and whilst it's quite tricky it's 100 times better than waking up with no memory of what I've said or done and then dealing with horrible shame and anxiety.

Pat on back for me.

Have a great day all.

@SavBbunny sorry you had a bad day yesterday but well done for not turning to the bottle. Hope today is better

@Kindtomyself well done on 7 months that’s a huge achievement! Sitting with uncomfortable feelings and working your way through emotions is potentially hard work. It uses lots of energy but often results in clarity and growth. Acknowledge and be proud of your milestone and consider all those difficult feelings as a work in progress.

And please do what your name says!

Morning everyone
Hit 7 days yesterday, still not sleeping well but head much clearer.
Father is still very ill, had a bad week with him yesterday but would never have managed it if I had been drinking!
Just trying to get through each day and navigate work and driving over to see him.
Really haven't missed drinking this week, let's hope that continues!

Well done @Mikey555 you have a lot of stuff going on right now and glad you can see that being AF has been beneficial.

It’s very early days so keep taking it one day at a time.

@Mikey555. Sorry to hear your Dad is so poorly. How long is your journey to go and see him? It's been 6 years since I was going through the same thing and it's very tough to combine it with work. I feel for you.

@Tomlettegregg how are you doing?

champoopapi sorry you're feeling the blues. Hope they lift soon.

savbunny that does all sound so stressful, well done at not drinking. It's one of the things I found a bit of an eye opener. That shitty things still happened but instead of making it harder to cope with, not drinking really did help. Gave me a clearer head.

Well done on 7 months kindtomyself. That's great!

Mikey555 sorry to hear your dad is so ill. Well done on your 7 days!

I am enjoying my holidays, busy and spending far too much money but so good to not have work to go to.

bunnies you'll be glad to hear we are booked in for a swim today. Going to a further afield pool with flumes and making an afternoon of it. (And I do hear you on getting over my obstacles on swimming. In my defence on the hair thing, I am one of the lowest maintenance women I know - no make up, no perfume, don't get my nails done, dreadlocks tidied up once every couple of years, even my moisturiser is from the doctors for my excema, in fact I'm generally speaking a bit of a scruffy hippy. BUT, I am olive skinned and dark haired and covered like a monkey. I was not yet ready for my annual summer baring of upper legs and not going out in public with my fairly substantial winter coat on is the non feminist beautifying hill I am willing to die on! 🤣)

Thank you everyone.

The journey is 2 hours each way, I really feel he is giving up. Hard to know what to do as I can't just take the time off work. Working part time at least I have days where I can go.

I know it's early days for me and am still taking it a day at a time. At least at the moment I have no desire to drink.

Still battling regrets and shame. That's the hardest thing for me at the moment.

I'm sorry Mikey555 . I hear you. My mum is in a nursing home 2 hours away with end stage Parkinsons and Dementia. I constantly feel guilty that I can't just nip in to see her. I need at least a half day and that just doesn't happen very often what with work and family commitments here. She isn't in crisis at the moment but when she has been and (will be again) the extra travelling is gruelling on top of an already challenging situation. I'm so sorry you are going through that at the moment. Sending you lots of strength.

@Kindtomyself - congratulations on 7 months! That is awesome. I look forward to counting in months and not days.

@SavBbunny sorry to hear you having so much stress. Not drinking in stressful situations is a massive deal so you should give yourself a lot of credit.

@Mikey555 I cannot imagine how you must be feeling and I am not sure how I'd manage in such a situation. My default for massive, life changing issues has always been wine. Every sober day you manage is a good thing.

@Kindtomyself well done you 💪 be very proud, it's not always easy, but it is worth it 💜

Checking in day 21 or some such