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

[Fortheloveofgodwhy]

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

T@Champoopapihank you to for hosting the last thread 💜

And here’s to the next 40 pages grin

Hi @beargryllshasabigrope sorry was in a sleep induced me me state having got up in middle of night. I did say to DH this is part of being parents he said no it's not. I said you cleaned his nappies at 4am when he was a baby he said no that was you ha the irony. Anyway sorry couch to 5k I tried but couldn't do it for some reason I think as you say the stamina isn't there, I got out of breath walking up and down stairs other day! But a friend of mine does it and is getting really good. There's even a couch to 5k thread on here although unsure if active. I think you won't know until you try! And then the exercise will help you sleep better at night. You are day 4/5 amazing it is odd those first few days because we used drinkmyo comatose ourselves to sleep but that WILL without a doubt get better! Well done for doing all of this! Day 40 tired but ok. I even went and bought some 0% gin but not Gordon's they didn't have any so I'm going to try this one tonight when I have any stress/happy/urges!

Day 40. Good morning all. Sorry to hear about your rough night @Namechanged12344

I slept very badly - feeling nervous about a meeting in work this morning. ‘This too shall pass.’

great about the running. I’m similar to others: I’ve tried it in the past but heart goes up to 220 bpm really quickly and everything hurt! I like walking though.

have a nice day all x

Not going to lie I'm really really tempted today, combination of stress and tiredness. I'm close to f it button but I'm really trying people...I need to think tomorrow will be day 40 a nice round 4 number...it's so so hard. I might buy cigs! At least it's not drink but I don't want to go back down that road either!!!

40 days is a fabulous achievement @Namechanged12344 I hope the moment passes for you. These cravings can be a real bitch.

When I was drinking it wasn't everyday (in fact I had quite rigid rules in place and often drank only on certain days of the week) but a sudden desire to drink on a non drinking day could be born at 10am (I never, ever drank at 10am) through something totally innocuous - bad sleep, PMT, the feeling of needing a reward etc and I'd think "fuck it I'm having wine tonight". Nothing could ever undo that decision once it was made. And then I'd often drink several nights in a row before I'd start the cycle all over again. I'd moderate for a while, drink just at weekends and then I'd have another "fuck it" moment and on and on it went.

It's weird how powerful the mind can be. But look at what we are able to overcome when we really try.

I've not had that "fuck it" feeling in a long time now. 117 days for me today. Nearly 4 months.

Can't namecheck but whoever was thinking about C5K - I highly recommend it. Did it a few years ago and went from a complete running zero to a half marathon plus didn't come last in the mum's race at sports day (which was my original goal ). I recommend the NHS App - with Laura (think you can chose different narrators as well) but she is the original and I always remember her dulcet tones urging me to "have a banana" as a reward for running for 3 minutes.

@Crunchymum - know what you mean about those f*ck it urges - the earlier in the day they start the worse they are. That's why it's so nice today that I know I won't be drinking this evening - have a pub quiz but team members don't really drink so will probably have an AF beer (great that they are much easier to get hold of now) and enjoy the conversation. (Said with conviction)

@LydiaLurk - day 6 - almost an actual week. Go us!

Hang in there @Namechanged12344 . The cravings are nasty, and you've beaten them before. 40 days is a great milestone!

Thank you so much for the support @Blackberryblossom and @Crunchymum I honestly want to cry (but also PMT lol) we are so lucky with this thread I don't want to let anyone down so I will not drink today!
@EileenFH well done on 6 days! It's nice that your colleagues are also not fans of drinking it really helps. I dread now if we go anywhere that I will be the boring one.

Hope the meeting went well @Nouveaunew x

Have a bit of a craving right now, Friday night and all that. Not going to crack though!

Hang on in there everyone. This is a tough Friday. Dh has had a nightmare of a day and is stressed out. Prime caving scenario. If he does cave it'll be harder for me not to as well. He doesn't have helpful threads like these to help him through.

Right. Facepack on. Bath running. Going to make a strong cup of tea and grab my kindle. Wine can bugger off, I'm not going to go out to buy any.

Hang in there @JesusSufferingFuck22

Thanks @LydiaLurk
I've had my ration of after dinner chocolate but I think double rations might be in order tonight. I bought some new snacks to try too. I'll save them until I get fidgety. I know I won't drink but it's still bloody hard keeping the brain busy so I don't think about it!
Enjoy your soak

Well done for the bath and distractions @LydiaLurk I am too busy cleaning up yet more unwellness in our house plus dust (builders seem to get slower and slower when they're supposed to be finishing?) I still have the rage with husband but the business of cleaning is helping me distract myself. And kids wanting me. Every single second. Usually I would have drank and not even noticed what they were doing lol. I'm happy I'm present for them. @JesusSufferingFuck22 your new snacks sound great! Hope DH is ok and before we know it'll be Saturday morning. I feel if I can get through tonight and get to day 40 then it might just might get easier...who knows.

@Namechanged12344
aw I know how you feel. A friend of mine used to call me ‘sure f it’ for short! I used to always give in to every single craving. I think I thought it made me cool & spontaneous but I think it really just made me weak. Imagine how much stronger we’re getting by resisting, I’ll admit I’d murder a glass of wine now but I have none in the house and I won’t buy any more. I agree @LydiaLurk ! Just don’t buy it - that’s half the battle won!

Day 40. Disappointed at how badly I’ve eaten today but proud that I’m not drinking!

have a nice night everyone 🌴🌻

Congratulations @Nouveaunew on your 40 days! Don’t beat yourself up on what you’ve eaten or not eaten - we all had days/weeks when we drank too much and ate badly. Or maybe that was just me

@LydiaLurk - you absolutely have this! That is the best Friday night attitude right there 💪 Are you and @Namechanged12344 both on seven days tomorrow? Hope you’re ok @JesusSufferingFuck22 .

I was in Lidl today and they have organic Prosecco. I just don’t understand that any more. Even though I occasionally drank organic red wine in the past. Anyway - another milestone today. Got invited to a neighbour’s bbq and drinks tomorrow. I was genuinely excited and was planning what AF drinks to take with me and how nice it will be to catch up with everyone…. then realised that last summer I’d have been worrying about what to drink and resisting offered alcohol… just didn’t even occur to me today!

Ah @Blackberryblossom that is so good to read how you have changed and adapted to social gatherings! I also started researching more non alcoholic drinks. I ended up getting a red wine but to be honest I tasted some and it was basically grape juice so didn't have any more and also I was thinking I might get triggered too into actual wine so I just left the sorry £3 bottle in its place...in the dust. Ha

I am 40 days tomorrow one day less than @Nouveaunew twinning and fighting spectacularly towards our goals don't you think? Strong strong women we all are.

I think @LydiaLurk and @EileenFH are fabulously twinning their 7 day mark soon well done girls coz for me that was the hardest !! Which means it gets easier right?

I hope everyone is ok 😊

Non alcoholic red wine!!!***

Ah, it’s Friday night and I am not keeping up! Happy 7 days for tomorrow. Eileen and Lydia!

see you all on here tomorrow with another Friday night under our belts.

Thanks @Blackberryblossom very true. Before this I was eating crap AND drinking . At least the drinking bit is over … forever … hard to believe it’s gone forever (like mourning a bad relationship!)

I agree @Namechanged12344 non alcoholic wine is horrible

well done everyone

Back from quiz. Stuck to water and crisps the whole evening despite temptations.

It was really odd walking back in the dark as I started wobbling about as if I'd had a few. This always used to bother me as I never really thought I was terribly drunk until I stood up to walk home. Have just realised that maybe I am actually bad at walking in the dark.

Anyway night all. Well done for resisting those Friday night cravings and see you @LydiaLurk tomorrow for our 1st weekiversary.

Wow well done @EileenFH for drinking water in a pub!!!! Im not sure I would hBe been able to do that this early on so good on you!! And you are walking up completely sober!
I'm glad I didn't give in to wine or cigs I am day 40 and standing proud.

@EileenFH Well done. That’s amazing and no doubt feels worth it now? Be careful walking in the dark 😬Well done on one week to you and @LydiaLurk

@Namechanged12344 well done on 40 days! YAY! I like that there’s only a day between us. Enjoy today … in all its smugness 😀😂

Day 41 here. I got to 60 days once before which was the longest I had ever done … so I really want to beat that record!

Hi everyone! Day 1 again here for me, was my birthday yesterday, determined to try again and quit the wine habit before my big birthday next year!

@EsmeWeatherwaxToYou were you off the drink before yesterday? Is so I would just consider it a blip rather than putting yourself back to day one.

@EileenFH blimey, well done. Nerves of steel. Day seven for us!

I found yesterday hard, but so so so glad I didn't crack. To misquote Kate Moss- nothing tastes as good as sober feels.

Have a fabulous Saturday everyone.