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

Checking in day 18.
It kind of blows my mind that there are so many on here with so many similarities regarding alcohol. I thought I was on my own.
I still think these first couple of weeks have been easier for me because my stomach is insistent that alcohol is not a good idea. I'm hoping that not physically being able to will help me in the long term. I should hopeful be well used to not drinking by the time I physically recover.
Spoke with dh this morning. It's now becoming normal for us to be up by about 10am at the weekend, compared to 11 or 12 being normal when we were drinking.

He's not vocalising his intentions to stopping for good. Which is fine. Im just happy he has stopped for about the same amount of time as me.

I told him about "alcohol support threads" on here. He made a face He knows I'm serious about stopping and how it feels different from all the other times I've tried to stop.
We had a chilled out day today. Spent a good chunk of the day between us trying to perfect sweet potato crisps. I won. Not that I'm competitive or anything.
Got 2nd round of blood test tomorrow morning and appointment with gp next week to investigate more as to why I've had liquid poo for about 3 weeks Sorry TMI. I'm convinced it's all alcohol related and plan on telling gp that too. See if there is any other support for maintaining an af life.
Hope you are all well. This thread is so helpful xx

Evening all, @JesusSufferingFuck22 I also thought I was alone at one point, it's funny how the more people you speak to the more they understand totally. I hope your appointment goes ok. I also had liquid poo and I definitely think it was alcohol related (about a month back and I stopped for maybe 2 days and thought oh I'm better now let's start putting poison in my body again!) It's definitely improved. I was a bit stressed today but feel I handle it a hell of a lot better now I'm not drinking. Day 13. Can't wait for it to be day 14 tomorrow. Usual stresses but I can say I haven't drunk for 2 weeks yay! I treated myself already to some facial product (I'm a sucker for watching these beautiful women in insta and buy what they recommend lol) better than booze.
Hope everyone is ok and doing the best they can!

Sorry @Nouveaunew must have missed your post as it was on a previous page but huge well done for saying no!! Right in front of your face too that's an amazing win right there.and me too the 14 days is a big win for me considering the amount I was drinking just before the 2 weeks. DH was drinking tonight too but he won't all week now. I am out Wednesday night with some girls so hoping it will be a relaxed one and I can drink whatever I want and not be questioned too hard! I have lost weight (very very slightly hahah ) because I'm eating all the chocolate in the house and am on and eating chips with everything at the moment but at least it ain't booze!!!

Congratulations @Namechanged12344 that’s great about the weight loss too. I need to watch the weight gain very soon as I’ve been indulging myself a lot under the guise of ‘I deserve it. Im not drinking’. I’m hoping everything will start to calm down in the mind and body!

A PP mentioned counting weeks instead of days which seems pretty amazing to me. I can’t wait until it feels like who I am not to drink. All in time for us I guess

@Nouveaunew congratulations on two weeks!

And @Namechanged12344 just saw it's your 2 weeks today too!

Thank you so much @changingforthebetter3 means a lot ! Yes 2 weeks today can't believe it really. Longest was nearly 11 months (which I'm going to forget about now it's done and dusted ) and the last time was dry Jan not this year last year so it's the longest for a very long time and a lot of it is thanks to this wonderful thread honestly thank you all so much, everyone has busy lives but posting on here and reading the similarities really helps a d I aspire to be like some of you who are way beyond 2 weeks but for now I'll take it! I'm pretty sure I can handle more stuff now in a better manner fingers crossed. Hope everyone had a good sleep.

Morning* *all

fantastic namechanged on your 2 weeks. Well done!!

Two weeks is brilliant @Namechanged12344! You’ll be counting in weeks now and before you know it you’ll be counting in months!

I felt grim last night and utilised my secret weapon - The 9pm bedtime🤣 - and now I feel rested and ready for the week!

Well done to all of you getting to 2 weeks!

Had a very uncomfortable evening yesterday. We started watching a new season of a show, but realised in the catch up we hadn’t finished the last series. So we went back to the old series trying to remember when we’d left off. I couldn’t remember any of them. DH said “No, I think you slept through most of them.” He was too nice to add “because you were virtually passed out through a mix of anti-depressants and alcohol”, but it would have been true. Ugh

Day 58. Onwards!

Day 11.

@Nouveaunew I’ve gained weight too due to eating chocolate for the first time in years, it’s ok though, it’s worth it. I will tackle that next.

@Onewildandpreciouslife Same here, that has happened me multiple times over the last couple of years and DH has been patient in the main but it is very embarrassing.

Sorry I have been being very self indulgent, my posts are all "me, me, me"

I guess in 'real life' I don't have many people to talk to, most people I know either have drink issues themselves but aren't ready or willing to have the conversation or they drink in moderation and have no issue with alcohol at all (yet!)

I just wanted to say that every day, ever week is a step in the right direction.

I didn't think I could do a week, I didn't think I could do a month but I did.

It all counts, it all makes a difference and if we slip up or have a blip then it is how we chose to move on that matters.

I salute everyone here.

Saluting you back @Crunchymum and you haven’t been self indulgent at all.

Thank you @Breathmiller ! Hope you are well.
Thank you @BunniesBunniesBunnies well done for the 9pm bedtime tactic!! I do try but my kids don't seem to want to sleep these days...and I am exhausted by then! Then I get a second wind and start watching Netflix ..
Well done for day 58 @Onewildandpreciouslife dont feel embarrassed I'm pretty sure most of us have done that at some point! Actually yesterday DH said oh someone watched 2 mins of a movie I said well it wasn't me he said it wasn't me etc and then I had to think was I drunk and started watching stuff and didn't remember....
Well done on day 11 @JennyAct3 ! Chocolate sweets whatever is all better than the Cal's from alcohol and alcohol generally so you carry on. One thing at a time.
Hope you are ok @JesusSufferingFuck22 .thanks for your words @Crunchymum I also don't have many in RL to speak about these things and same situation as you. Take good care everyone

popping in quickly - will be back for my 100 days tomorrow 😁

but i wanted to post this here came up on an fb group earlier and it really rang true to me. I want to keep a link to remind myself of the path that alcohol leads us all down..

@Fortheloveofgodwhy
Great video, thanks for sharing. Found this in the comments.
"The kiwi decided not to eat that last nugget. He understood it would not make him feel better. He walked past, and started to feel a tad brighter. Then, he walked past another one. And another one. Eventually, he didn't even notice them anymore, for he knew they were not what he was looking for. He returned to full health, and was a wiser kiwi. The end"

Thanks so much @changingforthebetter3 I feel like I’m starting to come out of the detox now and I’m entering the danger zone of ‘it wouldn’t make me physically ill go drink, so why the heck not?’ Wine Witch begone!

@Onewildandpreciouslife
i know all about combining antidepressants and booze. It’s been my nightly fix for the past couple of years.

How did the scan go?

@JesusSufferingFuck22
that’s a really great little tale about the kiwi. I can’t wait to feel that way.

thanks @Crunchymum I feel I’ve had enough blips to last a lifetime and it’s time to succeed at this … at last

@Fortheloveofgodwhy
ill watch that video after this, thanks.

@JennyAct3
ive gained weight and I’m disappointed as I’m starting to fixate on food. I’m craving sugar and eating things I never ate much of before (like jellies). I know it’s all part of the detox and once the hyper vigilant phase goes down, so will the cravings. I think I might be slimmer when I drink as I preferred wine to snacks. Preferred!!! We’ll get there!

@Nouveaunew thanks for asking. I'm still at blood test and poo sample stageIn person appointment with gp next Monday for a poke and a prod. I suppose I'll find out then if I need further investigations. It'll either be pills, a something or other oscopy and/or scan. My vodka vampire is telling me it's maybe a bad batch of the special chocolate I eat and it might not be the years of alcohol abuse that's making me ill. VV had me considering this possibility.

My sons gf arrives tomorrow and stays until Friday. She's lovely and brings a nice vibe to the house. They tire me out a bit though.......
Hope everyone is having a peaceful day, or at least some peaceful moments xx

@JesusSufferingFuck22 good luck with your tests! It may be the booze causing the symptoms but it may not be!!! Don’t be hard on yourself. In any case, not drinking will for sure improve your health (even if it wasn’t drinking that caused the issue in the first place).

When I was recently sober I was wrecked with guilt about what alcohol had done to my health and my sanity. But I quickly learnt it’s much better to look forwards than backwards. You’re on the right path now and that’s all that matters.

@Crunchymum I don’t think you’re self indulgent at all! I like reading your reflections and updates. This is a place where we can all say things we can’t say in real life, so keep talking!

When I was recently sober I was wrecked with guilt about what alcohol had done to my health and my sanity. But I quickly learnt it’s much better to look forwards than backwards

Unless you swap booze for Ben and Jerry's like I did

Thanks for asking @Nouveaunew - scans are Wednesday and I see the oncologist Friday.

Got very grumpy on the commute home - there are Peroni ads everywhere with the tag line “Live every moment” next to a picture of an ice cold beer. It’s just not true! Mind you, “slow your brain down so that boring situations seem entertaining” might not sell as well.

Haha @Onewildandpreciouslife that made me laugh! It's true tho. Like cigarette marketing was banned right or less that should be the case with alcohol ads too. I'm on day 15 and feeling ok but don't get why I'm tired ALL OF THE TIME. It could be we have builders, kids, period, DH annoying me, work and life but this is unusually so. I've been taking vitamin d anyway for a long time maybe I need more b vits!

Hope your scan goes well tomorrow!

Day 12. @Fortheloveofgodwhy thanks for the video, I look like the kiwi does at 3.21, poor thing I was thinking don’t drink the yellow blob as it started to get hurt. Is it your 100 days today? Congrats!

yes @JennyAct3 it is my 100 days.... whoop whoop for me. I've told my hairdresser (nice lady but not that bothered) and my sister (who is AF so knows!).

@Onewildandpreciouslife “slow your brain down so that boring situations seem entertaining” might not sell as well. made me roar - so true!!

Hope everyone is ok, so good to see the new people but i struggle to catch up with everyone. So sorry if i miss something important on here. It is great to pop in and be accountable and have somewhere I know people understand the milestone and the process we are going through. First AF holiday on the horizon next week and having done an AF night away on Saturday with friends i am feeling pretty ok about it.

I still haven't lost any weight but given the sugar laden diet I am still employing i haven't gained any - so i think that is a win. Every week or so i cringe getting on the scales and feel the relief when the number stays basically the same. Interestingly i would have been 'fumin' if i was drinking that i wasn't losing weight from dieting (albeit this diet is stopping alcohol, but you now what i mean). It would have put me a bad mood for the day and everyone else would have taken the flack. Now i just feel relieved it hasn't gone up and get on with my day and usually treat myself to a snickers :D

Thanks @BunniesBunniesBunnies
I've done my fair share of beating myself up over past transgressions. This time feels different because I am actually making a change.
I'm going through a huge lightbulb moment and realising how much alcohol has ruled pretty much all of my adult life. Functioning alcoholism is still alcoholism.
One of my adult children have been through/are going through serious challenges for many years. I'll never not blame myself even though I'm told it's not my fault. It just makes me sad for all the times I put alcohol first. Nothing I can do about that except move forward.