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

@Onewildandpreciouslife congratulations on 100 days, would setting a new milestone help? I'm looking towards 6 months and then it will be a year, then 5 years etc. I haven't figured out the last milestone yet

Evening all.
Some fabulous mile stones this weekend.

I've been a fully dry bird. Are you ok @Drybird2020 ?
Just quaffed two faux gins. I have started to loose weight again so pleased about that.
@Petitecoccinelle I rabbit on too. I write a diary and various bits for my profession. I like the stories it can be helpful.
I think there is a tsunami of alcohol dependant women out there left over from ladette culture, the recession and covid.
I am off overseas tomorrow, back at the end of the week. Hopefully I will survive!!

@SavBbunny I hope your trip goes well!! Interesting you mention re culture and covid. So true.

Day 21 almost complete here and I have not missed it today, which has been really nice. I think I might be feeling a bit more energetic too.

Great to hear people's progress and new resolve. @DeedIDo you sound really positive. Good work on the evening child chauffeuring.

Evening all. Have been awol for a few days. Am now back but only on day 20 instead of day 23. Not going to go into it too much.

I am trying to catch up with everyone's story.

@Crunchymum - fingers crossed things keep going in the right direction with your DH. A lovely story.

@LydiaLurk - keep going buddy - you're doing better than me. I realise it's not a competition & I'm still not quite there with the idea of never again but finding it easier to think of it as one day, but not this day.

Hi all also AWOL for a few days because I would be on day 57 but I'm on day 55. I'm not beating myself up as nothing was bad or like it used to be. I didn't feel weak. I just did it for the "right" reasons if there are any right reasons but for me I'm ok. Carrying on one day at a time. I feel I don't think about it anymore as much as I used to but it is scary and slippery. I am trying to muster faith in myself which is hard as all my life I have had no confidence in myself at all. It's affected a lot. Anyway on and up. @Crunchymum sounds so positive about you and DH I hope it goes from strength to strength.
X

Morning all!
checking in - it’s good to hear from everybody and your stories of ups and downs. Keep posting and sharing.

@ChampooPapi how are you?

Hi everyone, hope everyone is doing ok.

Feeling positive today, lots of sleep helped which was good. Lovely and sunny outside which I think makes a difference to the start of the day.

Morning all.

Have a good trip, @SavBbunny. I'm doing well, thank you. It's my 2.5 year alcohol-free milestone this week so have been reflecting on that, happily.

@Crunchymum whatever happens, you've given yourself the ability to think about it clearly. It's such a gift to yourself.

Big hello to newbies - if you're feeling tired and low, it's normal but you must take some B vitamins.

And anyone who has had a slip up, good on you for picking yourself up again. Use the opportunity and figure out what you need to do differently. There's tons of help available on here but it's not the only place, you might need something irl too. I've got a real life friend who quit just before me and another a few months after and it helps to speak to them. If they weren't around I think I'd try smart, I've heard good things about the meetings. And I still dip in and out of quit lit from time to time. I'm secure in my booze-free life but I don't think I will ever take it for granted.

@Drybird2020 amazing milestone and as always you sound firm and grounded. Thanks for posting

@Namechanged12344 and @EileenFH it is so easy to slip up, isn't it? Just have to keep at it!

@Mwnci123 that is great going. BTW, are you Welsh?

@SavBbunny have fun on your trip.

@Drybird2020 that is an amazing milestone. Good tip on the B vitamins.

Have a lovely drink free day, everyone. Death to the Wine Witch!

Wow @Drybird2020
I echo the thanks re the vitamins tip. Is there any particular recommendations on this front? I've just looked on the boots website and been presented with lots of Berocca!

@Drybird2020 what a phenomenal achievement. Congratulations!
It's good to hear how helpful RL support has been.

@Petitecoccinelle I meant to reply sooner as you kindly posted your experience and I wanted to reach out and tell you how bloody proud you should be for all the changes you have made in your life. I am sure you'll have both of your beautiful DD home with you soon.

To everyone else, thanks for the words of encouragement. I am just feeling quite lovely at the moment. Not felt that way in a long time!

@Crunchymum thank you! I’ve actually had my first psychologist assessment today to get baby back home - an hour of talking about what in my childhood made me lose my head and turn to drinking.

Actually it’s pretty easy to tell a large part of it is growing up with parents who drank - only in the evenings but always to get very to hideously drunk I.e. alcohol = binge drinking for me. A single glass of wine, what’s the point?!

Anyway, that has taught me if nothing else I will not teach the same to my daughters and have history repeat itself again!

@LydiaLurk thank you! Yes, I am Welsh .

Me too, though not Welsh speaking.

One day I will manage not to keep name change failing!🙄

A sober iechyd da @LydiaLurk x

Nos da

Nos da from me too! X

Checking in
Day 63/week 9
Thank you for sharing @Petitecoccinelle
I've read everyone else's posts too. Thank you. I noticed some folks had blips. It struck a chord so I hid away for a few days. I came close. I REALLY wanted a drink. I was making plans.

I'm trying to prepare myself for a potential get together with some friends from teenage years. People I got drunk in the park with and in clubs and pubs when we were older. It was all about the drink and drugs then. Most of us have moved on from the drugs but alcohol is still there in a big way and has always been a big part of get togethers. I suppose now we are all older and wiser and the logistics of a get together means that people will be driving and not drinking so it'll be ok.

Hope everyone is doing ok today xx

Happy milestone @Drybird2020 🙂

Happy 2 and a half years milestone drybird such an inspiration.

Good to hear that those that have had blips can see them as that and move on. Just keep on keeping on. It will click.

I had a birthday party for my ds, it was fun but a but as these things are quite tiring. I used to fall into a vat of wine after these parties. But i had a brownie waiting and made a cup of tea. It was a delicious cuppa and I realised I had that same "aaahhhh - that's better" feeling when I sat down with my tea. And no hangover the next day.

I had my second sober pub quiz last night. I love them! I can pay attention right to the end AND do the complex bill splitting!

I had a very sad conversation with one of my team mates though. Traditionally, she and I were 2 of the big drinkers on the quiz team, and she’s seen some of my absolute lowest drunken moments. I explained I’d stopped drinking, and she completely got it. Then she said “My problem is I function perfectly well as a drinker. I don’t get hangovers, it doesn’t affect my sleep and it doesn’t interfere with my work. I just hate myself.”

She wanted quit lit recommendations, and I suggested Unexpected Joy and Alcohol Experiment, then everyone else turned up so we had to drop it. It just left me feeling so sad for her.

Hope everyone else is doing OK and ready to take on another Thursday (which was when my “weekend” used to start for drinking purposes)

Good work with the quiz @Onewildandpreciouslife! Its good though that your team mate knows she can come and chat to you, even having that brief conversation sounds like it was helpful to her.

Yes Thursday was my 'start' day. I seem to have got myself into Wimbledon - I am by no means a tennis player if you saw me - so I'm intending to watch that in bed later on. Onwards / upwards!