The freedom thread ( continued ) Riding the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life! Alcohol support for those wanting to give up drinking.

[SavBbunny]

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 @fortheloveofgodwhy for hosting the last thread 💜
And here’s to the next 40 pages grin

Woohoo day 8 🙌 up early after a lot of broken sleep but feeling fabulous. I'm finding the journaling is really helping me. Going to catch up on some podcasts this morning while the children are still sleeping.. we've made this place more homely over the last couple of days and they are sleeping in quite a bit which is good. Happy Sunshine Sunday to you all, I hope you have a wonderful day.

fortheloveofgodwhy well done on your 6 month milestone! 🎊🎉 it sounds like you are nailing it. Fantastic!!

hangingover sorry to hear you're feeling lonely. Want to chat about why?

I dreamt I drank last night. Always weird dreams. The thing is in my dream I was moderating like a boss. I have to admit it does cross my mind sometimes albeit fleeting. Then, I play the video forward and know that's not an option. And I don't even want it to be an option. I really don't miss it anymore. I realised this when my guest had red wine last week in the house, which was always my nemesis. I had no desire for it as a taste. It didn't appeal.

Went out for a beautiful birthday lunch yesterday for my son with the whole family. Had a mocktail, it was lush. Only 3 of the 6 adults had a drink and they only had 1. I like that every meal doesn't turn into a boozy mess. I'm glad in life that I don't turn into a boozy mess.

Dh and I never swap sides of the bed and last night we did. I woke up a little disoriented for a moment and was so glad when I realised I wasn't disoriented due to drink. It feels like a distant memory now, to wake up and wonder how you ended up where you are, what you did, what you said. That is priceless and worth every moment that was hard work at the beginning.

Morning rockbottombird ypu sound so cheery! Fab. Hapoy day 8! Enjoy your sunny day and your peace. I journal too and it is great, really cathartic.

I read the other day on here (can't remember what thread) someone asked a question and got some great answers. They said how great mumsnet was, it was like a magical journal that gave back advice. That's what this thread feels like sometimes, it really is quite special.

@Fortheloveofgodwhy congratulations on 6 months. Well done on your travels and surviving a holiday with teenagers. I managed 10 days with 3 under 10 and my MIL last month 😂

I think you are a week ahead of me? I celebrated 6 months AF on the 13th!! Half a year. It seems unreal that I've achieved this but also bloody great.

Yay Crunchy! Yes I was the 7th. I thought it would be a celebration but actually I forgot until about the 12th 🤣.

breath as always you are so right about the disorientation. I have had it a few times the last couple of weeks due to time changes and different beds. Everytime I have been grateful it wasn’t because of alcohol and that alcohol has not compounded it at all either.

sorry you are feeling lonely @HangingOver xx

Nice to see you @DeedIDo!
Welcome back @Namechanged12344👍
Well done to you too @Fortheloveofgodwhy

@HangingOver good to see you here. I get lonely too sometimes. I think it’s all the bloody WFH, it’s turned me into a bit of a recluse.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend

@Lago1 again I’ll be brief - I tried to keep my eyes on my own paper as they say, rather obsessively read threads on here and the alcohol experiment, but yes, would take myself off for my salty bath as soon as poss.
my drink of choice is kombucha (or cbd on weekends) , so would crack one open when he started on the wine.
these days I have no desire to drink - as others have said that started at about 3 months, and is now pretty ingrained.
keep your head down and work on yourself - you can’t change him. I hoped he would see the change in me and at least cut down, but the opposite seems to have happened!
remember, you not drinking is shining a light on his drinking and probably giving him some food for thought.
will try and catch up with the rest of the thread when I get a chance.
strength to all xx

Morning all.

Morning @SavBbunny

Late, late night yesterday watching the boxing. So nice to be up at 9 and getting on with my day. Four months ago I would have been crawling round wondering whether I could face breakfast, never mind the rest of the day.

Life is good.

Day 113

Morning all. Happy Monday.

Morning😊

Good morning @BunniesBunniesBunnies I hope you've managed to get through the weekend Ok. Totally get the trauma trigger anniversaries 🤗

Day 9 today! Sleep is a bit hit and Miss but I'm doing Ok. I have an admin/life paperwork day today so a clear head is much needed and most welcome. Interestingly facing these new obstacles hangover free is definitely less stressful than I'd anticipated.

Have a great Monday all x

Thank you @rockbottombird I’m actually feeling much better. Feeling a lot of gratitude at the moment for things such as health and my children and my home. It helps to focus on those things.

Also focussing on how much better I feel without alcohol. So grateful for that.

An admin day sounds great! Hope you get lots done! (And take a break for yourself, too)

Long time lurker but felt compelled to post after reading from @JesusSufferingFuck22 about our brains telling us it's ok to drink. That's been my struggle! I've been listening to a podcast called 90 Days Later that talks about that. Helping me a lot. Realising i need to stop focusing on the actual wine and figure out what's going on in my mind. Have a good day everyone.

Hey @change2022! So glad you de-lurked! (Unlurked?😅) It’s so liberating to stop altogether and not to have to think about wine/booze anymore. Podcasts are a great inspiration too.

Hehe thank you for the welcome. Yes I decided it was just time to absolutely do this as I"m so fed up of it. I don't even really drink 'that much' but it's not working for me

Morning - hope to join you all on your sober journeys. Another day 1 for me, having been on here in different guises a couple of times before. I’m really frightened by my drinking now and don’t have a lot of real life support to stop, so hope this brilliant, inspiring place will help.

Morning everyone
Glad to hear you are feeling better bunnies.

Welcome back afreshafreshafresh as lots of others will agree with it took me lots of attempts to get where I am now. You're back trying and that's the key.

Welcome change2022. Our brains are such fascinating things and we are wired to chase instant pleasurable things. There is a philosophy in yoga called the Klesas (poisons on the path - which is an apt name) and one of them is Raga - attachment to pleasure. Instant pleasure. Alcohol is one of the most obvious of these. We get attached to the pleasure of it in the here and now but that pleasure is fleeting and it doesn't give us long term pleasure. It's not real. That helped me a lot.

I've put my back out which is not great for what I do. In agony yesterday and couldn't and still can't move.

Welcome (back) @AfreshAfreshAfresh!

Yikes @Breathmiller hope you can rest your back so it’s better soon!

Ouch @Breathmiller - look after yourself

Welcome back @AfreshAfreshAfresh

Morning all.
@Breathmiller hope the back is a bit better.
@change2022 I also felt I didn’t drink “that much” when I quit. As in - I wasn’t a binge drinker and rarely got hammered. But I was definitely very much a daily drinker. It’s great you’ve realised it’s just not working for me - that’s how I felt when I quit. Alcohol used to be for pleasure and it used to relax me (or so I thought!) and then I reached a point where it no longer gave me joy, just massive amounts of anxiety and self loathing. It’s hard to quit because society tells us we need alcohol to fit in/relax/have fun. We really don’t need it at all as this amazing thread shows! I only wish I had quit sooner!

Good luck to newbies! I know the thread seems a bit quiet at the mo but it’s full of kind people, so do feel free to post any questions, experiences or just ramble away as I often do (like right now😂😂😂) and someone will probably reply☺️

Hi all, slowly trying to catch up with the thread in the midst of school holidays and kids! I picked up on a few bits sorry if I can't remember them all but I'm really trying hard as one pp said to keep my head down and just get on with the first few days (again!) I don't understand why I do so well, everything is great and then I go back to it? Just don't understand. Nothing dramatic has happened but I just don't get when someone feels so good after abstaining for so long feels the need to 'ruin' it. I think I know part of the reasons as some of you have mentioned is my partner drinks. And if he stopped with me I would be many months by now! I was doing well but then our summer holiday made me do the f it thing. And then I think back to all of you who have had sober free holidays recently and think well they can do it why can't I! So I'm a bit of a bad/sad place right now. But I know I want to try again.
Catching up about your job @SavBbunny hope you will find what's suited to you and enjoy gardening leave if you can! And the new house fingers crossed etc as I know everything you have recently been through with all of that!
@Crunchymum wow 6 months is amazing well done and treat yourself!
I will read more when possible x

Morning all, double digits today 🤩
Nipped to the shop for tea bags last night around 8pm, woman in front of me trying to get her partner on the phone to transfer money to buy three bottles of wine and she was already well past it 🥴 it was a harsh reminder of what could be had I not stopped.

Someone mentioned partners drinking, this was a big issue for me and one of the many reasons I recently left. I was very much a non drinker as soon as I had the kids, maybe one glass of wine a month and I'd be put to bed giggling! Lots of nasty relationship stuff happened and I hit the wine to block it out - my H <not DH> encouraged this. He was / still is a one - two bottle daily wine drinker and has been since the day I've known him. I'd say functioning alcoholic if I'm honest. Removing myself from him and the temptation to drink has been a huge step forward. I tried numerous times to stop before and he'd always drink and in the end I'd say f'ck it and join in. It was a vicious cycle and one I'm please to be out of. That's what I'm thankful for today actually 🙅‍♀️ I may be in temporary accommodation with my children and uncertain of what lays ahead but I'm sober, thinking straight and getting shit sorted.

Happy Tuesday to you all, be kind to yourself and always look on the bright side xx

Oh wow @rockbottombird that's amazing you can hear how confident you are about things moving forward even if you are in temp accommodation with your children well done for being brave and taking that step and talking about it on here, much respect to you. I think the way you describe your ex is me but my partner encourages it but then he said last night we have been drinking too much wine but he can just stop for a week and have some at the weekend whereas I'd look for it from midday if I'm not working...so it's better not to at all for me I think. I can only try! I hope you and your children are ok and things work out x

@BunniesBunniesBunnies thank you for your post above, really helping me right now about how alcohol is supposed to relax you and it's society that says it's fine do it to fit in etc but I'm pretty sure my health is suffering in more ways than one. I just feel like a bit of a failure each time I have a blip.