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

@JesusSufferingFuck22 seems reasonable to me if they want a lift 🤣

What a lovely groceries story @JesusSufferingFuck22 Those little moments of joy never get old. Hello @jeffbezoz and congratulations on 3 years alcohol free!

I’m on 600 days today, it’s been an odd day. I hit a weight loss mini goal this morning which was great, doing it by tweaking diet and fitness long-term as calorie counting doesn’t seem to be sustainable for me. I’m completely fed up with losing the same 2 stone over and over and if I can stop drinking I can stop eating rubbish. Tonight the house is empty as dh and dd are both away - “before” me would be well into a g&t and a few glasses of wine by now. Whereas “after” me had a handful of blueberries and is genuinely engaging with a mug of decaf tea and the pangs of missing my daughter. Who is only away for the weekend, and my dh is back tomorrow. So I’m sitting with the feelings, and it’s ok. Happy Friday all.

Day 216. Nearly caved today. Had a bike stolen at work and feel shit. It was a work bike so feel awful. Was talking to FH about a prosecco and he told me to sleep on it. Going to bed now and see how I'm feeling tomorrow!

Happy Friday all and @Blackberryblossom
My dh is going out tomorrow night. Only the 2nd or 3rd time since we've stopped drinking. It'll be easier this time. I used to plan my nights alone by how much I could drink and get away with it. As in, not get too drunk that my dh would notice and ask me how much I'd had to drink Not that it mattered too much because he'd soon get stuck into the vodka to catch up, because he was sober and then he didn't care. Those were the worst hangovers. Sneaky drinking really feels awful the next day.
I have a busy day tomorrow, well busy for me. I've planned some evening activities to keep me distracted. There's no booze in the house but there's still the feelings.

@Blackberryblossom awesome number of days!! Sitting with feelings gets easier after a while don’t you think?
@Newmum738 sleeping on it is a fine tactic 👍
@JesusSufferingFuck22 I shall look out for you when you’re on taxi duty!!
Stick with it folks.
checking in

@Newmum738

I hope you are feeling okay today and the default feeling to drink "in times of stress" has passed for you? Your ability to sleep on it shows that it is a choice and you have the power to make this choice.

You have done so well. Stay strong 💪

@Blackberryblossom what a wonderful, round, huge number you have under your belt. Well done on 600 days.

Thanks @Crunchymum. Still feeling awful. I'm trying to turn the situation into a positive. Not keen to 'sit with the feeling' though! It feels rubbish and hard to find a positive to that!! It's not that the bike was stolen but that I should have made it more secure. At the minute, I'm really feeling useless. Lots of unfortunate things have happened lately!! And I escalate that to being not good enough for my job!! 🙈

Has anyone tried CBD drinks?

Morning all,
@Newmum738 I am questioning my job role at the moment. I feel a bit odd wfh and not being bullied as I have been before. Drink would have made me feel less frightened.
Managed the af Friday which is my danger day.
@ChampooPapi are you OK?
@JesusSufferingFuck22 I use to top the wine bottles up with water so my dh wouldn't know how much I had necked when he was out. A sad situation.

Hi all, hope everyone is ok.

@Blackberryblossom awesome number of days!

@Newmum738 sorry about the bike, you have great resilience! Also interested in CBD drinks as I keep seeing adds on FB.

Hope everyone else is doing ok - @SavBbunny good work on the af Friday! I had a distraction aka minions movie, nice to do something normal vs zoning out at home. Ate far too much popcorn - I don't even want to think about how much money cinema's make on this.

hi all
periodic pop in!

Congratulations to all your milestones be they 6 or 600 days

@Newmum738 i was going to post today about CBD drinks - I am really enjoying them! I don’t really like AF drinks (wine is vile, g & t is ok, but felt a bit meh the next day. Quite like an AF lager in the pub though), mostly I drink kombucha as an alternative. Anyhow, treated myself to a limited edition CBD box from JOMO (expensive, but actually actually good value for what it is).
I now quite often have an edi (CBD spirit) with blood orange soda and a sprig of mint. It also came with a couple of medhuman drinks, the turmeric one is a fab pick-me-up. The sleep one tasted a bit weird at first but I got to like it, and it definitely did what it said on the tin! So I’m now trying their variety pack 🙄😂. The trip ones you can get from bigger supermarkets are ok too (only tried peach).
they somehow relax and invigorate me at the same time. Not cheap, but definitely cheaper than booze as I will only have a couple on a weekend night. But I’ve always been a fan of CBD and the other one.

This weekend is a biggie - although I generally don’t know how many days I have, yesterday was 180 and Monday will be 6 months! I really can’t believe it. To all those struggling through the early days - keep going, it really does get easier, and things keep getting better. My life has improved in every way (physically, mentally, emotionally, hormonally…), but is by no means perfect (there are still big issues with OH (drinking…🙄)
Just following this thread and seeing others in the same boat succeed has helped immensely.
wishing you all a happy AF weekend 😊

These CBD drinks sound really interesting.

I may have to check them out. I quite fancy one later.

Will report back!!

@Crayonpenny thanks! That's what I need to tell myself more. I've had a run of things as I've entered the hybrid world and feeling like I can't function outside of the house! However, this is an opportunity for learning and I'll have to try and turn it into something useful and stop the negative self talk.

@Newmum738 it can all be a bit crackers can't it, and sometimes it just feels never ending! You are doing great though. Ditto re functioning outside the house, we can do this!

I've made it through another night! And that means another week because I'll be absolutely fine until next weekend at least. Another crisis and still no alcohol. Hooray!

@Newmum738 👏

Well done @Newmum738 honestly that's great. I haven't been doing so well unfortunately. I think I might have to go back to day 1 having done 8 weeks. I'm a bit sad about it but on and up.

@Namechanged12344 sorry to hear you haven’t been doing so well. Be kind to yourself and do whatever it takes to stay on board.

Post away and see if it helps talking about your triggers and danger times. You can do it and if you are posting here it means you want to succeed, have a good day.

@Namechanged12344
I would wouldn't worry about a blip, park it and move forward. If your intention is to give up alcohol one day it won't matter about the days anymore.
I am six months this coming week. I know exactly my blips as they are on my nutricheck but I don't need more hands!
From someone who drank 4 nights a week that is progress.
My body is no longer bloated (just fat), I know my liver reading is near normal and I only have one slightly embarrassing tale as during a blip I was a bit 'Sir Les/Barry Humphries) . A win I think.
I get the odd day Namey when I think 'stuff this' but my relationships are so much better. I don't dread evening phonecalls (I was always pissed) and don't need to question my sobriety to drive. We are here to help.

Morning all.

Thanks so much @AlloftheTime and @SavBbunny great advice. I'm sat in a car park dropped my child to an activity and am crying because I don't remember what happened last night what I said , did. Apparently there was a lot of chat about my in laws (someone was there that directly relates to my in laws so was so triggering) so now I'm apologising to my friends who have never seen me drunk. I said to one openly once I start I can't stop. She said prior to this in my 8 week stint that her dad was an alcoholic and she doesn't think I am. I said you don't have to drink in the morning to be alcoholic or problem drinker. I said just now I have to drink before the event, during the event and it won't stop at one. She said she know understands. Another friend said don't worry everyone was drunk so won't remember but I remember, I'm full of remorse and I feel like shit. Sorry everyone.

Morning!
@Namechanged12344 blip here too.

After successfully resisting the other night I had two glasses of wine (small ones, honest!) last night.

Back on the wagon now. I have decided my target is another two weeks, then see if I want to continue on a strictly no alcohol regime or try to moderate. But then again I really don't want to end up where I was. Hmm 🤔

Out of the last 29 days I have not drunk for 27, and probably drank over all half or three quarters of a bottle of wine. Given that I was drinking 3 or 4 bottles a week and sometimes more, I think that is good going.

@LydiaLurk thanks for being honest and yes that's a great achievement considering what you went through before. I try and kid myself I can have 1 or 2 but before you know it I'm sneaking around and don't realise what I'm doing (I feel weak but felt strong when I didn't have to think about it) just the future scares me. And my triggers are in laws, going out, social anxiety, relationship troubles everything but I know alcohol is making all these things 10 times worse!!! And I'm just full of shame this morning.

Oh Namechanged12344 I posted before I saw your update. I am sending you a huge hug. Don't be too hard on yourself. Alcohol is such a bastard substance. Have you eaten?

@LydiaLurk managed a banana earlier thank you for being kind to me

Morning all!

DH was working at a wedding last night and brought me home a couple of beers because he 'thought I might like them'. I thought we were making progress, but it seems not. He still does not get it.

Off to the cinema today with DD1 then out for food.

Day 64